MC1197131 – M365 Change Digest

One-line summary

SharePoint Start Page's Featured Links will be retired starting March 2026; admins must switch to global navigation or Viva Connections resources for highlighted content.

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Details

Summary

The Featured Links feature on the SharePoint Start Page will be retired from March to June 2026 due to low use. Admins will lose access, and existing links will be removed. Alternatives include global navigation links and Viva Connections Resources. Organizations should plan and communicate this change.

Body (from Message Center)

[Introduction]

We’re retiring the Featured Links capability on the SharePoint Start Page due to low adoption. This change helps streamline SharePoint experiences and reduce complexity for admins and end users. Alternative options, such as global navigation links or Resources in Viva Connections, provide more consistent ways to highlight important content.

Screenshot: The Featured Links option set for retirement appears at the bottom left in this image.

user settings

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, DoD): Retirement begins early March 2026 and will complete by late June 2026.

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected: All organizations using Featured Links on the SharePoint Start Page or SharePoint mobile app.

What will happen:

Admins will no longer be able to create, edit, update, or access Featured Links.
Existing Featured Links will be removed from the SharePoint Start Page and SharePoint mobile app.
No impact to other SharePoint navigation features or Viva Connections resources.

[What you can do to prepare:]

Review any existing Featured Links and plan alternative navigation options.
Consider using global navigation links or Resources in Viva Connections to highlight important sites and content.
Communicate this change to helpdesk and SharePoint site owners.
Update internal documentation if it references Featured Links.

Learn more: Add featured links to the SharePoint start page

[Compliance considerations:]

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

Raw JSON (for debugging)

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{
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    "ai_action_required_by": "2026-03-01T00:00:00Z",
    "ai_actions": [
      "Review and replace existing Featured Links",
      "Adopt global navigation or Viva Connections resources",
      "Notify helpdesk and site owners",
      "Update documentation"
    ],
    "ai_master_tags": [],
    "ai_model": "gpt-4.1",
    "ai_summary": "SharePoint Start Page\u0027s Featured Links will be retired starting March 2026; admins must switch to global navigation or Viva Connections resources for highlighted content.",
    "ai_topics": [
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      "Viva"
    ],
    "category": "planForChange",
    "details_map": {
      "Summary": "The Featured Links feature on the SharePoint Start Page will be retired from March to June 2026 due to low use. Admins will lose access, and existing links will be removed. Alternatives include global navigation links and Viva Connections Resources. Organizations should plan and communicate this change."
    },
    "id": "MC1197131",
    "importance": 5,
    "is_major_change": true,
    "last_modified": "2025-12-15T20:10:53Z",
    "ms_products": [
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    ],
    "platforms": null,
    "roadmap_ids": [],
    "services": [
      "SharePoint Online"
    ],
    "severity": "normal",
    "tags": [
      "User impact",
      "Admin impact",
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    ],
    "title": "Retirement of featured links on SharePoint Start Page"
  }
}