Microsoft sketches out a Whiteboard extension

Microsoft is extending its grace period for customers still using its legacy Whiteboard technology, pushing the deadline to October 16, 2026. The migration tooling for these legacy whiteboards will be retired on September 25, 2026, and the standalone Microsoft Whiteboard app will cease operation on November 30, 2026. However, Microsoft Whiteboard as a concept will remain available.

The original migration timeline had been set for August 22, with permanent deletion on September 5, and app deprecation on September 14. This extension suggests either technical issues or a significant number of customers still relying on the legacy platform. New whiteboard files for commercial customers have been stored in OneDrive rather than Azure since 2022, but legacy whiteboards in Azure will be deleted on October 16 unless migrated to OneDrive.

Migration occurs automatically when a whiteboard is opened in certain applications through September 22, 2026. Only Azure Whiteboard owners can trigger migration, while users on vacation or leaving the organization could create complications for administrators, who may need to transfer ownership to active users. Microsoft has promised PowerShell cmdlets to simplify the migration process.

The Microsoft Whiteboard app was introduced in 2018 and was a popular collaborative tool for Microsoft 365 users, but it is now considered outdated. Microsoft believes moving these files to OneDrive enhances security, accessibility, revision history, eDiscovery, and access to future Whiteboard features.