Microsoft is modernizing the Microsoft 365 Apps update channels on Windows desktop.
This change retires the update channels Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Preview and Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Extended, simplifies the remaining Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel lifecycle, and introduces improvements to the Monthly Enterprise Channel. There are no changes for the Current Channel or Current Channel (Preview).
Content
Timeline
- 1 June 2025: Monthly Enterprise Channel begins N, N−1, N−2 support.
- 8 July 2025: Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Preview will be retired; remaining channel moves to a 6+2-month lifecycle.
- 10 March 2026: Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Extended reaches end of support.
What is changing?
As a short list, from the updated documentation:
- Monthly Enterprise Channel: Rollback support extended to 2 months (from 1 month)
- Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview): Being deprecated – migrate devices immediately
- Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel: Support duration reduced to 8 months (from 14 months), shifting to focus on unattended devices
Monthly Enterprise Channel
Starting 1 June 2025, the Monthly Enterprise Channel will support the current build (N), the previous build (N−1), and the build before that (N−2), offering greater deployment flexibility. All channels will continue to receive security updates on Patch Tuesday.
Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel
Starting 8 July 2025, the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel will follow a 6+2-month lifecycle (6 months of feature updates + 2 months of rollback support), up from 14 months previously.
Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Preview and Extended
Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Preview and Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Extended will be retired.
- Devices on the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Preview will stop receiving updates after 8 July 2025.
- The support for the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Extended ends on 10 March 2026.
