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MC1469565 Plan for changeMajor changeUser impactAdmin impactRetirement

Microsoft Purview | Data Lifecycle Management - Graph API Support for archive mailboxes

Microsoft Purview
Microsoft 365 admin center

Action date

18d ago Act by , as Microsoft's metadata states

What the notice says

Microsoft's text, with its sections, lists and tables; source markup removed

What and why

As part of the retirement of Exchange Web Services (EWS) in Exchange Online, Microsoft is expanding support for archive mailbox scenarios through Microsoft Graph APIs.

Organizations that currently use EWS to access archive mailbox data should begin migrating to Microsoft Graph APIs before EWS is disabled. Microsoft Graph now provides API support for importing and exporting mailbox data and for managing archive mailbox folders, including support for auto-expanding archives.

This change helps ensure continued access to archive mailbox data after EWS is retired and provides a supported path forward for compliance, data lifecycle management, eDiscovery, backup, and related archive mailbox solutions.

Rollout schedule

  • General Availability (Worldwide): Beginning in late October 2026 and expected to complete by early November 2026
  • Important: Exchange Web Services (EWS) in Exchange Online will begin to be disabled globally in October 2026 and is expected to be fully disabled by April 2027

Impact on your organization

Who is affected

Organizations that use applications, scripts, or third-party solutions that rely on EWS to access archive mailbox content.

Examples include:

  • eDiscovery solutions
  • Compliance and records management workflows
  • Data lifecycle management solutions
  • Backup and export tools
  • Custom applications that access archive mailboxes

Platforms and services

  • Microsoft Purview
  • Exchange Online
  • Microsoft Graph

What will happen

  • Applications and scripts that continue to use EWS for archive mailbox operations will stop functioning after EWS is disabled.
  • Organizations using auto-expanding archive mailboxes must update applications to support Microsoft Graph archive mailbox behaviors.
  • Microsoft Graph APIs support archive mailbox scenarios through:
  • Applications may need to handle redirect responses when archive content resides in auxiliary archive mailboxes.
  • Mailbox import and export APIs
  • MailboxFolder APIs for folder management operations

Action required and recommendations

Action required: Yes

Before October 2026, we recommend that administrators and developers:

  • Identify applications and scripts that use EWS to access archive mailboxes.
  • Review Microsoft Graph archive mailbox guidance.
  • Update applications to use Microsoft Graph APIs for archive mailbox operations.
  • Use available migration resources to assess and update existing code.
  • Contact third-party vendors to confirm their plans and timelines for migrating from EWS to Microsoft Graph.

Learn more

Compliance considerations

QuestionAnswer
Does this change modify, interrupt, or disable Purview-related capabilities, including retention, eDiscovery, export, or data lifecycle management workflows?Yes. Organizations using EWS-based integrations for eDiscovery, compliance exports, retention-related processes, or data lifecycle management that access archive mailboxes must migrate to Microsoft Graph APIs before EWS is disabled.
Does this change alter how users or applications access, export, or manage Microsoft 365 data?Yes. Applications that access or export archive mailbox data through EWS must be updated to use Microsoft Graph APIs to maintain functionality after EWS retirement.
Does this change add or affect third-party integrations?Yes. Third-party applications and services that use EWS to access archive mailbox content may require vendor-provided updates or migration to Microsoft Graph APIs.
Does this change affect how organizations demonstrate or maintain compliance processes?Yes. Organizations that rely on EWS-based compliance, auditing, export, or records management workflows for archive mailbox data should review and update their integrations to ensure continuity of compliance operations.

What changed

Between the versions this installation saw, newest first

This 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 to

The 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.
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