Microsoft Cloud Quick Fix – Your quick fix of all things Microsoft Cloud

Six months until Exchange Server 2016 / 2019 End of Support

Do you have old on-premises Exchange servers kicking around? Old Hybrid Exchange servers left over from a previous Exchange Online Migration or an anonymous SMTP relay? Last week marked t-minus 6 months until the end of support for Microsoft Exchange Server 2016 / 2019. After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide technical support, bug fixes, or security updates. What are your options? This is today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix !

Of course, on October 15, 2025, your Exchange 2016 and Exchange 2019 will continue to work but it is recommended you begin to prepare now.

We recommended that you either fully migrate to Exchange Online as moving to Microsoft Cloud Services ensures continuous support, access to advanced features, and security advancements or (and if you haven’t done this by now there is likely good reason) upgrade your on-premises Exchange Servers to Exchange Server Subscription Edition (SE) to be released in July 2025 and offers a direct in-place upgrade from Exchange Server 2019 CU 15 released in February 2025.

If you are still running Exchange Server 2016 you should perform a side-by-side ‘legacy upgrade’ to Exchange Server 2019 CU 15 now and then perform the in-place upgrade to Exchange Server SE once released. The good news is Exchange Server 2019 CU15 is fully supported on Windows Server 2025!

Exchange Server SE is the next release of Microsoft Exchange Server and will be available for download in July 2025. The licensing model for Exchange Server SR requires subscription licenses for all users and devices that access Exchange Server SE on top of required Server licenses and CALs. Microsoft will continue to provide a free Hybrid server license and key via the Hybrid Configuration Wizard.

See for more information see:

Now that you know your options, it’s time to start planning your transition.

#MicrosoftCloudQuickFix #Microsoft365 #MicrosoftExchange #ExchangeOnline

Change to user sign-in experience with Microsoft Authenticator

Ever had connectivity issues that delayed your MFA authentication? Left your phone by the coffee pot but have your cup ready for the meeting? One-time code expired before you could use it? Microsoft is changing the user sign-in experience to help reduce duplicate request errors and allow the user to refresh their notifications in the Microsoft Authenticator app. This is today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix !

With the rollout of this change the user sign-in experience will include the message, “Didn’t receive a sign-in request? Swipe down to refresh the content in your app.” advising the user that they can refresh notifications in the Microsoft Authenticator app (or Microsoft Authenticator Lite for Outlook mobile) if they have not received the sign-in notification. Once refreshed the user can complete the sign-in.

Screenshot of new user sign-in experience

This is already in General Availability and began rollout worldwide in late March 2025 with an expected completion by mid-April 2025.

Although no administrator action is needed to prepare for this change it is recommended to notify users of the change and update training documentation.

For more information see:

#MicrosoftCloudQuickFix #Microsoft365 #MicrosoftCloudSecurity #MicrosoftEntraID #MicrosoftAuthenticatorApp

Keep your Microsoft Teams desktop clients up to date

Microsoft has announced that it will block access to versions of the Microsoft Teams desktop client older the 90 days. Enforcement of this policy has been deferred several times but it is now proceeding and that is today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix !

Keeping Microsoft Teams up to date is critical to ensure devices remain secure and compliant. By default, Teams updates automatically which successfully updates most clients around the world without user interaction.

With this announcement Microsoft Teams desktop clients older than 90 days will be blocked. Users with these versions will see a blocking page and won’t be able to use the app.

The blocking page will be displayed:

Starting April 11th, 2025, for users using the Windows desktop app
Starting May 6th, 2025, for users using the Teams app in VDI environment
Starting May 15th, 2025, for users using the Mac desktop app

An in-app warning banner will appear 60 days beforehand (30 days before for VDI versions) to remind users they need to update.

To prepare for this change make sure you’ve updated to the latest version of Microsoft Teams either by going to the download page (listed below) or inside the Teams client under the ellipsis menu ( … ) -> Settings -> About Teams.

Administrators should make sure their users Teams application is automatically updating to stay current.

For more information see:

#MicrosoftCloudQuickFix #Microsoft365 #MicrosoftTeams

Large audience warnings in Microsoft Outlook App

Sending an email to a large audience can be a challenge. We have all seen mistakes made in content, wording, tone, or worse when the sender is clearly on-the-go and sent the email without considering audience. Soon the Microsoft Outlook App will warn you when sending to more than 25 recipients. That is today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix !

Users will soon receive a warning message in the MailTips info bar above the address line in the Microsoft Outlook app if they are about to email a large number of recipients. The default large audience value is set to 25 recipients and can be adjusted by an administrator. Further details are provided when the warning is selected and adjustments can then be made to the recipient list.

Screen shot of new large audience warning message in the Outlook app

Screen shot of new large audience warning message details in the Outlook app

It is recommended to notify users of this change and update training documentation. Although no administrator action is needed, you may wish to adjust the default large audience size warning value of 25 recipients to align with your company’s specific requirements.

For more information see:

This new feature is now in General Availability and will begin rollout worldwide in mid-April 2025 with an expected completion by mid-May 2025.

#MicrosoftCloudQuickFix #Microsoft365 #ExchangeOnline #MicrosoftOutlookApp

Microsoft Teams interoperability with Skype to Retire May 1, 2025

Well, we have had a good run but Microsoft Teams interoperability with good ole Skype is set to retire on May 1, 2025. That is today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix !

Starting May 1, 2025, Microsoft Teams will no longer support communication with Microsoft Skype accounts, ending this interoperability. Microsoft announced in February their plan to retire Skype entirely and focus on Microsoft Teams (free), which now allows users to log in with their Skype accounts. For more details, read Jeff Teper’s article: The next chapter: Moving from Skype to Microsoft Teams  | Microsoft 365 Blog.

This retirement will happen automatically by the announced retirement date with no admin action needing to be performed. It is recommended to advise users and update any training documentation.

For more information about Teams and Skype interoperability:

Teams and Skype interoperability – Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn

#MicrosoftCloudQuickFix #Microsoft365 #MicrosoftTeams #MicrosoftSkype

Bulk Import of saved email .eml Files

Do you have a bunch of old emails saved in a folder kicking around? Inherit a mess from a poor records management process? Working thru an M&A with a company caught in the dark ages? Today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix may help you sort this with the announcement of the Bulk Import of .eml files in the new Microsoft Outlook for Windows!

Users will soon have the ability to bulk import their saved .eml files into the new Microsoft Outlook for Windows. This process will streamline the importing of email files and eliminate the need for administrator involvement.

To bulk import .eml files:

Go to Settings > General > Import
Select Start import
Select the folder that contains the .eml files
Select the destination account and folder
Select Import

Screenshots of Outlook for Windows .eml import

For more on this see:

Bulk import .eml files in new Outlook – Microsoft Support

This new feature will be enabled by default and is already in General Availability and will begin rollout worldwide in mid-March 2025 with an expected completion by late March 2025.

Yet another helpful feature exclusively found in the new Microsoft Outlook for Windows!

#MicrosoftCloudQuickFix #Microsoft365 #ExchangeOnline #NewOutlookforWindows

Message recall in the Outlook App

Ever sent an email on-the-go and wish you hadn’t? Was there something missing in it? Was it sent to the wrong person? Did you forget to add some important information and now feel foolish? Well the Message recall is coming to the Outlook App for iOS and Android and that is today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix !

In addition to the Message Recall feature available in Outlook for Windows, Mac, and the web, Microsoft has now extended this feature to the Outlook App for iOS and Android per Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 471444.

If you sent an email by mistake, go to the Sent folder, open the email, click the ellipsis menu ( … or ⋮ ), and select Recall!

*Screenshots of Outlook App Recall steps*

This new feature is already in General Availability and will begin rollout worldwide in early March 2025 with an expected completion by late March 2025.

#MicrosoftCloudQuickFix #Microsoft365 #ExchangeOnline #MessageRecall

Microsoft Ignite 2023 Book of News is out

Today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix is #MSIgnite may be wrapping up, but all the announcements can be found in one place in the 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 2023 found here:

Microsoft Ignite 2023 Book of News

Lots of newsworthy announcements from Copilot capabilities being integrated everywhere, Microsoft Copilot Studio for creating even more generative AI capabilities, Microsoft Security Copilot to be embedded into Microsoft Purview, to the new Windows App, Microsoft Mesh General Availability in January 2024, and the unveiling Microsoft SharePoint Premium.

Another #MSIgnite in the books! Thank-you #Microsoft for an awe-inspiring event!

#MSIgnite #MicrosoftAzure #Microsoft365 #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix

Microsoft Ignite Registration Open

Less then two week to go and today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix is that registration is open for the next premium immersion event from #Microsoft called Microsoft Ignite from November 15–16, 2023!

Microsoft Ignite is an annual conference organized by Microsoft for IT Professionals and Developers to learn about the latest Microsoft technologies and solutions.

The event offers attendees the opportunity to engage in networking, attend keynote presentations, participate in breakout sessions, and explore the latest innovations and technologies showcased by Microsoft.

At Microsoft Ignite, attendees can gain valuable knowledge about Microsoft’s latest products, services, and solutions. At last years event there was a heavy focus on security. I would suspect this years will be heavily focused on the various Copilot AI offerings.

Though IT Professional / Developer centric Microsoft Ignite can be a valuable source of information for customers and I would highly recommend they attend to gain visibility into Microsoft’s vision and product roadmap!

For registration information please see:

https://ignite.microsoft.com/

#MicrosoftCloudQuickFix #Microsoft #Microsoft365 #MicrosoftAzure #MicrosoftIgnite2023 #MSIgnite

Yet another Teams Mobile App new feature – Quick Capture Content!!!

Today’s #MicrosoftCloudQuickFix is yet another amazing new feature will soon be added to the Teams Mobile App in iOS and Android to quickly capture shared content!

Most meetings include shared content. When you are on the go participating in Teams meetings on your mobile device you may want to capture content to refer back to when your back at your desk or to share with other team members. Up to this point your only option was to use the mobile operating systems native screen capture.

With Quick Capture you can screenshot content shared in a Teams meeting on a mobile device, save it to your mobile photo gallery, annotate as desired, and then easily share in Teams and other apps subject to content sensitivity labels. Access is via the ellipsis (“…”) menu during the meeting.

Screen Shot of Teams Mobile Quick Capture

This feature is available in both the iOS and Android version of the Teams Mobile App. Deployment is scheduled to begin in early November 2023 and will be available in all Microsoft Tenants worldwide!

For more information see Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 171217

#MicrosoftCloudQuickFix #Microsoft365 #MicrosoftTeams