Microsoft SharePoint Online: Retirement of Restricted SharePoint Search
Versions captured by this deployment. Earlier versions and notices may be missing; first observed is not first published.
Action date
Microsoft tags this a retirement but gives no action date in the notice metadata. Any date is in the text below.
- Microsoft's start date
- 18 Jun 2026
- Last changed by Microsoft
- 18 Jun 2026
- First seen here
- 19 Oct 2026
- Versions seen
- 1
What the notice says
Microsoft's text, with its sections, lists and tables; source markup removedWhat and Why
Restricted SharePoint Search (RSS) is being retired in Microsoft SharePoint Online. RSS was used to limit how SharePoint content appears in Microsoft Search and Microsoft 365 Copilot during permissions and governance reviews.
Microsoft 365 now provides more granular and scalable controls. Restricted Content Discovery (RCD) offers improved security and governance and supports Microsoft 365 Copilot scenarios. Microsoft recommends transitioning to RCD or other appropriate controls to manage content discoverability. This change simplifies content discovery management and aligns with current controls.
Retirement Schedule
- July 31, 2026: New RSS enablement will be blocked.
- July 2026 – January 2027: Retirement period.
- January 31, 2027: RSS will be fully retired (no extensions or exceptions).
- February 28, 2027: RSS PowerShell cmdlets will be retired.
Impact on Your Organization
Who is affected
- Organizations currently using Restricted SharePoint Search (RSS) in Worldwide, GCC, GCC High and DoD
- SharePoint and Microsoft 365 administrators managing search visibility and governance
Platforms/Services
- SharePoint Online
- Microsoft Search
- Microsoft 365 Copilot
What will happen
- New RSS enablement will be blocked after July 31, 2026.
- RSS will stop functioning after January 31, 2027 (no extensions).
- RSS PowerShell cmdlets will stop working after February 28, 2027.
- Microsoft will not automatically migrate RSS configurations to Restricted Content Discovery (RCD).
- Administrators must transition to RCD or other governance controls to manage content discoverability.
- If no action is taken, restricted content may become discoverable after RSS retirement.
Action Required/Recommendations
If you are not using RSS, no action is required.
If your organization uses RSS:
- Check if RSS is enabled in your tenant.
- Identify sites configured with RSS and review allowed site lists.
- Plan transition to Restricted Content Discovery (RCD) or other governance controls.
- Optionally disable RSS ahead of retirement if no longer needed.
- Apply RCD where needed and validate behavior.
- Disable RSS after migration is complete.
- Update internal documentation and notify admin/support teams.
Learn more
- Restrict discovery of SharePoint sites and content | SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | SharePoint | Microsoft Learn
- Use PowerShell Scripts for Restricted SharePoint Search | SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | SharePoint | Microsoft Learn
Compliance considerations
No compliance considerations have been identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.
- Get the current mode of Restricted Search
- Get the existing list of URLs in the allowed list
- Enable or disable Restricted Search
- Restrict discovery of SharePoint sites and content | SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | SharePoint | Microsoft Learn
- Use PowerShell Scripts for Restricted SharePoint Search | SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | SharePoint | Microsoft Learn
What changed
Between the versions this installation saw, newest firstThis installation has seen one version of this notice, first on 19 Oct 2026. Later changes will show here.
Linked documentation
Microsoft pages the notice links toThe notice links to no Microsoft Learn or Support page that this installation reads.
Not confirmed here
What this page cannot tell you- Whether your tenant is affected: this is Microsoft's notice, not a check of your settings.
- Versions before 19 Oct 2026: this installation first saw the notice after Microsoft posted it.