3 minutes read
As we enter 2026, the SharePoint landscape is undergoing its most significant transformation in a decade. Whether you are running SharePoint Server on-premises or managing a massive SharePoint Online tenant, this year brings a mix of high-stakes “End of Life” deadlines and a wave of AI-driven feature updates.
This guide serves as your roadmap for navigating the SharePoint 2026 updates, from critical migration deadlines to the new Copilot integrations.
1. The 2026 Deadline: “End of Support” Alert
The biggest news for 2026 is the sunsetting of legacy on-premises versions. If your organization is still running older versions of SharePoint, your “safe zone” is shrinking.
July 14, 2026: Official end of support for SharePoint Server 2016 and SharePoint Server 2019. After this date, Microsoft will no longer provide security patches or technical support.
December 31, 2026: Retirement of Office Online Server (OOS). This means on-premises users will lose the ability to view and edit Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files directly in the browser.
April 2, 2026: SharePoint Online will officially retire SharePoint Add-ins and SharePoint 2013 Workflows.
2. SharePoint Online: What’s New in 2026?
For cloud users, 2026 is the year of “Agentic AI.” SharePoint is evolving from a storage repository into an active workspace powered by Microsoft 365 Copilot.
AI & Copilot Enhancements
SharePoint Agents in Teams: Starting in early 2026, you can chat one-on-one with SharePoint agents directly within Microsoft Teams. These agents are “grounded” in your specific site data to provide instant answers.
AI-Powered FAQ Web Part: A new web part is rolling out that uses Copilot to automatically curate and update FAQs by analyzing your site’s document libraries.
Microsoft 365 Archive: A new “file-level” archiving feature is launching in July 2026, allowing you to move individual files to a lower-cost storage tier without archiving the entire site.
Security & Governance
Just-In-Time (JIT) Protection: Coming in November 2026, Microsoft Purview DLP will extend “just-in-time” protection to unclassified files in SharePoint, applying restrictions exactly at the moment a user tries to share or download them.
Third-Generation Sharing: A new “hero link” system is rolling out to simplify how you manage access. One link will now control everything—no more confusing different URLs for the same file.
3. Developer Roadmap: SPFx 2026
For developers, the SharePoint Framework (SPFx) continues to be the primary engine for customization.
Version 1.23 & 1.24: Scheduled for early to mid-2026, these updates focus on “Navigation Customizers” (allowing you to override site navigation nodes) and improved “Command Set” grouping for lists.
Debugging Toolbar: A new built-in debugging toolbar is arriving for SharePoint Online, replacing the old “workbench” page for a more streamlined developer experience.
4. Migration Guide: Moving to the Future
If you are among the many organizations needing to move off SharePoint 2016/2019 this year, here is your high-level migration checklist:
| Phase | Key Action Item |
| Audit | Identify “ROT” data (Redundant, Outdated, Trivial) and delete it. |
| Modernize | Replace InfoPath forms with Power Apps and 2013 Workflows with Power Automate. |
| Tooling | Use the SharePoint Migration Tool (SPMT) for simple moves or Migration Manager for enterprise scale. |
| Architecture | Move from deep subsite hierarchies to a flat structure using Hub Sites. |
Summary: Is SharePoint “Going Away”?
There has been some confusion in the IT community, but to be clear: SharePoint is not going away. While legacy versions are reaching their end of life, SharePoint Online and SharePoint Server Subscription Edition (SE) are receiving more investment than ever.
The 2026 updates signal a shift toward a “Cloud-First, AI-Always” model. If you haven’t started your migration or AI governance planning yet, Q1 2026 is your last best window to act.
