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MC1183012 Plan for changeMajor changeAdmin impactRetirement

Retiring the ability to create Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) packages for Microsoft 365 Apps

From Microsoft 365 Message Center Archive by Merill Fernando · Microsoft may not have sent this notice to your tenant.
Microsoft 365 apps
Microsoft 365 admin center

What the notice says

Microsoft’s text, safely structured

Introduction

We’re retiring the ability to create App-V packages for Microsoft 365 Apps starting January 13, 2026. This change aligns with our focus on modern deployment methods and continued investment in Click-to-Run, which offers improved performance, reliability, and supportability.

What is App-V?

Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) is a technology that enables applications to be deployed in a virtualized format, allowing them to run on end-user devices without being installed directly. This helps reduce application conflicts and simplifies management in enterprise environments. While App-V has been useful for certain deployment scenarios, its use for Microsoft 365 Apps has become increasingly uncommon.

When this will happen

This change will take effect on January 13, 2026. After this date, new versions of the Office Deployment Tool will no longer support App-V packaging for Microsoft 365 Apps.

How this affects your organization

  • Who is affected: Organizations that use the Office Deployment Tool in packager mode to create App-V packages for Microsoft 365 Apps.
  • What will happen:
    • The Office Deployment Tool will no longer support creation of App-V packages using the /packager argument after January 13, 2026. (Example: setup.exe /packager packageconfig.xml)
    • Existing App-V packages will continue to function, but no new packages can be created using updated tools.
    • Organizations using Click-to-Run are not affected.
    • No changes will occur for organizations that do not use App-V for deployment.

What you can do to prepare

  • Review your deployment strategy before January 13, 2026.
  • Transition to Click-to-Run deployment, which remains fully supported.
  • Update internal documentation and deployment scripts to reflect this change.
  • Communicate this change to IT and helpdesk teams.
  • Learn more about Click-to-Run deployment: Create an App-V package for Microsoft 365 Apps

Compliance considerations

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

What changed

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The archive supplies one version of this notice.

Learn more

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What this page cannot tell you
  • Whether your tenant is affected: this is Microsoft's notice, not a check of your settings.
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