Microsoft Roadmap, messagecenter and blogs updates from 06-03-2025

Updated March 5, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Coming soon to Microsoft Purview | Data Loss Prevention (DLP): A new RBAC (role-based access control) role called Data Classification Content Download. When evidence collection is turned on from Endpoint DLP settings, this role lets admins download endpoint-related evidence files from activity explorer and DLP alerts in the Purview portal and Microsoft Defender XDR portal.

By default, the new role is available in these built-in role groups:

• Data Security Management
• Information Protection
• Information Protection Investigators

To view the evidence, users can continue using the Data Classification Content Viewer role.

For more information on the roles and role groups in Microsoft Purview refer to Roles and role groups in Microsoft Defender for Office 365 and Microsoft Purview – Microsoft Defender for Office 365 | Microsoft Learn

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 478660.

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-March 2025 (previously late February) and expect to complete by late March 2025 (previously early March).

[How this will affect your organization:]

After this rollout, DLP investigators who are assigned to any role group (custom or default) without the role Data Classification Content Download role will be unable to download the endpoint DLP evidence and will encounter the error message, “You need the role Data Classification Content Download to download the evidence”:

We understand the significance of secure data management, and this new role is designed to enhance security. If a user encounters the error message, admins can deploy one of these options from Permissions in the Microsoft Purview compliance portal | Microsoft Learn:

• Existing user in built-in role group: Add the role Data Classification Content Download to the built-in role group using the steps in Add users or groups to a Microsoft Purview built-in role group.
• Existing user in custom role group: Add the role Data Classification Content Download to the built-in role group using the steps in Update a custom Microsoft Purview role group.
• New user: Add the user to an existing role group with the role Data Classification Content Download or create a new custom role group using the steps in Create a custom Microsoft Purview role group.

This rollout will have no impact on previewing the evidence.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required before the rollout. Review your current configuration to determine the impact for your organization. You may want to notify your admins about this change and update any relevant documentation.

Updated March 5, 2025: We have updated the content. Thank you for your patience.

SharePoint Premium users can now secure their PDF files by adding protection that restricts unauthorized access through OneDrive Web. This feature allows you to set an open password, which is required to access the PDF, or an owner password, which sets permissions for actions such as printing or editing the document. This ensures your files remain secure and only accessible to authorized individuals

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 482193.

[When this will happen:]

Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early March 2025 and expect to complete by mid-March.

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, DoD): We will begin rolling out mid-March 2025 and expect to complete by early April 2025 (previously late March).

[How this will affect your organization:]

• Before this rollout: Users cannot setup passwords to protect their PDF files. 
• After this rollout: Users can set a User Password to protect the PDF from being opened by non-authorized users or set Owner Password to grant certain operations like printing, copying, or modifying the content.

To set up an open password:

1. Open a PDF you have saved in OneDrive or SharePoint document library,

2. Click the lock icon located at the top left of the screen

3.Under Security, enter matching passwords. 

4. Click Save as to password protect this document,

5. Choose the location where you want to save the file and click Save here. 

6. A notification will appear at the bottom of the screen, indicating that a new file has been successfully saved. 

To set up an owner password:

1. Open a PDF you have saved in OneDrive or SharePoint document library, 

2. Click the lock icon located at the top left of the screen,

3. Under Protection, check the Grant permissions box.

4. Under Grant permission, check the box for the permissions you want to allow on this document.  [What you need to do to prepare:]

5. Type matching owner passwords and then click Save as to set permissions for this document,

6. Choose the location where you want to save the file and click Save here, 

7. A notification will appear at the bottom of the screen, indicating that a new file has been successfully saved. 

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required before the rollout. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation. 

FAQ

Will password protection overwrite my current PDF?

No, we currently only allow the “Save as” option, so the original PDF will remain intact.

Can I see the same permission set on the same PDF document using other apps?

Yes, users are able to view the same permission settings, and the same restrictions are applied when they view the PDF within OneDrive and SharePoint.

Are Microsoft Syntex users getting charged for this feature?

Microsoft Syntex users can use password protection without any additional charge.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

Note: Some users may see this feature before other users within your organization. Password protection is only available for SharePoint Premium licensed users; non-SharePoint Premium users will not see this feature.   

The In development for Microsoft Intune page in our documentation has been updated.

How does this affect me?

The In development page provides a list of features in upcoming releases of Microsoft Intune to assist in your readiness and planning. The list has now been updated. You will start seeing these changes in the next month or in a subsequent release.

What do I need to prepare for this change?

You can inform your IT staff and helpdesk of the upcoming changes listed on this page. Plan to update your user guidance, if you feel any of these features would be important to your users.

Additional Information

Intune In development

Coming soon: Microsoft Viva Amplify will support authors uploading a list of emails as a .csv, .xlsx, or .txt file, to make it easier for authors to reach audiences by email in Microsoft Outlook.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 477369.

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-March 2025 and expect to complete by late March 2025.

[How this will affect your organization:]

This update will streamline the process for communicators to send messages to their Outlook audiences using Viva Amplify. Instead of manually typing email addresses one by one, communicators can now upload a file containing the email addresses, which will automatically resolve. Please note that the recipient limit remains at 200 email addresses total, regardless of how email addresses are entered.

In Viva Amplify, authors will see a new Import from file button in the Add audience: Outlook selection panel:

This change will be available by default.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified dates with no admin action required before the rollout. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation.

Learn more: Preview and customize a Viva Amplify publication – Microsoft Support (will be updated before rollout)

Starting mid-March 2025, Copilot Chat will be automatically pinned in the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app for Copilot Chat-eligible users who newly install the app or are redirected to the previously installed app while trying to access Copilot from an external source. Copilot Chat will not be automatically pinned if the admin has blocked pinning for their users or blocked the Copilot Chat in the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app entirely.

Note:

• There is no change for Microsoft 365 Copilot-licensed users – Copilot Chat is already pinned by default in the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app when users are assigned the license.
• These updates apply to mobile scenarios only. Any additional updates to pinning Copilot Chat for other surfaces will be communicated via future Message center posts.

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (WW Production): We will begin rolling out mid-March 2025 and expect to complete by mid-April 2025.

[How this will affect your organization:]

Copilot Chat-eligible users will have Copilot Chat automatically pinned in the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app in the following scenarios:

• The Microsoft 365 Copilot app is newly installed
• An eligible user is redirected to the previously installed Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app when:
  • Trying to sign into the Microsoft Copilot mobile app or Bing mobile app with their Entra account
  • (Android-only) Selecting “Ask Copilot” from the context menu after highlighting text in an app (for example, a mobile browser).

Scenarios outside those listed above will continue to prompt users to pin Copilot Chat in the Microsoft 365 Copilot app via a consent dialog.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

Copilot Chat-eligible users will have Copilot Chat automatically pinned in the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app in the above scenarios – no action is required.

To prevent Copilot Chat from being automatically pinned in the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile app in the above scenarios, admins can use the Copilot Chat pinning control or manage Copilot Chat in the app using Intune.

We’re updating Microsoft Secure Score improvement actions of Microsoft Defender for Identity to ensure a more accurate representation of security posture. This rollout includes new posture recommendations that will be added as Microsoft Secure Score improvement actions and recommendations:

• Install Defender for Identity Sensor on ADCS servers.
• Install Defender for Identity Sensor on Entra Connect. 
• Install Defender for Identity Sensor on ADFS servers.
• Change password for gMSA account.
• Change password for sMSA account. 

[When this will happen:]

Public Preview: We will begin rolling out mid-March 2025 and expect to complete by mid-April 2025.

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, DoD): We will begin rolling out late March 2025 and expect to complete by late April 2025.

[How this will affect your organization:]

These new security posture reports will be available only if your tenant has a Defender for Identify sensor installed your identity infrastructure.

This update is available by default.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required. Your score will be updated accordingly.

Review your current configuration to determine the impact for your organization. You may want to notify your admins about this change and update any relevant documentation.

Microsoft recommends reviewing the improvement actions listed in Microsoft Secure Score. We will continue to add suggested security improvement actions on an ongoing basis.

After this rollout, users will have a new Microsoft Viva Engage experience in Microsoft Teams for iOS/Android. Creating, commenting, and reacting to conversations will be easier than before the rollout.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 475969.

[When this will happen:]

Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early March 2025 and expect to complete by mid-March 2025.

General Availability: We will begin rolling out late March 2025 and expect to complete by early April 2025.

[How this will affect your organization:]

All key existing Engage functionality will be refreshed in the new Engage app:

• Feed: Read and react to top conversations across the organization in different communities and storylines.
• Communities: Join and participate in organization and social communities in the organization.
• Activity notifications: Community announcements, @mentions, and more notifications continue to keep you notified of anything needing your attention
• Leadership corner: Catch up on the latest content posted by organization leaders (if licensed for Microsoft Viva Suite or Microsoft Viva Communications and Communities (C&C))

In the Engage app in Microsoft Teams: Left: The Feed tab. Middle: The Communities tab and Activity notifications. Right: An example of content posted by an organization leader:

For admins:

• There are no changes to the deployment of Engage or the Viva Engage app in Teams with this change.
• This change will work seamlessly and independently with these releases that also affect the Viva Engage app in Teams.
  • Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 474126 / MC978923 Microsoft Viva Engage: New reply and reaction notifications in Microsoft Teams (published January 2025)
  • Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 472914 / MC969448 Microsoft Teams: Viva Engage storyline will be integrated in Teams (published December 2024)
  • Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 481280: Automatic rename of Engage for Teams Frontline Worker SKU users, releasing in April 2025
• Continue to manage the Viva Engage app in Teams from the Teams app center.

For users:

• If users have the Viva Engage app installed in Teams, they will receive this update by default, with no action needed by you.
• With this change, there is no change to the standalone Viva Engage app available in the Android or iOS app stores.
• Existing notification settings in Teams will be respected and will continue to work in a new Conversation view.
• While not all features in the existing Viva Engage app in Teams will be available after this rollout, the functionality continues to be available in other Teams clients, in the Viva Engage apps in the Android and iOS app stores, and in Viva Engage on the web. Missing functionality includes:
  • Searching for content in Viva Engage
  • Delegation (post on behalf of someone, etc.)
  • Community live events
  • iOS only:
    • Answers tab
    • Community details, membership management, and analytics
    • Topics feed
• Storyline will be rolled out with Feature 472914. Before that rollout, users can access another user’s storyline by tapping the header in a storyline post from that user.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required before the rollout. You may want to notify your users and corporate communicators in your organization about this change and update any relevant documentation.

Updated March 5, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Coming soon for Microsoft Word for the web, Microsoft Excel for the web, and Microsoft PowerPoint for the web: An enhanced File menu, so users can more easily create, open, share, export, and manage files. We have also updated the autosave experience and made file renaming more efficient.

[When this will happen:]

Targeted Release: We began rolling out mid-May 2024 and expect to complete by late July 2024.

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out early August 2024 and expect to complete by mid-April 2025 (previously late February).

[How this will affect your organization:]

Before this rollout, we received feedback from users who were overwhelmed and confused by the file menu and found it difficult to find and use critical commands on the menu. It wasn’t clear to users that their files were autosaved on web apps.

To address this user feedback, we have reimagined the File menu and file renaming to be more intuitive and easier to use.

After this rollout, users can use the File menu to:

• Quickly navigate to the folder where their file is saved from the link at the top of the File menu.
• More efficiently find commands for downloading files as PDFs and other formats at File > Export
• Use Create a copy (formerly called Save as) to save a copy of file online or to a local device
• Use the Move File command to move a file to a different folder
• Explore previous versions of the file with File Version History

Also, users can rename a file by selecting the file name in the title bar near the top of the browser window and entering the new file name:

All changes are available by default to users of Microsoft Word for the web, Microsoft Excel for the web, and Microsoft PowerPoint for the web.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified dates with no admin action required before the rollout. Please notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation as appropriate

Updated March 5, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Users with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on Windows desktops and the web will soon have access to an updated version of the Office Add-ins Store in these applications. This store will continue to support users in exploring, installing, and managing Office Add-ins provided by Microsoft and third parties.

With this new feature, minor users will no longer be permanently blocked from getting Office Add-ins from the Office Add-ins Store.

Learn more:

• View, manage, and install add-ins for Excel, PowerPoint, and Word – Microsoft Support
• Understand how to configure the Age Group property in Microsoft Entra admin center

[When this will happen:]

Targeted Release: We will begin rolling out early January 2025 (previously mid-December 2024) and expect to complete by late January 2025 (previously early January).

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out late January 2025 (previously early January) and expect to complete by early April 2025 (previously late February).

[How this will affect your organization:]

Users will experience a new Office Add-ins Store in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on both Windows desktops and on the web. Minor users not blocked by tenant administrators will be able to get Office Add-ins from the Office Add-ins Store.

This feature will be available by default.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

Review your current configuration to determine the impact for your organization. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation.

For educational tenant administrators:

• If you wish to continue blocking minor students from getting Office Add-ins from the Office Add-ins Store, please ensure the user’s License Type is set to student, the Age group property is not set to Adult, and go to Microsoft admin center > Org settings > User owned apps and services to ensure the option Non-adult student is unchecked.
• For student users who you want to have access to the Office Add-ins Store, make sure their Age group property is set to Adult.

Educational tenant admins: The last step in Microsoft admin center to blocking minor students from getting Office Add-ins from the Office Add-ins Store:

Updated March 5, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Coming soon for Microsoft Outlook for iOS and Android users: In response to customer requests, we are rolling out the ability to attach emails directly in the compose window. This enhancement allows users to include individual emails as attachments in new messages, facilitating seamless sharing and providing more context for recipients.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 464206.

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High): We will begin rolling out late January 2025 (previously early January) and expect to complete by late March 2025 (previously late February).

[How this will affect your organization:]

Before this rollout, users can forward emails as attachments but cannot attach emails while composing.

After this rollout, users will notice a new Attach email option when they select the paper clip attachment icon in the compose window. Users can select this option to browse for, choose, and attach individual emails to their new message.

This change is available by default.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This change will happen automatically by the specified date. No admin action is required. Please notify your users about this change, update relevant documentation.

Updated March 5, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Based on customer feedback, we have decided to delay the deprecation of Get-CsDialPlan, Get-CsOnlineUser, and Get-CsUserPolicyAssignment cmdlet in the Teams PowerShell Module. We will gradually roll out this change to customers in mid-February 2025 and we expect to complete by mid-March 2025 (previously late February)

Here are more details on the change:

There are important changes coming to a few Teams PowerShell cmdlets. Starting mid-February 2025, we will be deprecating https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/teams/get-csdialplan?view=teams-ps cmdlet. We will also be deprecating DialPlan attribute from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/teams/get-csonlineuser?view=teams-ps and LocationProfile attribute from https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/teams/get-csuserpolicyassignment?view=teams-ps cmdlet. If you are using DialPlan or LocationProfile attribute found in these cmdlets, please stop using them.

[How this will affect your organization:]

You are receiving this message because our reporting indicates your organization may be using Microsoft Teams Phone services. When this change is implemented,

Administrators will no longer be able to use Get-CsDialPlan cmdlet.

Administrators will no longer be able to get DialPlan from Get-CsOnlineUser cmdlets.

Administrators will no longer be able to get LocationProfile from Get-CsUserPolicyAssignment cmdlet.

To understand the effective dial plan please use: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/teams/get-cseffectivetenantdialplan?view=teams-ps 

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This change will happen automatically, no admin action is required. Please notify your admins about this change, update relevant documentation and automations as appropriate.

Detailed instructions on these cmdlets are provided in:

Get-CsOnlineUser (MicrosoftTeamsPowerShell) | Microsoft Learn

Get-CsUserPolicyAssignment (MicrosoftTeamsPowerShell) | Microsoft Learn

Get-CsEffectiveTenantDialPlan (MicrosoftTeamsPowerShell) | Microsoft Learn

Updated March 5, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Coming soon for Microsoft Viva Engage: Users will have a new way to engage with the Viva Engage app in Microsoft Teams through new notifications in the Teams Activity feed. This message applies to Teams for the web, Teams for Windows desktop, Teams for Mac desktop, and Teams for iOS/Android.

Updated February 5, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

After this rollout, users with the Engage app installed can be notified in Teams for replies and reactions to their community posts. This new feature helps large organizations stay connected and informed of news, updates, and safety while in Microsoft Teams.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 474126.

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-January 2025 and expect to complete by late April 2025 (previously late February).

[How this will affect your organization:]

This feature will be available by default and the notifications will be on by default.

After this rollout, users can change notification settings in Teams for desktop or the web: Go to Activity on the left side of Teams, select the gear icon, and change settings in the Viva Engage section. In Teams for iOS/Android, users can turn notifications on or off for all apps from the notifications settings page. 

User documentation: Manage notifications in Microsoft Teams – Microsoft Support

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required before or after the rollout.

Share this news with users at your organization and consider pinning Engage next to Chats and Teams. Ensure your corporate communications team is aware of this additional channel of reaching users across the organization.

You may want to update any relevant documentation.

Updated March 5, 2025: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

The Integrated apps page in the Microsoft 365 admin center provides IT admins with tools to manage agents. With this rollout, we are introducing a new Shared Agent management section, enabling IT admins to gain visibility into individually shared agents and take actions such as blocking agents to ensure compliance and security. 

[When this will happen:]

General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out early February 2025 and expect to complete by early March 2025 (previously late February).

[How this will affect your organization:]

Global admins, global readers, AI admins, Exchange admins, and Azure Application admins will see this new Shared Agent management feature in the Integrated apps page in the Microsoft 365 admin center.

This update will:

• Provide an inventory of shared agents searchable by agent name.
• Enable admins to block shared agents, making them inaccessible across the tenant.

These changes will be available by default and require no additional configurations.

[What you need to do to prepare:]

This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required before the rollout. You may want to notify your admins about this change and update any relevant documentation.

Learn more: Manage agents for Microsoft 365 Copilot in Integrated Apps (to be updated before rollout).