September 22, 2026
Microsoft is retiring EWS in Exchange Online, and Public Folder will not have a Microsoft Graph replacement. If you still have Public Folders to migrate, now is the time to start planning.
The clock is ticking.
Microsoft’s retirement of Exchange Web Services (EWS) in Exchange Online is now just weeks away. Beginning October 1, 2026, Microsoft will start disabling EWS globally for Exchange Online organizations, with full and permanent retirement scheduled for April 2027.
For organizations planning Microsoft 365 mailbox migrations, there is good news: MigrationWiz is moving forward with a mailbox migration solution utilizing Microsoft Graph API, aligning with Microsoft’s transition away from EWS.
But there is another part of the EWS retirement that MigrationWiz users need to pay close attention to particularly organizations that still rely on Exchange Public Folders.
The Good News: Mailbox Migrations Are Moving to Graph
Microsoft has been working toward replacing EWS with Microsoft Graph for Exchange Online. Many EWS capabilities already have Graph equivalents, and Microsoft continues to close remaining gaps for supported migration scenarios. Microsoft’s current roadmap includes mailbox import and export capabilities through Graph, with additional migration-related capabilities targeted for late 2026.
MigrationWiz is preparing for this transition.
BitTitan is developing a new mailbox migration solution utilizing Microsoft Graph API, providing a path forward for MigrationWiz users as Microsoft moves Exchange Online away from EWS.
For organizations planning standard mailbox migrations, the EWS retirement does not mean the end of mailbox migration. The technology behind the migration is evolving.
But Public Folders are a different story.
Public Folders Are the Big Concern
Microsoft has explicitly confirmed that some EWS capabilities will not be added to Microsoft Graph.
One of the most important for migration projects is Public Folder CRUD the ability to create, read, update, and delete folders and items in Public Folders. Microsoft states that there will not be a Graph equivalent for these capabilities.
Microsoft’s roadmap does include a planned Public Folder import and export capability for Q4 2026. However, that capability specifically does not include Public Folder CRUD APIs.
That distinction matters.
If your organization has Public Folders that need to be migrated, do not assume that the future Graph API will provide the same functionality currently available through EWS.
If You Have Public Folders, Now Is the Time to Act
This is the part MigrationWiz users should take seriously.
If you have Public Folders that need to be migrated, now is the time to start planning the project.
Do not wait until after October 1. Do not assume that you can simply move the project to Graph later. And do not wait until the April 2027 retirement date to determine how your Public Folder migration will be handled.
Microsoft’s current documentation specifically identifies Generic Public Folder CRUD as an EWS capability that will not be added to Microsoft Graph.
For organizations with significant Public Folder environments, migration planning can take time. You may need to inventory your Public Folders, determine what needs to be migrated, establish the destination environment, plan permissions and user access, schedule the migration, and validate the results.
The sooner you start that process, the more options you have.
October 1 Is Not the Absolute End of EWS
There is an important distinction between Microsoft’s October 1, 2026 milestone and the final retirement of EWS.
October 1 marks the beginning of Microsoft’s phased disablement of EWS. Full retirement is currently scheduled for April 2027.
Tenant administrators will still have options to manage EWS access during the transition period, subject to Microsoft’s configuration and allow-list requirements. This provides some additional runway for organizations that need to complete migrations before EWS is permanently disabled.
But that additional runway should not be mistaken for additional time to postpone planning.
April 2027 is the point at which EWS is fully disabled.
And for Public Folders, the bigger issue is that Microsoft has already confirmed that Generic Public Folder CRUD will not have a Graph equivalent.
Don’t Let Public Folders Become the Last Migration Project
Public Folders have a tendency to become an afterthought.
Organizations may have moved most of their workloads to Microsoft 365 years ago while continuing to rely on Public Folders for shared information, departmental content, historical records, calendars, or other business processes.
Then a larger migration project comes along and suddenly those Public Folders need to move too.
The EWS retirement changes the urgency.
If Public Folders are part of your migration roadmap, now is the time to understand your options and begin planning.
Waiting until EWS is permanently retired could leave organizations facing a much more complicated migration challenge.
Talk to the BitTitan Experts Now
You don’t have to figure out your EWS transition alone.
If you have a mailbox migration coming up, Public Folders that need to be migrated, or an existing MigrationWiz project that depends on EWS, talk with the BitTitan experts now.
The team can help you understand your migration requirements, determine what needs to happen before the EWS deadlines, and develop a plan for moving forward.
For Public Folder migrations in particular, the message is simple: Don’t wait. If you need to migrate Public Folders, start planning now.
The EWS retirement is no longer a distant roadmap item. October 1, 2026 is approaching, and April 2027 will bring the permanent end of EWS in Exchange Online.
The sooner you start your Public Folder migration, the more time you have to plan, execute, and validate it before your options become more limited.
Contact BitTitan today to start planning your migration.