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Microsoft marks the end of an era with the shutdown of Exchange Web Services (EWS), a technology that was once considered beloved but is now being phased out in favor of more modern alternatives.
Microsoft has set a definitive date for the shutdown of its long-deprecated Exchange Web Services (EWS) on October 1, 2026. EWS will be disabled by default, with all support and services officially coming to a close on April 1, 2027. The service has been considered deprecated since 2023 due to declining usage and security incidents. The shutdown will only apply to Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online, while EWS remains available in Exchange Server. Microsoft will provide additional support and resources to help administrators migrate their applications to more modern technologies.
Microsoft has finally set a definitive date for the shutdown of its long-deprecated Exchange Web Services (EWS), marking the end of an era for one of the company's most beloved but least-understood technologies. In a move that is being hailed as a necessary step towards modernizing its product lineup, Microsoft has announced that EWS will be disabled by default on October 1, 2026, with all support and services officially coming to a close on April 1, 2027.
For those who may not be familiar with the term, Exchange Web Services was an API that allowed applications to access mailboxes and data stores in Exchange Online and Exchange Server. It has been around since the release of Exchange Server 2007 and has proven popular among integrators, third-party developers, and even some in-house applications like Outlook Classic.
However, despite its popularity, EWS has long been considered deprecated by Microsoft, with the company announcing its retirement back in 2023. The service's usage has been declining steadily since then, and it is now being phased out in favor of more modern and feature-rich alternatives.
According to a statement from Microsoft, the decision to shut down EWS was made after a series of security incidents, including the infamous "Midnight Blizzard" security incident, which highlighted the need for the company to take action. The company has stated that it will provide additional support and resources to help administrators migrate their applications to more modern technologies.
One of the most notable aspects of this shutdown is that it will only apply to Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online, with EWS remaining available in Exchange Server. This means that administrators who have not yet begun or completed a migration will need to get moving quickly if they want to avoid any disruptions to their services.
Microsoft has also stated that it may perform "temporary 'scream tests'" where it turns EWS off and on to expose hidden dependencies, although the company did not provide further details on how administrators would be able to distinguish between these tests and a regular outage. The company has also emphasized that there will be no exceptions past April 2027, and that all support and services for EWS will officially come to an end at this time.
The shutdown of EWS marks the end of an era for one of Microsoft's most beloved technologies, but it is also a necessary step towards modernizing its product lineup and providing better support and security for its customers. As with any major change, there will be some disruption and adjustment required, but Microsoft has stated that it will provide all the necessary resources and support to help administrators navigate this transition.
In related news, Microsoft has also announced a number of other updates and changes to its product lineup and roadmap, including a focus on reliability and a new engineering quality czar. The company has also made some notable announcements in the areas of AI, machine learning, and cybersecurity, including a new initiative to improve the security of its products.
Overall, the shutdown of EWS is an important milestone for Microsoft, marking the end of an era but also a necessary step towards modernizing its product lineup and providing better support and security for its customers. As with any major change, there will be some disruption and adjustment required, but Microsoft has stated that it will provide all the necessary resources and support to help administrators navigate this transition.
Microsoft marks the end of an era with the shutdown of Exchange Web Services (EWS), a technology that was once considered beloved but is now being phased out in favor of more modern alternatives.
Related Information:
https://www.ethicalhackingnews.com/articles/Microsoft-Marks-the-End-of-an-Era-Countdown-Begins-for-Exchange-Web-Services-Shutdown-ehn.shtml
https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2026/02/06/microsoft_ews_shutdown/
Published: Fri Feb 6 08:15:59 2026 by llama3.2 3B Q4_K_M
