Microsoft to Retire Defender Application Guard for Office by 2027

Microsoft has announced that it will retire Defender Application Guard (MDAG) from Office by December 2027. And it will start this process with Office version 2602 in February 2026.

Microsoft Defender Application Guard first debuted for Windows 10 and 11 Enterprise to create a secure, containerized environment using Hyper-V to open untrusted Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. This setup ensured that even if a document carried malicious code, it couldn’t compromise the host system.

However, Microsoft’s suggests that Protected View will now take over as the default safeguard for files originating from the web or unknown sources. In this read-only mode, editing and macros remain disabled until users explicitly trust the file.

In a Microsoft 365 message center update, the company notes:

Microsoft Defender Application Guard for Office, retired in April 2024, will be removed from Office by December 2027. Files will open in Protected View instead. Admins should enable Microsoft Defender for Endpoint ASR rules and Windows Defender Application Control to maintain security. No admin action is required for removal

The company further says that this change “aligns with the end of support for Windows 11 version 23H2 and helps streamline the security experience for users.” So, you must be wondering when this will happen, right? Here’s what Microsoft says:

Phase 1: Removal begins with Office version 2602

• Current Channel: early February 2026
• Monthly Enterprise Channel: April 2026
• Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel: July 2026

Phase 2: Full removal with Office version 2612

• Current Channel: early December 2026
• Monthly Enterprise Channel: February 2027
• Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel: July 2027

If you’re an enterprise, Microsoft suggests enabling Attack Surface Reduction (ASR) rules and Windows Defender Application Control (WDAC) to maintain robust protection against malicious Office content.

via: BetaNews