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(Updated) Retirement of external access token for actionable messages – moving to Microsoft Entra authentication
MC1189663 · build prod-20251231-200323
Category
planForChange
Severity
normal
Major change
True
Last modified
2026-03-24 16:15:49
Summary source
Azure OpenAI (gpt-4.1)
Action by (Graph)
2026-03-30 07:00:00
Action by (AI)
Services
Microsoft 365 apps
Tags
Updated message, Admin impact, Retirement
Master tags
Admin, Security
Roadmap IDs

One-line summary

Actionable messages using external access tokens retire May 15, 2026; switch to Microsoft Entra authentication to maintain functionality and improve security.

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Details

Summary
External access tokens for actionable messages will be retired on May 15, 2026, requiring organizations to switch to Microsoft Entra authentication. This change enhances security and affects all integrations using actionable messages with external tokens, which will fail after the deadline. Organizations should update their implementations accordingly.

Body (from Message Center)

Updated March 24, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

We’re retiring the use of external access tokens for actionable messages and transitioning to Microsoft Entra-based authentication. This update enhances security and aligns with modern identity standards, providing a more robust and compliant experience for actionable messages.

[When this will happen]

This change takes effect on May 15, 2026. After this date, external access tokens will no longer be supported.

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected:

Organizations using actionable messages that currently rely on external access tokens.

What will happen:

  • Actionable messages that depend on external access tokens will fail after May 15, 2026.
  • All integrations and workflows using actionable messages must adopt Microsoft Entra authentication.
  • This change improves security posture by leveraging Entra’s identity and access management capabilities.
[What you can do to prepare]
  • Review all actionable message implementations in your organization.
  • Update integrations to use Microsoft Entra authentication before May 15, 2026.

Learn more:

[Compliance considerations]

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

Raw JSON (for debugging)

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    "ai_model": "gpt-4.1",
    "ai_summary": "Actionable messages using external access tokens retire May 15, 2026; switch to Microsoft Entra authentication to maintain functionality and improve security.",
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      "Summary": "External access tokens for actionable messages will be retired on May 15, 2026, requiring organizations to switch to Microsoft Entra authentication. This change enhances security and affects all integrations using actionable messages with external tokens, which will fail after the deadline. Organizations should update their implementations accordingly."
    },
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