Microsoft has shared details of significant updates coming to Microsoft 365 in 2026. These changes include new AI-driven features, enhanced security and management capabilities, and pricing updates that will take effect from 1st July 2026. Together, they reflect Microsoft’s ongoing investment in helping organisations work more securely, efficiently and confidently in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Stronger Protection Against Email and Collaboration Threats
Email remains one of the most common entry points for cyber attacks. To address this, Microsoft is extending enhanced email security features from Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 into Office 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E3. This will help more organisations detect and protect against phishing, malware and malicious links across email and collaboration tools.
In addition, Microsoft is introducing URL checking for Office 365 E1, Business Basic and Business Standard. This provides protection against known malicious websites when users click links in emails or Office apps, helping reduce risk for organisations with lighter licence plans.
Empowering IT Teams with Better Endpoint Management
Microsoft is also strengthening endpoint management capabilities within Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E5. New features include Intune Remote Help, Intune Advanced Analytics and Intune Plan 2, giving IT teams better visibility, faster issue resolution and more proactive device management.
For Microsoft 365 E5 customers, additional tools such as Intune Endpoint Privilege Management, Enterprise Application Management and Microsoft Cloud PKI will help organisations better control access, reduce risk and maintain compliance — particularly as AI tools become more widely used.
Building Security Agents into Daily Workflows
At Microsoft Ignite 2025, Microsoft announced that Security Copilot agents are now being built directly into security workflows across Microsoft Defender, Entra, Intune and Microsoft Purview. These agents are designed to help security teams respond faster, investigate incidents more effectively and reduce manual workload.
Microsoft Security Copilot will be available to all Microsoft 365 E5 customers, with a phased rollout and advance notice before activation. This gives organisations time to prepare and understand how these capabilities fit into their security strategy.
Pricing Updates from July 2026
Alongside these enhancements, Microsoft has confirmed that list price changes for Microsoft 365 and Office 365 commercial licences will take effect from 1st July 2026. These changes will apply globally, with local market adjustments, and non-profit pricing will be updated in line with commercial pricing.
Microsoft has shared this information well in advance to help organisations plan ahead. At present, this is all the formal detail available, and further guidance — including local pricing and non-profit specifics — will be shared closer to the change.
A Continued Commitment to Innovation
Over the past year alone, Microsoft has released more than 1,100 updates across Microsoft 365, Security, Copilot and SharePoint. These include improvements to AI governance, collaboration tools like Loop and Clipchamp, hybrid working coordination through Microsoft Places, and resilience enhancements within Windows.
Collectively, these changes significantly increase the value of Microsoft 365 across security, productivity and management. Microsoft has made it clear that this investment will continue, with a strong focus on helping organisations stay secure, productive and ready for the future of work.
You can find Microsoft’s specific blog on their upcoming 2026 changes here.
At Qlic IT, we’ll continue monitoring these changes closely and keep our clients updated.
