Announcing the 2026 Microsoft 365 Community Conference Keynotes
The Microsoft 365 Community Conference returns to Orlando this April, bringing together thousands of builders, innovators, creators, communicators, admins, architects, MVPs, and product makers for three unforgettable days of learning and community. This year’s theme, “A Beacon for Builders, Innovators & Icons of Intelligent Work,” celebrates the people shaping the AI‑powered future — and the keynote lineup reflects exactly that. These leaders will set the tone for our biggest, boldest M365 Community Conference. Below is your first look at the official 2026 keynote order and what to expect from each session. Opening Keynote Jeff Teper — President, Microsoft 365 Collaborative Apps & Platforms Building for the future: Microsoft 365, Agents and AI, what's new and what's next Join Jeff Teper, to discover how AI-powered innovation across Copilot, Teams, and SharePoint is reshaping how people communicate, create, and work together. This session highlights what’s new, what’s fundamentally different, and why thoughtful design continues to matter. See the latest advances in AI and agents, gain insight into where collaboration is headed, and learn why Microsoft is the company to continue to bet on when it comes to building what’s next. Expect: New breakthroughs in collaboration powered by AI and agents Fresh innovations across Teams, Copilot, and SharePoint Practical guidance on how design continues to shape effective teamwork Real world demos that show how AI is transforming communication and content Insight into what is new, what is changing, and what is coming next Business Apps & Agents Keynote Ryan Cunningham — Corporate Vice President, Power Platform In this keynote, Ryan Cunningham will share how Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, Power Apps, and Agent 365 come together to help makers build powerful agents and help IT teams deploy and govern them at scale. We’ll share how organizations can design, extend, and govern a new model for the intelligent workplace – connecting data, workflows, and systems into intelligent agents that move work forward. Copilot, apps, and agents: the next platform shift for Microsoft 365 Microsoft 365 Copilot has changed how we interact with software. Now AI agents are changing how work gets done – moving from responding to prompts to taking action, across the tools and data your organization already relies on. Expect: A clear explanation of how to leverage and build with Copilot and agents How agents access data, use tools, and complete multi-step work A deeper look at the latest capabilities across Microsoft 365 Copilot, Copilot Studio, and Power Apps End-to-end demos of agents in action Security, Trust & Responsible AI Keynote Vasu Jakkal — Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Security & Rohan Kumar — Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Security, Purview & Trust In our third keynote, Vasu Jakkal and Rohan Kumar join forces to address one of the most urgent topics of the AI era: trust and security at scale. As organizations accelerate into AI‑powered work, safeguarding identities, data, compliance, and governance is mission‑critical. Securing AI: Building Trust in the Era of AI Join Vasu Jakkal and Rohan Kumar as they unveil Microsoft’s vision for securing the new frontier of AI—showing how frontier firms are protecting their data, identities, and models amid rapid AI adoption. This session highlights how Microsoft is embedding security and governance into every layer of our AI platforms and unifying Purview, Defender, Entra, and Security Copilot to defend against threats like prompt injection, model tampering, and shadow AI. You’ll see how built-in protections across Microsoft 365 enable responsible, compliant AI innovation, and gain practical guidance to strengthen your own security posture as AI transforms the way everyone works. Expect: Microsoft's unified approach to secure AI transformation Forward‑looking insights across Security, Purview & Trust Guidance for building safe, responsible AI environments How to protect innovation without slowing momentum Future of Work Fireside Keynote Dr. Jaime Teevan — Chief Scientist & Technical Fellow, Microsoft Dr. Jaime Teevan, one of the foremost thought leaders on AI, productivity, and how work is evolving. In this intimate fireside‑style session, she’ll share research, real‑world insights, and Microsoft’s learnings from being both the maker and the first customer of the AI‑powered workplace. Expect: Insights from decades of workplace research The human side of AI transformation Practical guidance for leaders, creators, and practitioners Why collaboration is essential to unlock the true potential of AI. Community Closer Keynote Karuana Gatimu - Director, Microsoft Customer Advocacy Group & Heather Cook - Principal PM, MIcrosoft Customer Advocacy Group From Momentum to Movement: Where Community Goes Next As the final moments of Microsoft 365 Community Conference come to a close, Heather Cook and Karuana Gatimu invite the community to pause, reflect, and look forward together. This Community Closer keynote connects the breakthroughs, conversations, and shared experiences of the week into a bigger story—one about people, purpose, and progress. Together, they’ll explore how community transforms technology into impact, how advocates and builders shape what’s next across Microsoft 365, and why this moment matters more than ever. More than a recap, this session is a call to action—challenging attendees to take the energy of the conference back to their teams, regions, and communities, and turn inspiration into sustained momentum. You’ll leave not just with ideas, but with clarity, confidence, and a renewed sense of belonging—because community doesn’t end when the conference does. It’s where the real work begins. More Than Keynotes: Why You’ll Want to Be in Orlando The M365 Community Conference brings together: 200+ sessions and breakouts 21 hands‑on workshops 200+ Microsoft engineers and product leaders onsite The Microsoft Innovation Hub Ask the Experts, Meet & Greets, and Community Studio Women in Tech & Allies Luncheon SharePoint’s 25th Anniversary Celebration And an epic attendee party at Universal’s Islands of Adventure Whether you create, deploy, secure, govern, design, or lead with Microsoft 365 — this is your community, and this is your moment. Join Us for the Microsoft 365 Community Conference April 21–23, 2026 Loews Sapphire Falls & Loews Royal Pacific 👉 Register now: https://aka.ms/M365Con26 Use the SAVE150 code for $150USD off current pricing Come be part of the global community building the future of intelligent work.Help Shape the Future of Microsoft 365: Join Research Sessions at Microsoft 365 Community Conference
One of the best ways to get value from the Microsoft 365 Community Conference isn’t just attending sessions, it’s helping shape what gets built next. The Research sessions at Microsoft 365 Community Conference give attendees a rare, behind-the-scenes chance to collaborate directly with the Microsoft teams designing the products millions of people use every day. These sessions are designed for customers, practitioners, and IT professionals who want their real-world experiences to influence what’s coming next across Microsoft 365. What to Expect These aren’t traditional lectures or breakouts. Research sessions are small-group, interactive conversations designed to bring your voice into the product design process. In a typical session, you can expect: Spending dedicated time with Microsoft researchers (and sometimes partner team members) Discuss scenarios drawn from real customer workflows Review early ideas or prototypes and share what would (or wouldn’t) work in your environment Offer candid feedback to help prioritize and refine future experiences Topics That Matter to You The Research sessions focus on some of the most widely used and fast-evolving Microsoft 365 experiences, including: SharePoint OneDrive Microsoft Teams Microsoft Planner Microsoft Lists Viva Engage Whether you’re managing these tools at scale, supporting adoption, or building solutions on top of them, your perspective helps teams understand what’s working today and what needs to change next. How to Participate Research sessions are invite-only to keep the groups small and ensure everyone has time to contribute. Here’s how it works: Registered conference attendees will receive an email invitation to sign up for Research sessions. The invitation includes short descriptions of each session and a brief signup form so you can indicate which topics you’re interested in. Participants are required to complete a consent form and a non-disclosure agreement. Participation in Research sessions is optional. Completing the survey does not affect your ability to attend the conference if you choose not to participate. Spots are filled first-come, first-served, so early registration is encouraged. Be Part of What’s Next The Microsoft 365 Community Conference is all about learning, connection, and community—and the Research sessions take that mission one step further. This is your opportunity to go beyond listening and actively contribute to the evolution of Microsoft 365. If you’ve ever wanted to influence the tools you rely on every day, the Research sessions are one of the most meaningful ways to do it. Keep an eye out for the invitation, choose a session that matches your interests, and bring your real-world experience to the table. -- Attendees of the research sessions must be registered attendees of the Microsoft 365 Community Conference.The Microsoft 365 Community Conference Experience Starts with Community
At the Microsoft 365 Community Conference, the learning does not stop when a session ends. Some of the most meaningful moments happen between the keynotes, in shared conversations, hands on exploration, and spontaneous connection with others who are solving similar challenges. This year in Orlando, we are creating more opportunities for the Microsoft 365 community to come together through interactive activations, informal meetups, creative experiences, and live product engagement inside the Microsoft Innovation Hub within the Expo Hall. Here is a look at what you can expect throughout the week. Women in Tech and Allies Lunch Discussion Grab your lunch and network with peers, discuss progress, and focus on how we can continue to make the Microsoft ecosystem the best in the world for supporting women. All individuals are welcome regardless of gender for an open and compassionate conversation on allyship and inclusiveness. The discussion will be hosted by Heather Cook, Principal Customer Experience PM and distinguished panelists including: Vasu Jakkal, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Security Business Jaime Teevan, Chief Scientist & Technical Fellow Lan Ye, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Teams Sumi Singh, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Teams Karuana Gatimu, Director, Customer Advocacy - AI & Collaboration, Microsoft Kate Faaland, Program Manager of Data and AI, AvePoint Celebrity meet-n-greet Stop by the Microsoft Community News Desk on Tuesday from 2pm to 4pm right outside of the Expo Hall, for a special photo meet and greet with guest speakers and former WNBA athletes Chasity Melvin and Kia Vaughn. Snap a photo with these legendary pros at our on-site photobooth and celebrate the spirit of teamwork and leadership they bring to conversations on collaboration and the future of AI at this year’s Microsoft 365 Community Conference. More Than Code: SharePoint Movie Premiere Tuesday, April 21, 12:30 PM to 1:30 PM Be among the first to watch More Than Code, a documentary styled short film honoring the global community behind SharePoint’s 25 year journey. Featuring voices from MVPs, customers, and Microsoft leaders, this film explores how connection, creativity, and collaboration helped turn a product into a movement that powers teamwork and knowledge sharing around the world today. SharePoint 25th Birthday Celebration Panel Tuesday, April 21, 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM Join longtime community leaders and Microsoft experts as we celebrate 25 years of SharePoint. From early on premises deployments to today’s AI powered experiences, this special birthday panel reflects on the moments, milestones, and people who helped shape SharePoint into the platform it is today, and what comes next. Stick around after the discussion for birthday cake and photo moments with fellow community members. Microsoft 365 Champions Community Meetup + Session Join Karuana Gatimu for a Microsoft 365 Champions Community Meetup, where you can connect with peers and learn more about growing your AI and Microsoft skills while engaging with the product team. Then, attend the separate Champions Program session on Tuesday, April 21 from 1:45 PM to 2:30 PM to learn how to build, nurture, and measure the success of your internal Champions program to drive Copilot and broader technology adoption. Microsoft Global Community Initiative (MGCI) The Microsoft Global Community Initiative (MGCI) will be onsite all week connecting organizers, speakers, board members, and regional leaders from across our global tech communities. Meet up with Heather Cook, Principal Customer Experience PM, MGCI Board Members, and Regional Leaders on Tuesday at 4:15 PM to connect with the people powering Microsoft’s grassroots ecosystem, join the MGCI Roundtable on Wednesday at 1:30 PM to discover how MGCI and CommunityDays.org are transforming grassroots tech engagement. And don’t miss the MGCI Lightning Talk on the power of community and how local engagement can create global impact. Stop by the Microsoft Innovation Hub to learn more about how MGCI supports community‑driven learning around the world. MVP Presence at #M365Con26 Microsoft MVPs will be onsite all week bringing community insight directly into the Microsoft Innovation Hub inside the Expo Hall. Join us on Tuesday, April 21 at 5:00 PM for a special MVP Photo Opportunity with an executive sponsor in the Innovation Hub (Microsoft Booth). We will also be hosting an MVP Meetup during the event with more details to come. Stop by the booth or connect with Bryan Wofford to collect exclusive MVP swag available only onsite. Reservable Podcast Room Microsoft FTEs, MVPs, and community leaders can reserve time in the on-site Podcast Room at Microsoft 365 Community Conference to record interviews, podcast episodes, or social content. The space will be equipped with branded backdrops along with professional video and audio equipment to support high quality content creation. Complete the reservation form to request a time slot. Calendar invites will be sent once confirmed. Questions can be directed to Jonathan Jones. Community News Desk + Interviews: Stop by the Community News Desk to catch live conversations from across the ecosystem and explore opportunities for 1:1 executive and customer interviews taking place throughout the week inside the Microsoft Innovation Hub. Community Meetups and Product Roundtables Community meetups are informal, connection first gatherings where attendees can meet others who share a role, interest, or identity. These sessions are designed to bring people together in a relaxed environment to build relationships and exchange ideas. Product roundtables offer a more focused space for discussion. In these small group conversations, attendees can share real world use cases, common pain points, and direct feedback with Microsoft teams and peers. Please use this signup sheet to reserve a social meetup with your community. Lightning Talks in the Microsoft Innovation Hub Lightning Talks are quick, TED talk style sessions designed to deliver real world learnings fast. Stop by the Microsoft Innovation Hub within the Expo Hall for rapid insights from community experts and Microsoft teams, along with a few surprises throughout the week. Explore the Microsoft Surface Device Bar Visit the Microsoft Device Bar for an interactive, hands on experience with the latest Copilot+ PCs and Surface for Business devices. You can engage with real world demos, explore Windows 11 and Copilot capabilities, and connect with Microsoft experts for live demonstrations, Q&A, and practical guidance across modern work scenarios and enterprise security needs. Attendees who visit the Device Bar will also have the opportunity to enter a daily drawing to win a Surface Pro for Business by following Microsoft Surface on LinkedIn and sharing a photo from the event. Build Your Own Mini LEGO Figurine After exploring a demo scenario, stop by for a quick creative break and build a mini LEGO figurine. It is a fun, hands-on moment that adds some play and personality to your conference experience and gives you something to take home with you. Guided Demo Stations The Microsoft Innovation Hub will feature multiple demo stations offering guided, live walkthroughs led by experts who can answer questions in real time. Each station is designed for scenario based conversations and hands on exploration, giving you the chance to see how Microsoft 365 solutions come to life across different roles, industries, and business needs. Stay loose with facilitated posture improvement and seated stretching Tuesday, April 21, 5:00 PM to 6:30 PM Recharge during the conference with a low impact seated session designed to relieve muscle tension and reduce screen fatigue. Join us in the Microsoft Innovation Hub to learn simple posture checks, guided eye exercises, and gentle mobility movements that can help improve comfort and restore energy during long workdays. Join Us in Orlando! Whether you are attending your first Microsoft 365 Community Conference or returning to reconnect with peers and colleagues, these community experiences are designed to help you build relationships, learn from others, and get more out of your time onsite. We look forward to seeing you in the Microsoft Innovation Hub within the Expo Hall. Register now to be part of the Microsoft 365 Community Conference experience.Revolutionizing IT administration for small and medium sized businesses
At Ignite 2024, we announced the upcoming general availability of Copilot in the Microsoft 365 admin centers, a set of groundbreaking Copilot features that revolutionizes IT administration by leveraging generative AI to streamline and enhance the Microsoft 365 management experience. Designed to help IT access real-time, contextually-relevant information and enhance productivity and decision-making, we’ve begun by rolling out Copilot to the Microsoft 365 admin center, with Copilot in the specialized admin centers like Teams and SharePoint being added in the coming months. Empowering IT Admins in SMBs generative AI IT administration can pose numerous challenges for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). One of the primary hurdles is the need to manage a wide variety of tasks. With limited resources and smaller teams, IT admins often find themselves juggling multiple responsibilities, from ensuring cybersecurity and managing user access to maintaining hardware and software systems, and staying updated on the latest technological advancements. Microsoft 365 Copilot is already having an incredible impact boosting the productivity of employees in businesses of all sizes, and we’re excited to expand those capabilities to those who also have IT management responsibilities. If your organization has purchased 1 license of Microsoft 365 Copilot, anyone with access to the Microsoft 365 admin center can take advantage of these new AI-powered capabilities, without needing a Microsoft 365 Copilot license assigned to their account. You can access Copilot in the Microsoft 365 admin center by selecting the Copilot icon on the top ribbon. Copilot respects Role-based Access Controls (RBACs), only surfacing information that the user has access to, upholding privacy and security. Here are some of the most powerful ways you can use Microsoft 365 Copilot in the Microsoft 365 admin centers today! Focus on what’s most important in your tenant Microsoft 365 Copilot can quickly get a personalized and concise summary of key insights and trends across all admin areas, such as Service Health, Message Center, Experience Insights, and more all in one place so you can save time jumping from one report to another. Simply ask Copilot to “Recap relevant info from across the admin center”. Copilot checks your tenant status against current service advisories and quickly lets you know whether any of them affect your tenant. It also reviews all the updates from the message center and identifies messages that are most relevant to your tenant so you can immediately focus on what’s most important. Lastly, Copilot surfaces relevant information about your user groups and suggests action items based on recommended actions so you can ensure continuity through the lifecycle of the group and reduce risk of data access loss. Find relevant solutions in an instant Microsoft 365 Copilot taps into the wealth of support and technical articles that have been published to surface support and guidance for IT admins to quickly get help when needed. Following the example above, Copilot can identify service incidents that might be affecting your organization and even provide solutions to guide you on how to take action. For example, you can ask Copilot “How do I restore a deleted user?” or “How do I setup Multi-factor authentication?”. Copilot not only provides you with the steps, but surfacing links to the appropriate setting so you can take action, saving you time navigating the admin center. Optimize your admin workflow Copilot can help create more efficiency in your workflow by providing end-to-end guidance for tasks like deploying Microsoft 365 Copilot to your users by providing steps and guidance, including links to specific configurations where appropriate. Ask Copilot to “Review Copilot user readiness” and Copilot can check that the user has the appropriate device configuration and whether tenant policies are appropriately configured. It surfaces links to the configuration page, saving you time navigating, and also suggests recommended actions that help drive more adoption with your users. Try it out now Copilot in the Microsoft 365 admin center is simply the start. We continue to invest in delivering new skills for Copilot to help admins, and to more surfaces including the specialist admin centers. We invite you to try out these prompts and explore how Copilot can transform your IT administration workflow. Your feedback is invaluable, as it helps us refine and enhance these tools to better meet your needs so we encourage you to use the thumbs up/down button as you explore the feature. For more detailed guidance and to discover additional ways to leverage Copilot in the Microsoft 365 admin centers, please refer to this article.Introducing new security and compliance add-ons for Microsoft 365 Business Premium
Small and medium businesses (SMBs) are under pressure like never before. Cyber threats are evolving rapidly, and regulatory requirements are becoming increasingly complex. Microsoft 365 Business Premium is our productivity and security solution designed for SMBs (1–300 users). It includes Office apps, Teams, advanced security such as Microsoft Defender for Business, and device management — all in one cost-effective package. Today, we’re taking that a step further. We’re excited to announce three new Microsoft 365 Business Premium add-ons designed to supercharge security and compliance. Tailored for medium-sized organizations, these add-ons bring enterprise-grade security, compliance, and identity protection to the Business Premium experience without the enterprise price tag. Microsoft Defender Suite for Business Premium: $10/user/month Cyberattacks are becoming more complex. Attackers are getting smarter. Microsoft Defender Suite provides end-to-end security to safeguard your businesses from identity attacks, device threats, email phishing, and risky cloud apps. It enables SMBs to reduce risks, respond faster, and maintain a strong security posture without adding complexity. It includes: Protect your business from identity threats: Microsoft Entra ID P2 offers advanced security and governance features including Microsoft Entra ID Protection and Microsoft Entra ID Governance. Microsoft Entra ID protection offers risk-based conditional access that helps block identity attacks in real time using behavioral analytics and signals from both user risk and sign-in risk. It also enables SMBs to detect, investigate, and remediate potential identity-based risks using sophisticated machine learning and anomaly detection capabilities. With detailed reports and alerts, your business is notified of suspicious user activities and sign-in attempts, including scenarios like a password-spray where attackers try to gain unauthorized access to company employee accounts by trying a small number of commonly used passwords across many different accounts. ID Governance capabilities are also included to help automate workflows and processes that give users access to resources. For example, IT admins historically manage the onboarding process manually and generate repetitive user access requests for Managers to review which is time consuming and inefficient. With ID Governance capabilities, pre-configured workflows facilitate the automation of employee onboarding, user access, and lifecycle management throughout their employment, streamlining the process and reducing onboarding time. Microsoft Defender for Identity includes dedicated sensors and connectors for common identity elements that offer visibility into your unique identity landscape and provide detailed posture recommendations, robust detections and response actions. These powerful detections are then automatically enriched and correlated with data from other domains across Defender XDR for true incident-level visibility. Keep your devices safe: Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 offers industry-leading antimalware, cyberattack surface reduction, device-based conditional access, comprehensive endpoint detection and response (EDR), advanced hunting with support for custom detections, and attack surface reduction capabilities powered by Secure Score. Secure email and collaboration: With Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P2, you gain access to cyber-attack simulation training, which provides SMBs with a safe and controlled environment to simulate real-world cyber-attacks, helping to train employees in recognizing phishing attempts. Additionally automated response capabilities and post-breach investigations help reduce the time and resources required to identify and remediate potential security breaches. Detailed reports are also available that capture information on employees’ URL clicks, internal and external email distribution, and more. Protect your cloud apps: Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is a comprehensive, AI-powered software-as-a-service (SaaS) security solution that enables IT teams to identify and manage shadow IT and ensure that only approved applications are used. It protects against sophisticated SaaS-based attacks, OAuth attacks, and risky interactions with generative AI apps by combining SaaS app discovery, security posture management, app-to-app protection, and integrated threat protection. IT teams can gain full visibility into their SaaS app landscape, understand the risks and set up controls to manage the apps. SaaS security posture management quickly identifies app misconfigurations and provides remediation actions to reduce the attack surface. Microsoft Purview Suite for Business Premium: $10/user/month Protect against insider threats Microsoft Purview Insider Risk Management uses behavioral analytics to detect risky activities, like an employee downloading large volumes of files before leaving the company. Privacy is built in, so you can act early without breaking employee trust. Protect sensitive data wherever it goes Microsoft Purview Information Protection classifies and labels sensitive data, so the right protections follow the data wherever it goes. Think of it as a ‘security tag’ that stays attached to a document whether it’s stored in OneDrive, shared in Teams, or emailed outside the company. Policies can be set based on the ‘tag’ to prevent data oversharing, ensuring sensitive files are only accessible to the right people. Microsoft Purview Data Loss Prevention (DLP) works in the background to stop sensitive information, like credit card numbers or health data, from being accidentally shared with unauthorized people Microsoft Purview Message Encryption adds another layer by making sure email content stays private, even when sent outside the organization. Microsoft Purview Customer Key gives organizations control of their own encryption keys, helping meet strict regulatory requirements. Ensure data privacy and compliant communications Microsoft Purview Communication Compliance monitors and flags inappropriate or risky communications to protect against policy and compliance violations. Protect AI interactions Microsoft Purview Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) for AI provides visibility into how AI interacts with sensitive data, helping detect oversharing, risky prompts, and unethical behavior. Monitors Copilot and third-party AI usage with real-time alerts, policy enforcement, and risk scoring. Manage information through its lifecycle Microsoft Purview Records and Data Lifecycle Management helps businesses meet compliance obligations by applying policies that enable automatic retention or deletion of data. Stay investigation-ready Microsoft Purview eDiscovery (Premium) makes it easier to respond to internal investigations, legal holds, or compliance reviews. Instead of juggling multiple systems, you can search, place holds, and export information in one place — ensuring legal and compliance teams work efficiently. Microsoft Purview Audit (Premium) provides deeper audit logs and analytics to trace activity like file access, email reads, or user actions. This level of detail is critical for incident response and forensic investigations, helping SMBs maintain regulatory readiness and customer trust. Simplify Compliance Management Microsoft Purview Compliance Manager helps track regulatory requirements, assess risk, and manage improvement actions, all in one dashboard tailored for SMBs. Together, these capabilities help SMBs operate with the same level of compliance and data protection as large enterprises but simplified for smaller teams and tighter budgets. Microsoft Defender and Purview Suites for Business Premium: $15/user/month The new Microsoft Defender and Purview Suites unite the full capabilities of Microsoft Defender and Purview into a single, cost-effective package. This all-in-one solution delivers comprehensive security, compliance, and data protection, while helping SMB customers unlock up to 68% savings compared to buying the products separately, making it easier than ever to safeguard your organization without compromising on features or budget. FAQ Q: When will these new add-ons be available for purchase? A: They will be available for purchase as add-ons to Business Premium in September 2025. Q: How can I purchase? A: You can purchase these as add-ons to your Business Premium subscription through Microsoft Security for SMBs website or through your Partner. Q: Are there any seat limits for the add-on offers? A: Yes. Customers can purchase a mix of add-on offers, but the total number of seats across all add-ons is limited to 300 per customer. Q: Does Microsoft 365 Business Premium plus Microsoft Defender Suite allow mixed licensing for endpoint security solutions? A: Microsoft Defender for Business does not support mixed licensing so a tenant with Defender for Business (included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium) along with Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 (included in Microsoft 365 Security) will default to Defender for Business. For example, if you have 80 users licensed for Microsoft 365 Business Premium and you’ve added Microsoft Defender Suite for 30 of those users, the experience for all users will default to Defender for Business. If you would like to change that to the Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 experience, you should license all users for Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 (either through standalone or Microsoft Defender Suite) and then contact Microsoft Support to request the switch for your tenant. You can learn more here. Q: Can customers who purchased the E5 Security Suite as an add-on to Microsoft 365 Business Premium transition to the new Defender Suite starting from the October billing cycle? A: Yes. Customers currently using the Microsoft 365 E5 Security add-on with Microsoft 365 Business Premium are eligible to transition to the new Defender Suite beginning with the October billing cycle. For detailed guidance, please refer to the guidelines here. Q: As a Partner, how do I build Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services with MDB? A: For partners or customers looking to build their own security operations center (SOC) with MDR, Defender for Business supports the streaming of device events (device file, registry, network, logon events and more) to Azure Event Hub, Azure Storage, and Microsoft Sentinel to support advanced hunting and attack detection. If you are using the streaming API for the first time, you can find step-by-step instructions in the Microsoft 365 Streaming API Guide on configuring the Microsoft 365 Streaming API to stream events to your Azure Event Hubs or to your Azure Storage Account. To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions for SMBs you can visit our website.Microsoft 365 E5 Security is now available as an add-on to Microsoft 365 Business Premium
The threat landscape continues to evolve creating ongoing challenges for small and medium businesses (SMBs) that are faced with increased regulations and cyberinsurance requirements. Today, Microsoft 365 Business Premium delivers core security solutions to SMBs that help safeguard data, defend against cyberthreats, and manage access and devices. With the growing volume of attacks and increased sophistication of threats, there are SMBs that want enhanced cybersecurity protection for their business. We are pleased to announce that Business Premium customers are now able to purchase Microsoft 365 E5 Security as an add-on to further enhance their security. E5 Security brings new security value on top of Business Premium with Microsoft Entra ID Plan 2, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint Plan 2, Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 2, and Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps. (ENHANCED) Identity and access controls Business Premium includes Microsoft Entra ID P1, which provides single sign-on, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and conditional access to help SMBs manage user identities and enable access to applications and resources from trusted users, devices, and locations. Microsoft Entra ID P2 offers advanced security and governance features including Microsoft Entra ID Protection and Microsoft Entra ID Governance. Microsoft Entra ID protection offers risk-based conditional access that helps block identity attacks in real time using behavioral analytics and signals from both user risk and sign-in risk. It also enables SMBs to detect, investigate, and remediate potential identity-based risks using sophisticated machine learning and anomaly detection capabilities. With detailed reports and alerts, your business is notified of suspicious user activities and sign-in attempts, including scenarios like a password-spray where attackers try to gain unauthorized access to company employee accounts by trying a small number of commonly used passwords across many different accounts. ID Governance capabilities are also included to help automate workflows and processes that give users access to resources. For example, IT admins historically manage the onboarding process manually and generate repetitive user access requests for Managers to review which is time consuming and inefficient. With ID Governance capabilities, pre-configured workflows facilitate the automation of employee onboarding, user access, and lifecycle management throughout their employment, streamlining the process and reducing onboarding time. (NEW) Extended Detection and Response (XDR) Microsoft Defender XDR delivers a unified and efficient approach to incident-level visibility across the attack lifecycle. Together XDR and exposure management (XSPM) consolidate multiple siloed security solutions to provide best-of-breed capabilities across identities, endpoints, apps, and email. (NEW) Identity threat detection and response (ITDR) Identities are one of the most common attack vectors making identity-specific threat detection and response a critical element to secure your business. Microsoft Defender for Identity includes dedicated sensors and connectors for common identity elements that offer visibility into your unique identity landscape and provide detailed posture recommendations, robust detections and response actions. These powerful detections are then automatically enriched and correlated with data from other domains across Defender XDR for true incident-level visibility. (ENHANCED) Device security Microsoft Defender for Business (MDB) already brings enterprise-grade device protection capabilities to Business Premium customers across Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android devices. It includes vulnerability management, next-generation antivirus protection, AI-powered endpoint detection and response with automatic attack disruption, and automated investigation and remediation. With streaming APIs, customers and partners can build Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services with Defender for Business. For customers who need advanced hunting, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2 adds advanced hunting, and 6 months of data retention on the device, along with endpoint security for IoT devices. (ENHANCED) Email and Collaboration security Microsoft Defender for Office 365 P1 in Business Premium includes SafeLinks with time of click URL filtering, safe attachments with real-time attachment scanning in sandbox, and phishing and malware defense across email, Microsoft Teams, OneDrive and SharePoint. It also has AI-powered LLM-based threat protection with 99.995% attacker intent detection accuracy. With Defender for Office 365 P2, you gain access to cyber-attack simulation training, which provides SMBs with a safe and controlled environment to simulate real-world cyber-attacks, helping to train employees in recognizing phishing attempts. Additionally automated response capabilities and post-breach investigations help reduce the time and resources required to identify and remediate potential security breaches. Detailed reports are also available that capture information on employees’ URL clicks, internal and external email distribution, and more. (NEW) Software-as-a-service (SaaS) security Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps is a comprehensive, AI-powered software-as-a-service (SaaS) security solution that enables IT teams to identify and manage shadow IT and ensure that only approved applications are used. It protects against sophisticated SaaS-based attacks, OAuth attacks, and risky interactions with GenAI apps by combing SaaS app discovery, security posture management, app-to-app protection, and integrated threat protection. IT teams can gain full visibility into their SaaS app landscape, understand the risks and set up controls to manage the apps. SaaS security posture management quickly identifies app misconfigurations and provides remediation actions to reduce the attack surface. E5 Security delivers added protection to meet the growing needs of SMBs in a package that is cost-effective. Purchasing E5 Security has 57% savings when compared to the cost of separately purchasing the individual products that are included. FAQ When will E5 Security be available for purchase? E5 Security is available for purchase as an add-on to Business Premium starting today, 3/6. How can I purchase E5 Security? You can purchase E5 Security as an add-on to Business Premium through Microsoft Security for SMBs website or through your Partner. Does Microsoft 365 Business Premium plus Microsoft 365 E5 Security allow mixed licensing for endpoint security solutions? Microsoft Defender for Business does not support mixed licensing so a tenant with Defender for Business (included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium) along with Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 (included in Microsoft 365 Security) will default to Defender for Business. For example, if you have 80 users licensed for Microsoft 365 Business Premium and you’ve added Microsoft 365 E5 Security for 30 of those users, the experience for all users will default to Defender for Business. If you would like to change that to the Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 experience, you should license all users for Defender for Endpoint Plan 2 (either through standalone or Microsoft 365 E5 Security) and then contact Microsoft Support to request the switch for your tenant. You can learn more here. What are the differences between Microsoft Defender for Business and Microsoft Defender for Endpoint P2? MDB includes many of the same features as MDE P2, including enterprise-grade device protection for Windows, MacOS, iOS, and Android devices, vulnerability management, next-generation antivirus protection, AI-powered endpoint detection and response with automatic attack disruption, and automated investigation and remediation. MDE P2 adds endpoint security for IoT devices, threat hunting, and 6 months of data retention on the device. A detailed comparison is available here. As a Partner, how do I build Managed Detection and Response (MDR) services with MDB? For partners or customers looking to build their own security operations center (SOC) with MDR, Defender for Business supports the streaming of device events (device file, registry, network, logon events and more) to Azure Event Hub, Azure Storage, and Microsoft Sentinel to support advanced hunting and attack detection. If you are using the streaming API for the first time, you can find step-by-step instructions in the Microsoft 365 Streaming API Guide on configuring the Microsoft 365 Streaming API to stream events to your Azure Event Hubs or to your Azure Storage Account. To learn more about Microsoft Security solutions for SMBs you can visit our website. Partners can access training resources, customer decks and deployment checklists from our Business Premium Partner Playbook and find additional resources for Microsoft Security for Partners.New Microsoft Purview Deployment Blueprint | Lightweight guide to mitigate data leakage
We’re excited to share our latest Data Security deployment blueprint: “Lightweight guide to mitigate data leakage”—a practical resource designed to help organizations quickly enable core data security features across their Microsoft 365 estate with minimal setup. The blueprint follows a good / better / best model that maps protections to your licensing. “Good” highlights foundational features included in Business Premium SKUs, while “Better” and “Best” layer in advanced E5 Compliance capabilities, such as auto-labeling, Endpoint DLP, insider risk signals and much more. With the new E5 Compliance Add-On for Business Premium, this guide shows how organizations can capture quick wins today while building toward stronger, long-term security practices. This blueprint is designed for IT administrators, security teams, and compliance stakeholders tasked with protecting sensitive data – and it’s equally valuable for Microsoft partners and consultants supporting customers on their data security journey. Whether you’re enabling basic safeguards or advancing towards automated protection, this guide provides clear, actionable steps to strengthen your data security posture. Ready to get started? Visit our Purview deployment blueprint page or jump straight to the direct PPT link for a step-by-step walkthrough. Securing your data doesn’t have to be complex – this lightweight blueprint makes it achievable for organizations of any size.
Bookings Page not sending confirmation emails to customers
Hello, I am the main technician for my company's service desk. We have a Bookings page, but any time anyone books a time slot, they receive a message indicating that they will receive a confirmation email, but no email comes to them. In the settings, it shows the checkbox to send a confirmation email is checked. I have also looked in Exchange Admin and run a message trace and cannot find any confirmation email sent to myself or other testers. In Bookings, I have unchecked the confirmation email checkbox, saved, checked, saved, and tested - same result. Additionally, this Bookings page is only for internal users, and all of them are 'customers' with their full organization email address. In researching, I found that there was mention of the Bookings needing to have an Exchange account as a shared mailbox, which I do not believe we have - when I search the email that confirms for me that someone has booked with me, it is a long string of seemingly random letters and numbers with an internal domain address. I have also tried searching in Exchange Admin for 'IT' 'Service Desk' 'Service', and 'Desk', none of which have any results under Mailboxes (which would include shared mailboxes). Any advice/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Screenshot:
