MC1474111 - Retirement of Microsoft 365 Companion apps
Microsoft 365 Message Center announcement MC1474111.
MS Message Center's Summary
Microsoft is retiring the standalone companion apps for Calendar, People, and Files on December 16, 2026. These tools will lose functionality and support on this date, though underlying data remains safe. Administrators should halt any new deployments, plan the removal of existing installations from managed endpoints before the deadline, update internal user guidance, and direct staff to use alternative experiences such as Outlook and Teams.
- Administrator impact
- Administrators must block new deployments and remove existing companion app installations from managed devices before December 16, 2026.
- End user impact
- Users will lose access to the specific companion apps but can continue using core features via Outlook, Teams, and standard Windows tools.
- Importance
- 6/10: This retirement requires proactive administrative intervention to remove software and update internal documentation before support ends.
Microsoft Summary
Microsoft 365 companion apps (Calendar, People, Files) will retire on December 16, 2026, ceasing support and functionality. Admins must stop new installations and remove existing apps. Core Microsoft 365 features remain unaffected, accessible via Outlook, Teams, and other tools. Users should be informed and guided accordingly.
- Message Center ID
- MC1474111
- Category
- plan For Change
- Severity
- normal
- Services
- Microsoft 365 suite
- Tags
- User impact, Admin impact, Retirement
- Published
- 2026-09-18
- Last updated
- 2026-09-18
- Expires
- 2027-02-15
[What and why:] The Microsoft 365 companion apps—Calendar, People, and Files — are taskbar-integrated apps designed to streamline everyday workflows, helping users stay focused, reduce context switching, and complete tasks faster. We are retiring the companion apps, and they will no longer function or be supported after 16. December 2026. We advise admins remove the apps from devices in their tenant by this date. Detailed admin guidance is in Microsoft 365 companion app retirement . [Rollout schedule:] Microsoft 365 companion apps will reach end of life on December 16, 2026. As of the publication of this message, Microsoft will begin phasing out automatic installation of the companion apps. Updates and fixes, including security fixes, are no longer being provided. Existing installations can continue to function during the retirement window. December 16, 2026: Remaining companion apps will stop functioning and will no longer be supported. [Impact on your organization:] This retirement affects worldwide enterprise customers that installed the apps. Microsoft will stop the automatic installation of companion apps through Microsoft 365 Apps updates. Admins must prevent new installations through other deployment methods and should remove existing installations from managed devices. Users of unmanaged devices should uninstall the apps themselves. The companion apps were an additional way to find calendar information, people, and files so removing them will not delete or impact any existing capabilities or Microsoft 365 data. Users can continue finding calendar information, people, and files using existing Microsoft 365 and Windows experiences such as Outlook, Teams, Windows Search Box, File Explorer, SharePoint, OneDrive, and more. [Action required / Recommendations:] Admins will need to take steps such as letting users know the companion apps are being retired, stopping deployment of new installations, removing existing installations, and removing references from all internal documentation, guides, communications, and training materials. Review the retirement article linked above for all the steps you need to take. If you encounter an issue that may require an update or fix during the retirement period, see the guidance in the Troubleshooting section in the retirement article.