Microsoft made over 100 updates and announcements in the month of February 2025 for the Microsoft 365 platform. Don’t have time to read them all? We’ve gone through all of them and put together what we feel are the most important updates for you to be aware of.
Microsoft has announced that starting mid-2025, organizations will be able to enable quality updates during the out-of-box experience (OOBE) for new Windows 11 devices. This new policy allows administrators to manage whether devices receive the latest quality updates during setup, ensuring they are secure from the start. The policy can be configured via Windows Autopilot and will sync existing quality update settings to the device. If Autopilot is not used, the updates can be disabled through Group Policy. This change aims to enhance security and streamline the setup process for new devices.
Microsoft has released a security update for the Microsoft Intune Connector for Active Directory, which will now use a Managed Service Account (MSA) instead of a SYSTEM account to enhance security for Microsoft Entra hybrid joined devices deployed with Windows Autopilot. The old connector will be unsupported after May 2025. The post provides detailed instructions on uninstalling the old connector, installing the new one, and configuring it, including setting up organizational units (OUs) and using the connector with multiple domains. This change aims to reduce unnecessary privileges and improve security in customer environments.
Microsoft has announced the general availability of dynamic watermarking for sensitivity labels in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This feature overlays user-specific watermarks on documents to deter unauthorized sharing and enable traceability of leaks. It can be configured via the Microsoft Purview compliance portal or PowerShell and supports various platforms, including web, Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. Dynamic watermarking displays the user’s email address and can include the device’s date-time, enhancing document security and collaboration across different devices and applications.
Microsoft has introduced two new Microsoft-managed Conditional Access policies aimed at enhancing identity security by limiting device code flow and legacy authentication flows. Device code flow, often used for input-constrained devices, poses phishing risks, while legacy authentication protocols lack modern security features like multifactor authentication (MFA). Starting in February 2025, these policies will be rolled out in report-only mode, allowing organizations to review their impact before enforcement. Administrators are encouraged to customize and monitor these policies to proactively protect their organizations from evolving cyber threats.
Last month, Microsoft began rolling out the changes to the improved document library experience for General Availability. The updates are expected to be complete by the end of March. Updates are automatic with no admin action required. Improvements include enhanced "editing in grid" for Choice, Person and Image field types, better scrolling experience with large libraries, new commands in grid view, and many other features.
Microsoft announced in February that the My Feed webpart will be retired on April 14, 2025. Site Admins and Owners will need to remove or replace the webpart by this date or an error message will be displayed in its place to users by April 13. Also, by mid-March, this webpart will not be available to be added to any SharePoint site. No other admin action is required.
Last month, Microsoft shared that Copilot Agents are coming to new Outlook for Windows and Outlook for the web. This simple enhancement enables users to use self-installed or admin-deployed custom Copilot Agents conveniently within Outlook. This is added to a long list of features Microsoft has added to the new Outlook, giving users yet another reason to switch to the modern email platform.
Microsoft Teams will have a new default app, Facilitator, designed to enhance note-taking during meetings and chats. Facilitator captures and synthesizes key information in real time, allowing users to quickly catch up on important discussions, decisions, and action items. This feature will be available in Teams for most modern devices and requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
Rolling out globally from early April 2025 to late April 2025, the Facilitator app will be enabled by default unless blocked by your organization. Admins can control its availability and ensure data security and compliance through Microsoft Purview. Future improvements include AI-generated notes moving to an editable canvas with resides within SharePoint Embedded, Microsoft's headless document storage designed for LOB app developers.
Copilot Actions provides a user-friendly way to automate and delegate common IW tasks within Microsoft 365 to Copilot. Actions combine Copilot prompts and conversations, triggers (events like file modifications or schedules like daily reminders), and user-defined rules to generate artifacts. To make getting started easy, Copilot Actions offer categorized Templates such as Catch up and Gather, etc., that are tailored for common personal productivity scenarios. Actions is a Copilot feature that delivers immediate value without the need for any setup. This out-of-the-box functionality ensures that even users with minimal technical expertise can benefit from the powerful async capabilities of Copilot. Copilot Actions is accessed via the Microsoft 365 app for the Web.
Microsoft will begin rolling out to Targeted Release in early March 2025.
Microsoft has launched Azure AI Foundry Labs, a platform designed to bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI research and practical applications. This initiative provides developers, startups, and enterprises with access to Microsoft's latest AI innovations, enabling them to experiment with new models and frameworks to address complex challenges and drive innovation.
A notable feature of Azure AI Foundry Labs is the introduction of Muse, a pioneering World and Human Action Model (WHAM). Muse exemplifies Microsoft's commitment to integrating advanced research into its AI offerings, providing users with state-of-the-art tools to enhance their applications.
By offering a unified platform that combines research and engineering efforts, Azure AI Foundry Labs aims to accelerate the development and deployment of AI solutions across various industries. This collaborative environment encourages the sharing of insights and fosters the rapid iteration of ideas, ultimately shortening the time from research breakthroughs to real-world impact.
Microsoft is enhancing the eDiscovery modernized UI with several updates. These include a case-level data source view, the ability to retry failed locations for better search estimates, and process reports across all cases. Users can now duplicate searches, copy searches from hold, and reuse data sources and queries within the same case. Additionally, process reports will offer more detailed insights, including compliance boundaries, encryption settings, and other key information.
Microsoft Outlook for Windows desktop and the web will soon allow users to categorize individual emails within conversation view, improving organization and tracking.
This update requires no administrative action and will be enabled by default. It is advisable to inform users about the change and update any relevant documentation.
Users can access this feature by selecting "View > Messages > Conversation > Group into conversations" in the Outlook ribbon. To categorize an email, expand a conversation, right-click the email, choose "Categorize" and select the desired category. Categories will appear in the email header and reading pane, and can be removed by deleting them from these areas.
General Availability Worldwide: Late February to late March 2025
General Availability (GCC, GCC High, DoD): Late March to late April 2025