Microsoft Axes Exchange Web Services in Cloud-Based Exchange Online
Microsoft is taking the final steps to retire Exchange Web Services (EWS) in its cloud-based Exchange Online service. The company will start blocking EWS on October 1, with all applications being blocked by April 1, 2027. This marks the end of a service that has been available since Exchange Server 2007 and allows apps to access mailbox data.
EWS is no longer aligned with modern security, scale, or reliability requirements, according to Microsoft. The company recommends moving integrations to Microsoft Graph instead. However, some capability gaps remain, making the migration process challenging for organizations.
Markus Müller, global field CTO for API management at Boomi, highlighted one of the biggest challenges in migrating away from EWS: identifying every use of the service. He noted that many organizations lack a complete inventory of their EWS dependencies due to rapid integration rollouts and limited documentation.