🌐 Microsoft is rolling out a completely redesigned SharePoint Online experience beginning March 3, 2026.

✨ Key Highlights

1. AI‑First, Copilot‑Powered SharePoint

• Deep integration with Microsoft 365 Copilot for:
  • Automatic page drafting
  • Content summarization
  • Image and layout generation
  • Metadata creation
• Requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license for end users.

2. Fully Redesigned UI

• Cleaner, faster, more consistent with the Microsoft design system.
• Focused on discovering, publishing, and building content.
• New navigation, simplified authoring, and improved mobile responsiveness.

3. New Page & Site Templates

• AI‑generated templates
• Modernized intranet layouts
• Better branding and theming controls
• Faster site creation with guided setup

4. Flexible Workflows Built In

• Workflow creation directly inside SharePoint
• AI‑assisted automation suggestions
• Tighter integration with Power Automate

🏗️ Modernization Changes Rolling Out Through March 2026

Between September 15, 2025 and March 15, 2026, Microsoft is enforcing major modernization changes.

🚫 1. Custom Scripting Disabled on Classic Publishing Sites

• Custom scripts will be disabled by default on all classic publishing site collections.
• This affects:
  • Script Editor Web Parts
  • CEWP custom JavaScript
  • Legacy branding solutions

🧱 2. Classic Publishing Sites Are Being Phased Out

• Microsoft is pushing organizations to migrate to modern communication sites.
• No immediate shutdown, but classic publishing is effectively deprecated.

🛠️ 3. Admin Controls Updated

• New SharePoint Admin Center settings for:
  • Enabling the new SharePoint experience
  • Managing AI features
  • Modernization readiness checks

🧠 AI & Content Intelligence Enhancements (2026)

The 2026 update introduces a new layer of content intelligence across SharePoint Online.

🔍 Smart Content Discovery

• AI‑powered search that understands context
• Personalized content feeds
• Automatic topic detection (Project Cortex evolution)

📝 AI‑Generated Content

• Copilot can generate:
  • Pages
  • News posts
  • Site sections
  • Images and layouts

🗂️ Intelligent Information Architecture

• Auto‑tagging
• Auto‑classification
• Suggested metadata
• Improved compliance labeling

📅 Critical 2026 Deadlines & Retirements

⛔ End of Support for On‑Prem Versions

• July 14, 2026: End of support for:
  • SharePoint Server 2016
  • SharePoint Server 2019

This is driving many organizations to accelerate migration to SharePoint Online.

🕯️ Retiring SharePoint Features in 2026

Although details vary, Microsoft and community sources highlight several retirements:

• Legacy workflows (SharePoint Designer 2010/2013)
• Classic publishing infrastructure
• Custom script–dependent solutions

🚀 What Organizations Should Do Now

✔ Enable the New SharePoint Experience (Preview)

Admins can enable it in the SharePoint Admin Center → Settings.

✔ Audit Classic Sites

Identify:

• Classic publishing sites
• Custom scripts
• Legacy workflows

✔ Plan Migration to Modern Sites

Microsoft’s modernization tools and Copilot can accelerate this.

✔ Prepare for AI Adoption

• Ensure licensing for Microsoft 365 Copilot
• Train content authors on AI‑assisted authoring

📘 Summary Table: SharePoint Online 2026 Updates