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TechQuiet 41h · day 3

Microsoft to retire Calendar, People, and Files companion apps on December 16

Microsoft tells admins to strip the taskbar-integrated Microsoft 365 companion apps from managed devices before they stop working.

newest coverage 1d agosummary written 2d ago4 pieces6 likes & upvotes MastodonNewswires

What to know

  • Microsoft 365 Calendar, People, and Files companion apps stop working and lose support after December 16, 2026.
  • Microsoft had auto-installed the apps on Windows 11 enterprise devices for about a year but has now stopped deploying them via Microsoft 365 Apps updates.
  • Admins must manually uninstall the apps from managed devices; Microsoft has not named a replacement for the taskbar features they provided.
  • Separately, Microsoft is urging migration to phishing-resistant sign-in (passkeys, QR code auth, FIDO2) ahead of retiring SMS as a first sign-in factor in February 2027.

“Really Microsoft? You automatically install apps no one asked for and now, when you retire them, we have to uninstall them ourselves? Either you don’t install software without user/admin interaction (which I would prefer), or you uninstall them when you discard them. But don’t do it like this.”

Ghacks reader comment, Reader comment · Ghacks ↗ · Sep 21

Microsoft Developer of Microsoft 365 and Windows 11

Microsoft to retire Calendar, People, and Files companion apps on December 16
Ghacks

How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts

Peak 2 pieces in one hour at Sep 21, 1 PM; 4 pieces over 3 days (2 articles · 2 posts) Sep 21, 1 PM — 2 pieces · 1 article · 1 post — Mastodon 2Sep 21, 2 PM — quietSep 21, 3 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 5 PM — quietSep 21, 6 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 8 PM — quietSep 21, 9 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 11 PM — quietSep 22, 12 AM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Sep 22, 2 AM — quietSep 22, 3 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 5 AM — quietSep 22, 6 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 8 AM — quietSep 22, 9 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — 1 piece · 1 post — Mastodon 1Sep 22, 11 AM — quietSep 22, 12 PM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 2 PM — quietSep 22, 3 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 5 PM — quietSep 22, 6 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 8 PM — quietSep 22, 9 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 11 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 3 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 5 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 9 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 11 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 3 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 5 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 9 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 11 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 3 AM — quiet 1
Sep 22yesterdaynow · 4:44 AM ET
  1. background

    Ghacks details rollout history and lack of replacement — Follow-up reporting notes Microsoft had auto-installed the apps on Windows 11 enterprise devices about a year earlier, has already stopped pushing them via Microsoft 365 Apps updates, and has not specified a replacement for the taskbar features they offered.

  2. 1
    “We are retiring the companion apps and they will cease to function and will no longer be supported after 16 December 2026. We recommend that administrators remove the apps from the devices in their tenant by that date.”
    — Microsoft
    1. 2 outlets Microsoft to retire Microsoft 365 Companion apps in December

      first by Mastodon, 2d ago · also Ghacks

      1 more headline