Microsoft to Retire Microsoft 365 Companion Apps in December 2026

Microsoft has announced that it will retire its Microsoft 365 Companion apps on December 16, 2026. The three taskbar-integrated apps - Calendar, People, and Files - were designed to streamline everyday workflows by providing quick access to Microsoft 365 and locally stored files.

The company began automatically installing the companion apps on all Windows 11 enterprise devices with the Microsoft 365 desktop client apps in December 2025. However, IT admins could opt out of this automatic installation via Device Configuration settings in the Apps Admin Center.

In a support update, Microsoft urged administrators to remove the companion apps from managed devices by the end of 2026, when they will no longer be supported and will stop functioning.