Message center announcements
October 28, 2024 – November 3, 2024
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Microsoft OneDrive: We will remove the “EnableHoldTheFile” group policy
MC922630 | October 31 – Microsoft OneDrive is removing the “EnableHoldTheFile” group policy, with rollout starting early April 2025. This change will allow users to choose how to handle file conflicts in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. No admin action is required before the rollout. More information is available on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap.
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Microsoft new Outlook for Windows and Outlook for the web: Changing how to disable/enable
MC922623 | October 31 – Microsoft is updating the process to enable/disable Outlook for Windows and Outlook for the web, with changes rolling out from late January to mid-February 2025. The OWAEnabled parameter will only affect Outlook for the web, while the OneWinNativeOutlookEnabled policy will manage new Outlook for Windows. No admin action is required before the rollout.
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Microsoft Places app ON by default
MC922620 | October 31 – The Microsoft Places app will be enabled by default, facilitating users to coordinate in-office days with colleagues. It’s accessible via web, Teams, Outlook, and Microsoft 365 app, with additional features for Teams Premium users. Rollout starts early December 2024. Admins should set up policies and configure access.
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(Updated) Microsoft OneDrive: The Enable OCSI for Tenants group policy is being removed
MC921916 | October 31 – The EnableAllOcsiClients OneDrive group policy is being removed to ensure smooth communication between Microsoft Office and OneDrive, enabling features like autosave and real-time collaboration. Rollout begins April 2025, with no admin action required beforehand. Users should be informed, especially if the policy was previously disabled.
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(Updated) Exchange Online token deprecation plan
MC902782 | October 31 – Legacy Exchange Online tokens are deprecated and will be turned off starting February 2025. Add-ins using these tokens must migrate to Nested App Authentication (NAA) and Entra ID tokens. Administrators should identify and update affected add-ins, and developers must register updated add-ins in Azure. Tooling will be provided for admins to manage this transition.
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Retirement of the SharePoint SendEmail API
MC921752 | October 30 – The SharePoint SendEmail API will be retired on October 31, 2025. Organizations should update any components using this API and consider alternatives like Microsoft Graph or Power Automate’s Outlook connector for email functionalities.
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Support for the Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile UWP applications will end on October 14, 2025
MC921113 | October 29 – Support for the Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile Universal Windows Platform (UWP) applications will end on October 14, 2025. After that date, no further updates, security fixes, or technical support will be available for these applications.
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Microsoft PowerPoint: Web viewer add-in retires December 2024
MC921112 | October 29 – We will retire the Web Viewer add-in for Microsoft PowerPoint and remove it from Microsoft App Source on December 2, 2024. After this date, the add-in will be unavailable for download or use. Existing files will not be affected, although the add-in’s functionality in existing slides will end. We are retiring the add-in due to low usage. We are prioritizing more critical and relevant features for…
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: The new streamlined Chat and Channels experience
MC920179 | October 29 – Microsoft Teams introduces a new chat and channels experience, streamlining conversations and management across different locations. This update, excluding Education tenants, will be rolled out from mid-November 2024 to late April 2025, depending on the release phase and user group. Users can customize their chat and channels view, and no admin action is required for the rollout. For more information, users can refer to the Microsoft 365 Blog and the Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 415249.
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Microsoft Entra: Enablement of Passkeys in Authenticator for passkey (FIDO2) organizations with no key restrictions
MC920300 | October 28 – Starting mid-January 2025, organizations with enabled passkey (FIDO2) policy and no key restrictions will have passkeys in the Microsoft Authenticator app. Users can add this via aka.ms/MySecurityInfo, and it’s enforced by Conditional Access policy. Organizations preferring not to enable this can impose key restrictions.
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Microsoft Loop: Configure guest sharing for tenants with sensitivity labels
MC923419 | November 1 – Microsoft Loop will allow guest sharing for all tenants, including those with sensitivity labels, after the rollout in November-December 2024. Admins can configure policies for B2B guest sharing in SharePoint, and users can share Loop components with external guests, respecting existing OneDrive and SharePoint settings.
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System generated emails from workflows and alerts will now show SharePoint Online as the sender display name
MC923413 | November 1 – SharePoint Online system-generated emails from workflows and alerts will now display “SharePoint Online” as the sender name. This change, continuing from January 2024, requires updates to any Outlook rules based solely on the display name. The sending address remains no-reply@sharepointonline.com, and the rollout should complete by late November 2024.
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Update to post-device registration readiness
MC923408 | November 1 – Windows Autopatch is updating the ‘Modern Workplace – Autopatch Client Setup’ script to install a new application, ‘Windows Autopatch Client Broker’, for improved scalability and performance. The rollout starts early December and will replace the ‘Microsoft Cloud Managed Desktop Extension’. Organizations should allow the endpoint ‘device.autopatch.microsoft.com’ to prepare.
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Microsoft Loop: Sensitivity labels at the container level
MC923176 | November 1 – Microsoft Loop will soon introduce container-level sensitivity labels, enhancing security features for organizations using Microsoft Information Protection. This update, part of Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 111225, will roll out between late October and early December 2024, requiring no admin action prior to rollout.
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Microsoft SharePoint: Customize your individual sites and experiences with fonts and themes
MC905757 | November 1 – SharePoint will introduce a new site branding feature allowing customization with fonts and themes. Rollout starts in October 2024, with general availability in November. Site owners can create unique branding, which won’t affect organizational or Microsoft-provided assets. No admin action is required for implementation.
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Microsoft Intune In Development for November 2024 is now available
MC922633 | October 31 – The ‘In Development for Microsoft Intune’ page has been updated with a list of features for upcoming releases to aid in planning and readiness. Changes will appear in the next month or a subsequent release. IT staff should be informed to update user guidance accordingly.
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Microsoft Copilot 365 in Viva Glint will support the summarization of employee survey comments
MC922629 | October 31 – Starting November 2024, Microsoft Copilot 365 in Viva Glint will summarize employee survey comments, identify themes, and suggest actions. It requires a Viva Glint license and admin configuration. Public Preview begins June 2024, with General Availability in November 2024. Roadmap ID: 324079.
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Microsoft Copilot extending to Teams and Outlook
MC922627 | October 31 – Starting mid-November 2024, Microsoft Copilot will be available for pinning in Teams and Outlook for Entra account users. Admins can control the pinning, and it’s not pinned by default. Users can access it directly if pinned. The rollout is expected to complete by end of December 2024.
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Microsoft Forms: New streamlined and modernized experience
MC922626 | October 31 – Microsoft Forms is introducing a new, modern experience with an updated portal page, form creation, and response analysis. The update includes organized templates, a selection of styles, and enhanced results analysis with charts and graphs. Rollout begins late October 2024, with no admin action required.
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Microsoft Viva Insights: Users can request delegate access
MC922625 | October 31 – Microsoft Viva Insights will soon allow users to request delegate access from managers, applicable to various Teams platforms and the web app. The rollout starts in December 2024 for Targeted Release and January 2025 for General Availability, requiring no admin setup as it’s on by default.
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Microsoft Viva Engage: Mute conversations in feeds and digests
MC922624 | October 31 – Microsoft Viva Engage will soon introduce a ‘Mute conversations’ feature allowing network admins and corporate communicators to remove threads from the Home Feed and email digests. This feature, part of new moderation tools, will be available on all Engage platforms but can only be muted from the web and Teams and Outlook apps. Rollout starts mid-November 2024.
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Get started with October 2024 improvements in Windows 11
MC922556 | October 31 – If you’re an IT professional or decision maker, start using the newest Windows 11 capabilities with helpful tips and actionable steps summarized in one place. Read this month’s recap of improvements in Windows client and server security, device and update management, AI, productivity, and collaboration.When will this…
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Power Automate – Cloud flows are automatically defined in Dataverse solutions
MC922500 | October 31 – We are releasing a new feature that will enable the automatic definition of cloud flows for Dataverse solutions. This feature will be available starting November 30, 2024.How does this affect me?Cloud flows are now automatically stored in Dataverse solutions, simplifying deployment across environments with features like environment variables and solutions for better organization. This integration also enables new functionalities such as drafts and…
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How to prepare for Windows 10 end of support by moving to Windows 11
MC922358 | October 31 – As the end of support for Windows 10 approaches, Microsoft wants to ensure your organization is well-prepared for the transition to Windows 11. This end of support on October 14, 2025* marks an important step in our mission to provide the most modern and secure computing experience possible. It also reflects our commitment to continually improving Windows security as part of…
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Power Pages – Use contextual copilot to add a page to your Power Pages site
MC921934 | October 30 – We are announcing the use contextual copilot to add a page to your Power Pages site feature for Power Pages. This feature will enable makers to describe the page they want using natural language directly in their workflow and Copilot will generate the page. This feature will reach general availability on November 30, 2024.How does this affect me?With this feature, we’re introducing the ability to leverage Copilot directly in your workflow inside of Power Pages design studio…
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Dynamics 365 Field Service – Summarize work orders with Copilot in Outlook
MC921924 | October 30 – We are announcing the Summarize work orders with Copilot in Outlook feature for Dynamics 365 Field Service. This feature allows you to get a summary of a work order without having to leave Outlook and open the Field service web or mobile apps. This feature will reach general availability on November 18, 2024. How does this affect me? The Dynamics 365 Field Service for Outlook add-in enables Copilot to create a summary that captures all the important information…
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Microsoft Purview | Data Loss Prevention: Turning on Data Loss Prevention analytics
MC921917 | October 30 – Microsoft Purview’s Data Loss Prevention analytics feature will be available mid-October 2024, providing weekly recommendations to enhance data protection. Users can turn on analytics, which generates recommendations after 7 days, spotlighting risks and fine-tuning policies. Recommendations stay in the queue for 4 weeks, and analytics can be disabled if needed.
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Windows Autopatch Entra Group Owner Migration
MC921912 | October 30 – Windows Autopatch is migrating Entra group ownership from the ‘Modern Workplace Management’ app to the ‘Modern Workplace Customer API’ for better scalability and performance. The transition starts mid-November and ends mid-December 2024, with no immediate impact or action required from users.
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General Availability of Declarative Agents in Microsoft Word and Microsoft PowerPoint (Web)
MC918574 | October 30 – Declarative Agents are now available in Word and PowerPoint Web, allowing users to customize Copilot for Microsoft 365. Rollout begins late October 2024, with completion by late November. Users can install and interact with these agents via Teams or the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. No admin action is required before rollout.
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Microsoft 365 Copilot for Sales – Post meeting AI-generated thank you emails for customer follow up
MC921442 | October 30 – We are announcing the post meeting AI-generated thank you emails for customer follow up feature for Microsoft Copilot for Sales. This feature enables you to send a follow-up email with a single click, leveraging high quality AI-generated post meeting notes. This feature will reach general availability on November 30, 2024.How does this affect me?This feature enhances your productivity by improving the following aspects of the thank-you email generated post Teams…
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Microsoft Purview |Communication Compliance: Customize policies with language-specific trainable classifier conditions
MC921117 | October 29 – Microsoft Purview | Communication Compliance introduces a feature for customizing compliance policies with language-specific trainable classifiers. It starts rolling out in December 2024 for Public Preview and January 2025 for General Availability. No admin action is required before the rollout. Organizations can update existing policies for more precise compliance.
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Microsoft Teams: Automatic location updates with building details for BYOD rooms and bookable desks
MC921116 | October 29 – With this rollout, we are delivering automatic location updates with building details on bookable desks and bring your own device (BYOD) rooms to make it easier for users to keep their workplace presence up to date and connect with others in the office.This message is…
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Microsoft Viva Engage: New features for Microsoft 365 Copilot adoption community
MC921115 | October 29 – Coming soon to the Microsoft Viva Engage adoption community for Microsoft 365 Copilot, admins will have access to new suggested content covering timely Copilot updates and best practices and the ability to easily upload documents and leverage AI to generate Q&A pairs using Answers Intelligent Importer.What is the Microsoft Viva Engage adoption community for Copilot? Since general availability in August 2024 (referenced in MC7841560), network admins and…
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End of Microsoft Places Preview Program
MC921110 | October 29 – As we approach General Availability for Microsoft Places, we’re winding down the Preview program and sharing more information about the Places mobile app. Preview program: We will stop accepting new sign-ups for the Preview program when we reach General Availability and will close the Preview on January 6th, 2025. Mobile app: Furthermore, development of the Microsoft Places mobile app has been put on hold and we will instead prioritize adding Places experiences…
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Product transitions to the cloud.microsoft domain – October 2024
MC921105 | October 29 – Microsoft products are transitioning to the cloud.microsoft domain by October 2024. Services are already available on the new domain, with previous domains redirecting soon. This change should not impact users following Microsoft’s network guidance since April 2023. Users and admins need to recognize and prepare for the new domain.
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Introducing Meeting Prep for Financial Services (Preview)
MC920310 | October 28 – Meeting Prep for Financial Services is now in public preview, offering investment bankers a centralized app for meeting preparation. It integrates data from various sources with AI insights and is available now, with general availability starting early December 2024. Licensing includes Microsoft 365 E3/Business Basic and LSEG Workspace.
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Microsoft Purview | Information Protection: Auto-labeling policies will support “Fingerprint based SIT”
MC920308 | October 28 – Microsoft Purview | Information Protection will soon support auto-labeling with “Fingerprint based SIT”. Rollout starts late November 2024, completing by mid-December 2024. This feature will be enabled by default, requiring no pre-rollout action from admins but review and setup are advised.
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Copilot Pages coming to Microsoft Copilot
MC920307 | October 28 – Copilot Pages will be available in Microsoft Copilot for users with an Entra account and SharePoint license starting early November 2024. This feature allows for collaborative and persistent workspaces in Copilot chat. It will be enabled by default with admin controls for customization.
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Categorize single items in conversation view in new Microsoft Outlook for Windows and web
MC920306 | October 28 – The new Outlook for Windows and web will enable categorizing individual emails in conversation view. This feature, associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 416450, will roll out from mid-November 2024 to mid-February 2025, requiring no admin action.
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Microsoft 365 Copilot: Share a Business Chat (BizChat) prompt with a co-worker
MC920305 | October 28 – Microsoft 365 Copilot will soon allow users to share BizChat prompts via a link. This feature requires a Copilot license and will roll out globally starting late November 2024. Users can manage shared prompts on the Copilot Lab website, and admins can export these prompts. No admin action is required before the rollout.
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Microsoft Purview | Communication Compliance: Policy alerts improvements
MC920304 | October 28 – Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance is enhancing policy alerts with improved capabilities and customization options. Public Preview begins mid-November 2024, with General Availability starting early February 2025. Admins can adjust alert frequency and recipients. This feature is enabled by default. Learn more on Microsoft’s official documentation pages.
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Microsoft Viva Engage: Top questions in your communities
MC920301 | October 28 – Microsoft Viva Engage is introducing a ‘Top questions’ feature to display the most popular questions in a community over the last 90 days, aiding in finding relevant content. It will roll out from mid-November to late December 2024 and will be enabled by default. No admin action is required for the rollout.
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Microsoft Purview | Audit: Enable audit log search for content searches that target Microsoft SharePoint Online
MC920299 | October 28 – Enable audit log search for SharePoint Online content searches in Microsoft Purview by following the provided instructions. This feature is now generally available and requires enabling ‘SearchQueryInitiatedSharePoint’ for users. No admin action is needed before the rollout, but reviewing configurations and updating documentation is advised.
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Microsoft Teams admin center: Admins can disable the ability to send messages in meeting chat before and after a meeting
MC920298 | October 28 – New Microsoft Teams admin center options will enable admins to disable meeting chat before and after meetings. These options are part of the Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 422808 and will roll out between December 2024 and February 2025. Admins should review configurations and inform users accordingly.
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Microsoft 365 Copilot: Web mode to extend to Teams and Outlook
MC920296 | October 28 – Web mode is being released for Microsoft 365 Copilot in Teams and Outlook, starting mid-November 2024, with full rollout by late November. Users can switch between Web and Work modes, with no admin action needed for the update. Details are in Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 420330.
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Microsoft 365 Copilot: Save prompts in Business Chat (BizChat) and Microsoft Copilot Lab
MC920294 | October 28 – The message details a new feature allowing Microsoft 365 Copilot users to save and reuse prompts in Business Chat (BizChat), with a rollout starting mid-November 2024. Users can access saved prompts via the Copilot Lab prompt browser or the Copilot Lab website. No admin action is required before the rollout.
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(Updated) Microsoft Teams: Enhanced discovery of apps and one-click app installation across Teams
MC888049 | October 28 – Microsoft Teams is updating to enhance app discovery and enable one-click app installation. The rollout, starting mid-December 2024 and ending early January 2025, will allow users to easily find and use previously utilized apps in Teams. Users can consent to use apps everywhere in Teams with a single click. This update is detailed in Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 397089. Admins need to ensure app permission policies are set correctly; no further action is required. Users should be informed of these changes.
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(Update) Microsoft Purview | Information Protection: Improved Data Loss Prevention policy tips
MC790795 | October 28 – Microsoft Purview | Information Protection will update to show consistent Data Loss Prevention policy tips across Word, Excel, PowerPoint for Windows, SharePoint Online, and OneDrive. Rollout starts early June 2024, with general availability by mid-December 2024. No admin action required before rollout. Documentation will be updated accordingly.
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(Updated) New cmdlet for Content Explorer
MC698421 | October 28 – A new cmdlet, Export-ContentExplorerData, will be available in General Availability for Microsoft 365 admins to export all scanned content data from Content Explorer. The rollout starts mid-March 2025 and ends mid-May 2025. No additional settings are required for this feature. Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 117546.
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Upcoming changes to email service notification recipients
MC920104 | October 28 – Message Center is the primary channel to receive updates about your Microsoft services. Occasionally, we will send email service notifications regarding upcoming changes that require customer action, planned maintenance, or other important announcements. To expand access and help you manage recipients in your organization, we will be implementing a new policy for receiving these transactional, email service notifications. How does this affect me? Previously, View more
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General availability of Manage Security in the Power Platform admin center
MC919800 | October 28 – We are announcing the general availability of the Security page in the Power Platform admin center. The latest enhancements for the security page will begin rolling out on November 1, 2024, and will be available in all public regions by November 15, 2024.How does this affect me?The Security page in the Power Platform admin center will serve as a centralized location for managing security recommendations, evaluating your organization’s security score, and implementing policies…
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