Microsoft is retiring
Exchange Web Services

Microsoft plans to retire Exchange Web Services for Microsoft 365.
We're already building Microsoft Graph support in eM Client 11 to
ensure a smooth transition for our users.

Timeline for Microsoft 365 users.

Microsoft has shared a phased retirement plan for Exchange Web Services - and we've
been keeping a close eye on it. Here are the key dates.

March 2007

Exchange Web Services released

EWS, a legacy protocol, is first released with Exchange Server 2007.

November 2015

Microsoft Graph launches

Initially released as Office 365 Unified API, Microsoft Graph builds on Microsoft 365 APIs - though many promised functionalities aren't yet available.

2022

eM Client begins implementing Graph

Our devs start seriously looking into Graph and discover many crucial functionalities are missing compared to EWS. We begin reporting these issues to Microsoft.

September 2023

EWS deprecation announced

Microsoft publishes its retirement roadmap and stops accepting new EWS feature requests. eM Client starts implementing Graph for smaller features while continuing to push Microsoft on the missing ones.

In development

eM Client 11 with Microsoft Graph

Our team is actively building Microsoft Graph support for the next major version of eM Client - planned for Summer 2026 to provide as smooth and complete a transition as possible for Microsoft 365 users. An alternate option via IMAP already exists.

October 1,
2026

EWS deprecation begins

Microsoft begins disabling EWS access for Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online tenants.

April 1, 2027

EWS fully retired

EWS connectivity to Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online ends. Applications must use Microsoft Graph.

Our approach.

As Microsoft transitions away from Exchange Web Services, our focus remains on
providing a smooth experience for eM Client users.

Minimize disruption

Most users should only need to complete a Microsoft sign-in after updating. We are designing the transition to require as little manual intervention as possible.

Preserve functionality

We're actively implementing Microsoft Graph support and evaluating areas where Graph does not yet provide full replacements for existing EWS functionality.

Keep users informed

We'll continue sharing development updates, beta availability, transition guidance, and important milestones as they become available.

How the transition will work.

When eM Client 11 is released, the move to Microsoft Graph
is designed to be straightforward.

01

Update to eM Client 11

When the release becomes available, install it over your existing copy. Your accounts and data are preserved.

02

Sign in with Microsoft

A standard, secure Microsoft OAuth prompt re-authorizes your Microsoft 365 account on the new protocol.

03

Continue as usual

Your existing data stays on your device. No manual account recreation is expected for most users.

Want to keep all EWS features?
Try an alternative:

SmarterMail

SmarterMail is an alternative Exchange service provider that is not making this switch. Their EWS implementation will keep working - so you can continue enjoying every feature EWS provides, without interruption.

FAQ

Microsoft is retiring Exchange Web Services (EWS) protocol for Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online. Third-party applications will need to use Microsoft Graph instead (or alternatively IMAP or POP protocol for emails only).

No. Only users with Microsoft 365 or Exchange Online accounts are affected. On-premises Exchange accounts, other Exchange server providers (such as SmarterMail), and accounts set up via IMAP or POP3 protocols will not be impacted.

No action is required right now. We're actively developing Microsoft Graph support for eM Client 11 and will share guidance well before the retirement dates.

Most users will not need to recreate their accounts manually. The transition is expected to be mostly automatic, with a one-time Microsoft OAuth sign-in after updating to eM Client 11.

No. Your existing account data remains on your device, and your mailbox lives on Microsoft's servers. The change is at the protocol layer only.

Microsoft Graph does not yet provide full replacements for every EWS feature. Public folders, archives, distribution lists, and inbox watcher behavior may be limited by Microsoft's platform. We're working to preserve as much functionality as possible.

No. On-premises Exchange Server installations are not part of the EWS retirement. You can continue using EWS with your local Exchange server.

Microsoft Graph support is currently in development for eM Client 11. We'll share availability details and beta access through email updates as development progresses.

Don't miss the eM Client 11 release

We'll share updates about Microsoft Graph support, eM Client 11 beta availability, and
important milestones related to Microsoft's EWS retirement.