A clearer view of what’s next.

Keep your team compliance-ready

Find and share on-demand compliance training faster in the Microsoft Partner Skilling Hub.

AudienceAll Microsoft partners

SMB referrals acceptance service level agreement (SLA) change

Starting November 2, 2026, partners have five calendar days to accept or reject SMB referrals.

AudiencePartners with referrals in Partner Center

AI Builder capacity add-ons retiring

AI Builder capacity add-ons retire on November 1, 2026. Partners should turn off auto-renew before affected customers' next renewal date.

AudienceCloud Solution Provider (CSP) distributors, direct bill partners, and indirect resellers with customers using AI Builder capacity add-ons

Office LTSC 2021 end of support

Office LTSC 2021, Project LTSC 2021, and Visio LTSC 2021 have reached end of support

AudienceAll partners, including Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners and advisors

New Security designation workloads

More ways to attain the Solutions Partner designation for Security.

AudienceCSP distributors, CSP indirect resellers, CSP direct bill partners, Scale Solution Providers (SSPs), and global systems integrators/systems integrators (GSIs/SIs) pursuing the Solutions Partner designation for Security

Reminder: Check Inventory API retiring September 25, 2026

Reminder: A new Check Inventory by Resource Type API is now available. The previous Check Inventory API will retire on September 25, 2026.

AudienceAll partners using Partner Center APIs for inventory checks.

Office LTSC 2021 end of support

Office LTSC 2021, Project LTSC 2021, and Visio LTSC 2021 nearing end of support.

AudienceAll partners, including Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners and advisors

Microsoft Partner Compliance Readiness training now available in the Partner Skilling hub

Microsoft is pleased to announce that the Microsoft Partner Compliance Readiness training gallery is now available through the Partner Skilling hub.

AudienceAll partners

Grow your security practice at IT Nation

Help SMB customers become AI-ready while sharpening your security practice—meet Microsoft at IT Nation Connect ANZ 2026.

AudienceCSP distributors, CSP indirect resellers, CSP direct bill partners, and software development companies

Azure reservation exchange policy update

Azure reservation exchanges for savings plan eligible services end February 1, 2027. Guide customers to the right mix of savings plans and reservations.

AudiencePartners with customers who hold Azure reservations for compute and database services covered by savings plans.

DLP in Defender for Cloud Apps deprecation

Open the original announcement for full details.

Custom contract lengths now available

Open the original announcement for full details.

New Check Inventory by Resource Type API available—Check Inventory API retiring September 25, 2026

A new Check Inventory by Resource Type API is now available. The existing Check Inventory API will be retired on September 25, 2026.

AudienceAll partners using Partner Center APIs for inventory checks.

Updated Microsoft Partner Agreement takes effect December 1, 2026

Preview the updated Microsoft Partner Agreement (MPA) in Partner Center.

AudienceCloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners

Security insights now available in Copilot tab of ASPX

A new, singular view of your data security signals and Copilot opportunity data.

AudienceCSP distributors, CSP indirect resellers, CSP direct bill partners, Scale Solution Providers (SSPs), Global Systems Integrators/systems integrators (GSIs/SIs)

Microsoft Publisher Agreement version 8.0 - July 2026 updates

The updated Microsoft Publisher Agreement has been updated and is now available for your review.

AudienceAll audiences

Updated Microsoft Partner Agreement (MPA) and Program Guid

Review the updated Microsoft Partner Agreement and program guide, effective December 1, 2026.

AudienceCloud Solution Provider (CSP) direct bill partners, distributor partners, and indirect resellers.

Security Store expands to Microsoft Entra, Purview

Microsoft Security Store is now embedded in Microsoft Entra and Purview, and the AI-guided Security Store Advisor is now generally available.

AudienceGSI/SI and SDC partners building solutions that integrate with Microsoft Entra, Purview, Defender, Sentinel, or Security Copilot.

Office LTSC 2021, Project LTSC 2021, and Visio LTSC 2021 nearing end of support

Office LTSC 2021, Project LTSC 2021, and Visio LTSC 2021 are nearing end of support.

AudienceAll partners, including Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) partners and advisors

Retirement of the Qualified Referral Program (QRP)

Microsoft retires the Qualified Referral Program (QRP) at the end of March 2026 and consolidates lead/referral sharing into our standard motions to simplify partner experience, improve lead quality, and provide a single …

AudiencePartners with opportunities in Partner Center

Security Dashboard for AI: Now in Public Preview

Security Dashboard for AI is now in public preview.

AudienceAll Security partners

Security Immersion Briefing update: No Cap Unlimited Execution, Expanded Partner Eligibility, New focus on SMB

We’re introducing a new Security immersion briefing, focused on Microsoft Defender for Business premium and Microsoft Purview for Business Premium customers (50–300 licenses).

AudienceCloud Solution Providers (CSP) and resellers

Retirement of standalone SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business plans (plan 1 and plan 2)

Partner advisory: retirement of standalone SharePoint Online and OneDrive for Business plans.

AudienceCSP authorized partners, partners selling to customers with SharePoint Online (SPO) plan 1 and plan 2 and OneDrive for Business (ODB) plan 1 and plan 2 SKUs

Unlock new Security revenue with CSP add‑ons

Entra ID P2 and Defender for Endpoint P2 now available in Cloud Solution Program.

AudienceCSP authorized partners

Retirement of the Qualified Referral Program

Microsoft will retire the Qualified Referral Program (QRP) in Q3 FY26 and consolidate lead/referral intake into our standard motions to simplify partner experience, improve lead quality, and provide a single system of re…

AudiencePartners with opportunities in Partner Center