Dear users, 

Microsoft Teams is rolling out enhanced messaging security that may affect how some files and links behave in chat and channel conversations. This change is designed to protect users from potentially unsafe content, but you may notice warnings or blocked items if they are deemed risky. 

What is changing

Starting January 2026, Teams enabled messaging safety features by default for tenants using the original default settings. These protections include: 

• • Blocking certain file types that could be misused or weaponized. 

• • Displaying security warnings on potentially unsafe links. 

• • Offering users the option to report incorrect detections. 

These features were turned on by default. 

Impact you may see

• • Some attachments may be blocked from sharing if they are on Microsoft’s “weaponizable file type” list. 
    
  • Teams may show a security warning before opening certain links.
    
  • A “report incorrect detection” option may appear when a file or link is flagged. 

What you can do 

• • For sharing files that may be blocked, use OneDrive or SharePoint with links instead of direct file attachments.
  • Note that users can report false positive detections in the Teams interface when available.

If you have any further questions or concerns, please submit a ticket to the Enterprise Service Centre at (https://uoft.me/m365help). 

Kind regards, 

Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI)
Information Technology Services, University of Toronto 

Dear users, 

Microsoft is updating the Contacts (People) experience in Outlook on the web. This change introduces a new layout for viewing and managing contacts and removes the option to switch back to the older contacts interface. 

What is changing

The People and Contacts area in Outlook on the web is moving to a new People Hub interface. 

• • Your contacts have not been removed. They are available in a new layout. 

• • The updated experience includes faster search and automatic linking of duplicate contacts. 

• • Contact cards may also display additional organizational information where available. 

The previous “New Contacts” on or off toggle will no longer be available once this update is applied. 

No action is required. 

• • Continue accessing your contacts through Outlook on the web. 

• • Familiarize yourself with the new People layout and updated contact management options. 

Timeline 

• • Targeted Release: Mid-January 2026 to late January 2026 

• • General Availability: Late February 2026 to mid-March 2026 

Rollout timing is managed by Microsoft and may vary by user. 

If you have any further questions or concerns, please submit a ticket to the Enterprise Service Centre at (https://uoft.me/m365help). 

Kind regards, 

Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI)
Information Technology Services, University of Toronto 

Dear colleagues, 

Microsoft is making a security and reliability update to Exchange Online that may affect a number of older mobile devices used to access U of T email. 

What is changing 

Starting March 1, 2026, Microsoft will no longer allow connections to Exchange Online from devices using very old versions of Exchange ActiveSync (EAS). Exchange ActiveSync is the technology used by some built-in mobile mail apps to sync email, calendar, and contacts. 

Devices and apps that use Exchange ActiveSync version 16.1 or higher will continue to work normally. 

Who is affected 

We have sent targeted communications to the impacted users. 

This change only affects mobile mail apps that use an older connection method. It does not affect email on computers or the Outlook mobile app. 

Most modern devices and apps already support the required version and are not expected to be impacted. The Outlook mobile app is not affected by this change. 

Timeline 

• • Now to February 28, 2026. Users should update devices and apps as needed. 

• • March 1, 2026. Connections from unsupported Exchange ActiveSync versions will be blocked by Microsoft. 

Resources 

• • Exchange ActiveSync in Exchange Online. Microsoft Learn. 

• • Outlook for iOS and Android. Microsoft Learn. 

If you have any further questions or concerns, please submit a ticket to the Enterprise Service Centre at (https://uoft.me/m365help). 

Kind regards, 

Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI)
Information Technology Services, University of Toronto
 

Dear colleagues, 

Microsoft has announced a major update to Microsoft Planner that will begin rolling out in early 2026. This update will introduce new capabilities and retire several existing features and integrations, including some options that connect Planner with other Microsoft 365 apps. 

What is changing 

• • Microsoft will roll out a new Planner experience in the Planner app in Microsoft Teams (desktop and web) and Planner on the web between mid-January 2026 and mid-February 2026. 

• • New capabilities will include: 

• • • Task chats for basic plans, which let you discuss tasks with rich text and @mentions. 

• • • Custom templates for creating reusable plan layouts. 

• • • Project Manager agent available in all plans for users licensed for Microsoft 365 Copilot.  

• • As part of this update, Microsoft will: 

• • • Replace the existing task comments interface in basic plans with a new task chat experience.  

• • • Older comments will no longer appear directly in the task, but can be opened from a link in the task details that takes you to Outlook.  

• • • On iOS, Android, and Teams mobile, you will still see the existing comments view, but new task chat messages will not show there yet.  

• • • Email notifications for the existing comments experience will continue to go to all plan members when someone adds a comment. 

• • • Retire the Whiteboard tab that automatically attaches a Microsoft Whiteboard to premium plans in Planner. Existing whiteboards will remain available in the standalone Whiteboard app. 

• • • Retire the iCalendar feed integration used to view Planner tasks in external calendars such as Outlook.  

• • • Retire Planner components in Microsoft Loop pages. Existing components will change to show a link to the Planner plan instead of an embedded board. 

• • • Temporarily remove the ability to convert a basic plan to a premium plan. Users will need to create a new premium plan and copy tasks if they need premium capabilities during this period.  

Learn more: The new Microsoft Planner  

If you have any further questions or concerns, please submit a ticket to the Enterprise Service Centre at (https://uoft.me/m365help). 

Kind regards, 

Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI)
Information Technology Services, University of Toronto 

Dear users,

Microsoft has announced an update to Microsoft 365 on Windows 11 that introduces new companion apps designed to simplify everyday work. 

What is changing 

Starting in late 2025, Microsoft began automatically installing new Microsoft 365 companion apps on Windows 11 devices that have Microsoft 365 desktop applications installed. The companion apps include: 

• • People 

• • Files 

• • Calendar 

These apps are integrated with the Windows taskbar and are designed to help users quickly access contacts, documents, and meetings without switching between multiple applications. 

What to expect 

• • The Microsoft 365 companion apps will be installed automatically. 

• • No user action is required for installation. 

• • The apps will appear in the Start menu and may be pinned to the taskbar, depending on local device settings. 

• • On devices where these apps are already installed, there will be no visible change. 

Users can choose to pin or unpin these apps from their taskbar. 

If you have any further questions or concerns, please submit a ticket to the Enterprise Service Centre at (https://uoft.me/m365help). 

Kind regards, 

Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI)
Information Technology Services, University of Toronto

As part of our annual process, we will be updating all UTmail+ Calendars to include the 2026-2027 official U of T Holiday and Religious Observances dates. This update will occur in mid-January and will take at least three days to complete. Individuals will see the following in their calendars:

• Holidays will be marked as: all-day event, out of office, no reminder and the location set to “U of T Holidays.”
• Observances will be marked as: all-day event, free, no reminder and the location set to “Non-Statutory Religious Observance.”

View the full holiday schedule and the full religious observances schedule.

Sincerely,
Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration

Dear colleagues,

As previously communicated on July 8, 2025, Microsoft is retiring Basic authentication for Client Submission using Simple Mail Transfer Protocol Authentication (SMTP AUTH) in Exchange Online starting March 1, 2026. Microsoft will require modern authentication using OAuth. This retirement is part of Microsoft’s security improvements across all Microsoft 365 services. 

What is changing 

Basic authentication is a legacy authentication method that sends usernames and passwords in plain text over the network, making it vulnerable to credential theft, phishing and brute-force attacks. To improve the protection of users and institutional data, Microsoft is retiring Basic authentication for Client Submission (SMTP AUTH) and encouraging the use of modern, more secure authentication methods such as OAuth. 

After the retirement, connection attempts using Basic authentication will fail with the following error: 

550 5.7.30 Basic authentication is not supported for Client Submission. 

Who is affected
Any user, device or application that sends email through Exchange Online using Basic authentication with SMTP AUTH.
Microsoft has confirmed that Basic authentication activity was detected in our tenant between October 20 and October 24, 2025. Targeted emails will be sent to mailbox owners identified with Basic Auth activity.  

Action required 

• • If you manage applications, devices, or scripts that send email using SMTP AUTH, confirm whether they use Basic authentication. 

• • If the application supports OAuth, update the configuration to use OAuth. 

• • If the application does not support OAuth, you must transition to an alternative method of sending email, such as: 

• • Using Microsoft 365 High Volume Email for internal-tenant email. 

• • Using an on-premises Exchange relay if you operate in a hybrid configuration. 

• • Using a supported third-party solution if neither option is suitable. 

• • Please review the official Microsoft announcement for detailed recommendations and available resources related to this change.    

Timeline 

• • March 1, 2026 – Microsoft begins gradually rejecting a percentage of Basic authentication SMTP AUTH connections. 

• • April 30, 2026 – Microsoft completes retirement. All Basic authentication SMTP AUTH connections will be rejected. 

If you have any further questions or concerns, please submit a ticket to the Enterprise Service Centre at (https://uoft.me/m365help). 

Kind regards, 

Enterprise Applications & Solutions Integration (EASI)
Information Technology Services, University of Toronto