August 13, 2025
WHAT'S HAPPENING: Windows 10 end of support and Microsoft 365 Apps
WHEN: October 14, 2025
Microsoft 365 is governed by Microsoft's Modern Lifecycle Policy. This policy requires customers to stay current as per the servicing and system requirements for the product or service. These requirements include using Microsoft 365 Apps on a supported Windows operating system (with support for Windows 10 ends on October 14, 2025). Although Microsoft 365 applications will continue to work on Windows 10 after this date, using an unsupported operating system can cause performance and reliability issues. If your organization is using Microsoft 365 Apps on devices running Windows 10, those devices should move to Windows 11. To help maintain security while you transition to Windows 11, Microsoft will continue providing security updates for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 for three years after Windows 10 reaches end of support. These updates will be delivered through the standard update channels, ending on October 10, 2028.
Devices running Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows 10 will receive feature updates until Version 2608 is released on the following dates:
- August 2026 for Current Channel (including all versions for individuals and families)
- October 13, 2026 for Monthly Enterprise Channel
- January 12, 2027 for Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel
Devices will remain on Version 2608, receiving only security updates until October 10, 2028.
WHAT'S HAPPENING: Change to Timeline for Simplified License Management for Dynamics 365 Products
WHEN: September 1, 2025
As previously announced, Microsoft is going to be making changes to Dynamics 365 licensing management. The dates for the transition has been amendment as follows:
Starting September 1, 2025, users who do not meet license requirements will receive proactive notifications directly within the Dynamics 365 application, instructing them to request proper licensing through their administrator.
Starting November 1, 2025, all Dynamics 365 customers will be required to assign user licenses directly through the Microsoft 365 admin center for the following applications:
- Finance
- Finance Premium
- Supply Chain Management
- Supply Chain Management Premium
- Commerce
- Project Operations (in Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations)
- Human Resources
Microsoft is also providing customers with active renewals of Dynamics 365 finance and operations apps prior to 9/30/2025 with a 12-month grace period from their renewal date before in product notification(s) and per-user subscription license (USL) assignment validation(s) will occur.
WHAT'S HAPPENING: Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) and Skype for Business Server Subscription Edition (SE) are now available
WHEN: July 1, 2025
Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) and Skype for Business Server Subscription Edition (SE) have been released. Unlike previous versions of Exchange and Skype for Business, the Subscription Edition is governed by the Modern Lifecycle Policy. This means that from now on, support will have no fixed end date provided customers keep their configurations up to date. Instead, the codebase for these products will be serviced continuously as an evergreen product, with no further major, year-numbered versions.
WHAT'S HAPPENING: Extended Security Updates (ESUs) availability for Exchange 2016 / 2019 and Skype for Business 2015 / 2019
WHEN: August 1, 2025
Microsoft announce that there will be a limited Extended Security Updates program for Exchange 2016/2019 and Skype for Business Server 2015/2019. Starting August 1st, you will be able to work with your Microsoft and Long View account teams to get information about and purchase an additional 6-month Extended Security Update. This ESU will be valid for 6 months only (through April 14, 2026). This period will not be extended past April 2026. This ESU is not an “extension of the support lifecycle” , those servers will still go out-of-support on October 14, 2025. You will not be able to open support cases for them (unless directly related to an issue with a SU released to ESU customers during the ESU period). This ESU is a way for customers who might not be able to finalize their migrations to Exchange SE before October 14, 2025, to receive Critical and Important updates as SUs that we might release after October 2025. If there are SUs that we need to release, Microsoft will privately provide such SUs to ESU customers however they are not committing to releasing any SUs during the ESU period.
WHAT'S HAPPENING: Hotpatching for Windows Server 2025 Generally Available
WHEN: July 16, 2025
Effective July 16, 2025, Hotpatching for Windows Server 2025 on Azure Arc–connected machines is generally available (GA) under a paid subscription model. Hotpatching enables you to install OS security updates on Windows Server without requiring a reboot. This technology, previously exclusive to Windows Server Datacenter: Azure Edition, is now available for on-premises and hybrid environments through Azure Arc. Hotpatching has been in public preview at no cost but as of July 16, 2025, a monthly subscription fee of $1.50 USD per CPU core will apply. To receive hotpatches on Windows Servers outside of Azure, customers must enroll their servers. The servers must be on the latest cumulative update released during a baseline month (January, April, July and October) by Microsoft on the second Tuesday of the month. Only enrolled servers will continue to receive hotpatches and be billed accordingly.
WHAT'S HAPPENING: Generally Availability of Enhanced Azure SQL Database Free Offer
WHEN: February 3, 2025
As of February 2025, Microsoft's free Azure SQL Database offer is available. Each Azure subscription now includes not just one, but 10 serverless databases. Each database comes with a complimentary allocation of 100,000 vCore seconds of compute, 32 GB of data storage, and 32 GB of backup storage every month, for the lifetime of your subscription. This enhanced free offer is ideal for new Azure customers looking to develop for free, learn SQL, or create a proof of concept, as well as existing Azure customers that are considering adding another database. This link documents how to redeem this offer.
WHAT'S HAPPENING: General Availability of Free SQL Managed Instance Offer
WHEN: May 21, 2025
As of May 2025, Microsoft is offering a General Purpose or Next-Gen General Purpose (preview) Azure SQL Managed Instance at no cost for up to 12 months with support for up to 500 databases.
The free SQL Managed Instance Offer includes:
- One General Purpose or Next-Gen General Purpose (preview) SQL managed instance per subscription.
- 720 vCore hours every month (renews every month, unused credits are lost).
- 64 GB of data storage.
- SQL license for the instance.
- Automatically backed up databases retained for up to 7 days.
- Default workday start/stop schedule from 9-5 to ensure frugal utilization of your free credits.
- Creation of up to 500 databases [1]
The instance is automatically stopped when you reach the monthly vCore limit. If the start/stop schedule is set on the instance the next scheduled start succeeds when credits are available gain.
To take advantage of this offer:
1) Create Azure SQL Managed Instance
2) Apply Free Offer – look for the “Want to try SQL MI for free?” banner and select “Apply”
3) Select an existing resource group, or create a new one.
4) Select “Review and create” to finish creating the instance.
WHAT'S HAPPENING: SQL Server 2025 is now in Public Preview
WHEN: May 19, 2025
SQL Server 2025 is now in public preview, with general availability expected later in 2025. This is a major upgrade that integrates AI deeply into the database engine, enabling hybrid search with vector data and support for retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). It boosts developer productivity with tools like GitHub Copilot, native JSON and RegEx support, and real-time data streaming. Security is enhanced with managed identities, stronger encryption, and TLS 1.3. Performance improvements include smarter query optimization, better concurrency, and faster failover. It also introduces seamless integration with Microsoft Fabric for analytics and drops support for DQS and MDS. You can read more about this release here.
WHAT'S HAPPENING: Project for the web being retired
WHEN: August 1, 2025
In August 2025, Microsoft will be retiring Project for the web, as well as the Project and Roadmap apps in Microsoft Teams. Users will be redirected to Planner for the web and Planner in Teams as Project for the web becomes Planner. Since Planner for the web and Planner in Teams include the same premium plans as Project for the web, Microsoft is consolidating endpoints to ease confusion. Additionally, Planner integrates basic plans—those created with a Microsoft 365 E3 or E5 license—into a single solution. No migration or change in licensing is required—all plans previously created in Project for the web are accessible in both Planner for the web and Planner in Teams. With a premium license, Planner provides access to familiar capabilities such as basic plans, along with premium features like Goals, Sprints, Task History, Advanced Dependencies with lead and lag, Baselines, and more. Additionally, it includes next-generation AI-powered work management tools, including Copilot and the Project Manager agent.
To ensure a smooth transition to Planner, Microsoft recommends that administrators notify users and update any internal documentation to reflect the changes. This retirement will happen automatically in August with no admin action required before or after the rollout. Microsoft suggests re-creating existing Roadmaps as Portfolios in Planner before the redirect begin and to proactively re-pin your Project in Teams tabs using the Planner in Teams tabs. You can read more in the FAQ here.
WHAT'S HAPPENING: Copilot Studio Agent Usage Estimator now in preview
WHEN: June 1, 2025
There is now a Copilot Studio Agent Usage Estimator Tool in preview. You can use this tool to estimate agent's message volume and forecast budgetary costs.
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