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(Updated) Azure ACS retirement in Microsoft 365
MC693863 · build prod-20251231-200323
Category
planForChange
Severity
normal
Major change
True
Last modified
2026-03-02 18:09:42
Summary source
Azure OpenAI (gpt-4.1)
Action by (Graph)
Action by (AI)
2026-04-02 00:00:00
Services
SharePoint Online
Tags
Updated message, User impact, Admin impact, Retirement
Master tags
Admin, Security
Roadmap IDs

One-line summary

Azure Access Control Services (ACS) retires for SharePoint Online on April 2, 2026; update custom apps and integrations to use Microsoft Entra ID for authentication.

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Details

Summary
Azure ACS for SharePoint Online will retire on April 2, 2026. New tenants cannot use it after November 1, 2024. Organizations must migrate custom apps to Microsoft Entra ID for secure authentication and use the Microsoft 365 Assessment tool to identify Azure ACS usage.
HelpLink
https://aka.ms/retirement/acs/support

Body (from Message Center)

Updated March 2, 2026: This update serves as a final reminder that Azure ACS in Microsoft 365 will retire and stop working 1 month from now (April 2, 2026).

Since the first use of Azure Access Control Services (ACS) by SharePoint in 2013, Microsoft has evolved the authorization and authentication options for SharePoint Online via Microsoft Entra ID (a.k.a. Azure AD). Using Microsoft Entra ID as auth platform for your SharePoint Online customizations will provide your applications the most secure, compliant and future proof model. With our continued investment in Microsoft Entra ID, Microsoft is retiring the use of Azure ACS as auth platform for SharePoint Online.

[Key Points:]

  • Major: Retirement
  • Timeline:
    • Starting November 1st, 2024, new tenants will not be able use Azure ACS.
    • Starting April 2, 2026, Microsoft will remove the ability use SharePoint ACS for existing tenants.
  • Action: Review and assess impact

[How this will affect your organization]

If your organization still uses Azure ACS to grant custom developed or third party applications access to SharePoint Online, they will no longer have access after April 2nd, 2026. We recommend customers to update their customizations to use Microsoft Entra ID and ask their solution vendors to do the same.

[What you need to do to prepare]

You will want to notify your Azure ACS users and developers. Update your user training and prepare your help desk.

For admins

Learn more

Raw JSON (for debugging)

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    "ai_action_required_by": "2026-04-02T00:00:00Z",
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    "ai_model": "gpt-4.1",
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    "category": "planForChange",
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      "HelpLink": "https://aka.ms/retirement/acs/support",
      "Summary": "Azure ACS for SharePoint Online will retire on April 2, 2026. New tenants cannot use it after November 1, 2024. Organizations must migrate custom apps to Microsoft Entra ID for secure authentication and use the Microsoft 365 Assessment tool to identify Azure ACS usage."
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    "last_modified": "2026-03-02T18:09:42Z",
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    "title": "(Updated) Azure ACS retirement in Microsoft 365"
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