Microsoft has announced that it is killing the SharePoint Alerts feature. This built-in tool was the standard way for users to get automatic email or even old-school SMS notifications about changes within SharePoint sites, libraries, or lists.
This decision feels consistent with other recent shifts by Microsoft, such as retiring the password manager from the Authenticator app to encourage using Edge's built-in features. As a replacement, the company is directing users to Power Automate or SharePoint Rules as the preferred alternatives for notifications. SharePoint Rules are a related but different feature primarily used for automating actions in lists, though they can be configured for some notification scenarios.
The retirement of SharePoint Alerts will not happen all at once. It is a phased approach rolling out over the next couple of years. Here is the timeline provided by Microsoft:
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| From July 2025 | The creation of new SharePoint Alerts will be gradually turned off for newly onboarding tenants. |
| From September 2025 | The creation of new SharePoint Alerts will be gradually turned off for all tenants. |
| From October 2025 | The SharePoint Alert expiration feature will be gradually activated. Once activated, any SharePoint Alert will have a validity of 30 days starting from its first run, then it will expire. Users can self-service re-enable expired SharePoint Alerts and extend their expiration for another 30 days. Re-enabling and extending SharePoint Alerts can be done by using the “Manage my alerts” list/library menu item, opening the SharePoint Alert to update, extending its expiration date and clicking OK. |
| From July 2026 | Microsoft will remove the ability to use SharePoint Alerts; existing SharePoint Alerts cannot be extended anymore and will not work anymore. |
What should organizations do with this information? Microsoft advises updating user training content and preparing your help desk team to support users during this transition. Users who have existing alerts will see notifications through banners on relevant SharePoint pages and within alert emails themselves, informing them that the feature is retiring and when their specific alert will expire starting in October 2025.
To help identify current usage and plan for the migration, the company recommends using the Microsoft 365 Assessment tool. This tool can scan your tenant and generate a report showing where SharePoint Alerts are configured. The company is also actively working on providing reference samples to guide users transitioning to Power Automate for their notification needs.
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