Microsoft 365 Targeted Release Is Going Away in 2027

Microsoft 365 Targeted Release is heading for retirement, with Microsoft planning to replace the channel with a new system built around three release preferences. The change will begin affecting organizations in November 2026 before Targeted Release shuts down in January 2027.

According to MC1490899 in the Microsoft 365 Message Center, the company will replace Targeted Release with Frontier, Standard, and Deferred release preferences.

Microsoft 365 Targeted Release ends in January 2027

Starting in November 2026, organizations will no longer be able to enroll new users in Targeted Release.

Microsoft will then stop delivering updates through Targeted Release to existing enrolled users in January 2027, completing the retirement of the channel.

Organizations do not need to wait until then to make the switch. Microsoft says administrators can already start moving users to one of the new release preferences.

The change gives Microsoft a more unified way to handle feature rollouts while still allowing organizations to choose between early access and a more cautious deployment schedule.

Frontier, Standard, and Deferred will replace it

Microsoft’s new system includes three release preferences designed for different deployment needs.

Frontier gives users early preview access to upcoming Microsoft 365 features before they reach general availability, while Standard delivers new features once Microsoft makes them generally available.

Deferred holds those features back for 30 days after Standard receives them. That extra time gives IT teams an opportunity to evaluate new features and identify potential problems before deploying them more broadly.

The three options effectively give organizations a choice between receiving features early, following Microsoft’s normal release schedule, or waiting an additional month.

IT administrators will need to migrate users

Microsoft recommends that IT administrators move existing Targeted Release users to Frontier, Standard, or Deferred before the old channel disappears.

Administrators can currently manage enrollment through the Microsoft 365 admin center by going to Settings > Org settings > Organization profile > Release preferences.

However, that interface will not remain in place for much longer. Microsoft plans to retire the existing release preferences experience when the unified system starts rolling out in November 2026.

The company says it will provide more information about changes to the Microsoft 365 admin experience at a later date.

Organizations that leave users on Targeted Release without moving them could also see changes to their expected feature rollout schedules once the channel stops delivering updates in early 2027.

Microsoft is making other changes across its productivity and enterprise services as well. In other news, the Dutch Tax Authority is moving Microsoft 365 data to its own servers, while Microsoft has finally brought remote PC connections to the Windows App. The company has also made the new Outlook generally available for GCC High and DoD.

Via Neowin.