Microsoft News – February 2026

Microsoft has extended its 50% discount on Microsoft Purview Suite (formerly E5 Compliance) for customers with Microsoft 365 Copilot licenses until 30^th June 2026. Customers must meet Microsoft Purview prerequisite licensing requirements, and the offer applies to net-new Purview Suite license additions. There are no exclusions on combining this promotion with other offers or discounts on other products in the same deal.

Microsoft has announced the retirement of SPO Plan 1 & Plan 2 and ODB Plan 1 & Plan 2. This decision is based on decreasing demand for standalone storage plans and Microsoft’s continued investment in delivering secure, scalable, and integrated experiences through Microsoft 365 suites.

• Retirement Announcement: January 2026
• End of Sale: 31^st May, 2026 (no new standalone plan purchases)
• End of Life: January 2027 (no renewals; existing contracts continue until expiration)
• End of Service: December 2029 (all standalone plans fully retired)

During this transition period, Microsoft and Bechtle encourages customers to move to Microsoft 365 Business, E3/E5 suites, or alternative storage options which provide the same SharePoint and OneDrive capabilities along with enhanced security and productivity features.

• Your existing SPO or ODB standalone subscription will remain active until the end of its current term.
• No further renewals will be possible after January 2027.
• Before December 2029, all customers must transition to a Microsoft 365 suite or another supported storage option.

Please reach out to your Bechtle Account Manager for recommendations on the most suitable Microsoft 365 suite or storage alternative. We will support you through planning, migration, optimisation, or archiving as needed to ensure a smooth transition

Starting 1^st July, 2026, Microsoft will introduce expanded AI, security, and management capabilities across Microsoft 365 offerings—alongside updated commercial pricing. These changes reflect Microsoft’s commitment to helping organisations of all sizes protect their people and data, streamline IT operations, and confidently embrace the future of work.

• AI Everywhere: Copilot Chat is now integrated across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, enabling a unified, secure AI experience. New features like Agent Mode will allow iterative collaboration with Copilot for creating high-quality documents and presentations.
• Stronger Security: Enhanced email protection from Microsoft Defender for Office Plan 1 will be included in Office 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E3. URL checks will also be added to E1 and Business plans to safeguard against malicious links.
• Advanced Endpoint Management: Microsoft Intune capabilities—such as Remote Help, Advanced Analytics, and Endpoint Privilege Management—will empower IT teams to detect risks, maintain compliance, and keep devices secure.
• Security Copilot for E5 Customers: Built-in security agents will streamline workflows for security teams using Microsoft Defender, Entra, Intune, and Purview.

Organisations face rising IT demands, complex threat landscapes, and the urgent need for AI-powered transformation. These updates ensure that Microsoft 365 continues to deliver productivity, security, and innovation at scale.

New list prices will take effect globally on 1^st July, 2026, with local market adjustments. Nonprofit pricing will align with commercial rates.

Microsoft has announced that the exchange rates used to calculate prices in local currencies will be adjusted on February 1st, 2026!

Microsoft uses these exchange rates to convert prices from dollars into local currencies.

Important: The adjustments apply to all Microsoft agreement types and the following customer segments: Commercial, Education / Academic, Charity / NonProfit.
 

* Percentage changes may vary for individual SKUs due to rounding

** On-premise software prices will not be adjusted

Project Online will officially retire on 30^th September 2026.

This update is exclusive to Project Online and does not affect Project desktop, Project Server, or Planner.

• No immediate disruption: Your current Project Online environment will continue to function as expected until the retirement date.
• Key dates:
  • 1^st October 2025: End of sale for new customers for Project Online-only SKUs.
  • 30^th September 2026: Official retirement date – Project Online will no longer be available.
• Project desktop remains available and is not impacted by this change.
• Planner remains available, bringing together the simplicity of To Do, the collaboration of Planner, the power of Project for the web, and the intelligence of Microsoft 365 Copilot into a simple, familiar experience.

More information and transition options can be found