Microsoft retires SharePoint records management features
Microsoft retires three key records management tools in SharePoint Online from April 2026. Information Management Policies, In-Place Records Management, and deletion-only document policies will no longer work via user interface or APIs. Organisations must shift to Microsoft Purview features like Data Lifecycle Management. Full capabilities require E5 licensing, with no automatic migration provided. This change affects compliance workflows built directly into SharePoint sites over the past decade.
SharePoint admins previously handled basic retention and deletion rules inside familiar site libraries, often on standard E3 licences without extra tools or training. These features let small IT teams enforce governance policies on documents without leaving the SharePoint admin center. Purview now takes over, demanding E5 access and a full rebuild of retention schedules across sites. This exposes gaps in site audits and permissions that mid-sized teams have deferred amid Teams sprawl, just as Copilot readiness requires clean data first.
Analysis
This retirement is your cue to face the governance mess you've ignored, not chase E5 upgrades leadership won't approve. Inventory every site with active retention labels in the SharePoint Admin Center today, then archive or delete unused ones to cut compliance risks without new licences.
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