Tag: EWS Retirement

Microsoft announced the dates leading to the final retirement of Exchange Web Services from Exchange Online. If all goes well, the EWS retirement in the cloud will happen by May 2027. Challenges still exist. Microsoft must remove EWS from its own apps, including Outlook, and help tenants and ISVs make the leap to Graph APIs. Plans are in place and progress is being made, but will everyone be ready when Microsoft removes EWS permanently from Exchange Online in April 2027?

Microsoft is introducing a Dedicated Exchange Hybrid App to facilitate the transition away from EWS to use Graph API requests for rich hybrid coexistence (free/busy, Mail Tips, and user photos). The plan involves the creation of an Entra ID app to hold EWS permissions (stage 1) followed by Graph permissions (stage 2). Everything has to be complete by October 1, 2026, because that’s when EWS goes away.