Microsoft Is Killing Off This SharePoint Feature — Are You Ready?
Microsoft encourages shift to modern automation tools like SharePoint Rules.
Key Takeaways:
- Microsoft will start phasing out SharePoint Alerts in SharePoint Online beginning July 2025.
- A complete shutdown of the feature is planned for July 2026.
- Organizations are encouraged to explore alternative notification options like SharePoint Rules and Power Automate.
Microsoft is getting ready to retire the SharePoint Alerts feature in SharePoint Online. The company has announced on the Microsoft 365 admin center that a gradual phase-out is set to begin in July 2025.
In SharePoint Online, SharePoint Alerts is a built-in feature that notifies users when changes occur in lists, libraries, or specific items. Users can configure alerts to receive email notifications when a user adds, edits, or deletes content. These alerts can be customized based on the type of change and how often the user wants to be notified (such as immediately, daily, or weekly). The SharePoint Alerts feature is especially useful for staying updated on collaborative content without continuously checking the site.
Timeline for SharePoint Alerts retirement
Microsoft will phase out SharePoint Alerts in SharePoint Online by July 2026. The transition begins in July 2025, when new SharePoint customers will no longer be able to create alerts. By September 2025, this restriction will apply to all SharePoint tenants.
In October, Microsoft will start enabling an alert expiration feature. Once enabled, all SharePoint Alerts will automatically expire after 30 days. However, administrators will have the option to re-enable expired alerts within a 30-day window.
In July 2026, Microsoft will permanently disable the SharePoint Alerts feature. At that point, users won’t be able to create new alerts, and all existing alerts will stop functioning.
What are the alternative solutions?
Microsoft recommends that organizations use SharePoint Rules or Power Automate for setting up notifications. Administrators can use the Microsoft 365 Assessment tool to analyze their environment and identify where SharePoint Alerts are currently being used.
SharePoint Rules are built-in automation tools available directly within SharePoint Online. They are user-friendly and don’t require any additional licensing. In contrast, Power Automate offers more advanced and flexible automation capabilities, which allow integration between SharePoint and various Microsoft or third-party services. However, Power Automate is a licensed service, which may incur additional costs depending on the Microsoft 365 subscription.
Rabia has a master's degree in Software Engineering and she has years of experience writing professionally about Microsoft products and other technologies. Rabia has also written for OnMSFT.com as well as Windows Report. She is always up to date on t...
