Microsoft 365 Admin Center Adds EWS Usage Reports to Streamline Migration Planning

Supporting strategic IT planning ahead of Exchange Web Services retirement in 2026.

Published: May 09, 2025

Cloud Computing

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Key Takeaways:

  • This new reporting feature in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center helps IT admins track how Exchange Web Services (EWS) are being used within the organization.
  • Microsoft will deprecate EWS in October 2026.
  • These reports assist administrators in planning migrations to modern alternatives like Microsoft Graph.

Microsoft has rolled out Exchange Web Services (EWS) usage reports in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center, giving administrators valuable insights into EWS activity across their organization. This new feature is aimed at helping IT teams monitor usage patterns and strategically reduce reliance on the soon-to-be-retired EWS platform.

Exchange Web Services (EWS) is an API that lets developers access and manage data stored in Exchange Online and Exchange Server. It allows applications to interact with Exchange mailboxes, calendars, contacts, and tasks. EWS is commonly used in enterprise environments to build custom solutions that require access to Exchange data.

In 2023, Microsoft announced plans to deprecate Exchange Web Services (EWS) in October 2026. This decision to phase out EWS was made to encourage customers to transition to more modern and secure solutions like Microsoft Graph. It offers enhanced security, scalability, and compliance features compared to EWS.

Key benefits of EWS Usage Reports for IT Administrators

Exchange Web Services (EWS) usage reports offer detailed insights into how EWS is utilized across an organization, including which apps are accessing it and how often. This data helps administrators identify usage patterns and make informed decisions when planning their migration away from EWS.

“The Exchange Web Services (EWS) usage report displays the SOAP actions used by each application calling EWS in your organization. It also shows the successful-call volume for each SOAP action. This information enables you to coordinate with the application owners to ensure they’re preparing for the EWS deprecation in October 2026,” Microsoft explained.

Microsoft 365 Admin Center Adds EWS Usage Reports to Streamline Migration Planning
EWS usage reports (Image Credit: Microsoft)

How to Access EWS Usage Reports

To get started with EWS usage reports, administrators will need to follow the steps mentioned below:

  • Log in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
  • Head over to the “Reports” section.
  • Click the “Usage” option and then select Exchange > EWS Usage on the Overview page.

Microsoft notes that the new EWS usage reports are available to all commercial customers. Administrators can filter the data by time periods (such as the last 7, 30, 90, or 180 days), which makes it easier to track usage trends, monitor changes, and make informed decisions about reducing reliance on EWS.

Furthermore, administrators can also download the report data as an Excel CSV file. If you’re interested, you can check out this support page to learn more about the Exchange Web Services (EWS) usage report.

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