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Microsoft 2026 Promotions and Pricing Changes: What You Need to Know
Author:
Jeroen Hidding
Jeroen entered Microsoft Licensing in 2008 at a Global LSP. Jeroen is specialized in optimizing complex Microsoft licensing requirements from a commercial perspective.
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Microsoft 2026 Promotions a... Microsoft 2026 Promotions and Pricing Changes: What You Need to Know
Author:
Jeroen Hidding
Microsoft is heading into 2026 with a mix of tighter license enforcement, meaningful program changes, and some of the most aggressive promotions it has offered in years.
At the same time, pricing adjustments and product retirements mean organizations will need to pay closer attention to how and when they buy.
While not an exhaustive list of potential promotions, the breakdown below outlines what’s changing and why it matters.
License Enforcement Gets Real in Dynamics 365
Starting January 15, 2026, Microsoft will actively enforce licensing in Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations.
If a user does not have the correct license assigned, Microsoft will disable affected functionality after 14 days.
This marks a shift away from soft compliance and puts more pressure on organizations to keep licenses aligned with real usage. Manual workarounds and delayed clean-ups will no longer be enough.
CSP Program Changes Remove the Safety Net
Starting April 1, 2026, Microsoft is changing how the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program handles expired subscriptions.
CSP partners will be allowed to keep licenses running in the Extended Service Term, but:
- There will be no grace period
- Pricing will be the monthly rate plus a 3% administration fee
This effectively turns what used to be a buffer into a paid extension, increasing the cost of poor renewal planning.
Key Products Retiring in 2026
Several standalone and on-premises products will either be retired or reach the end of support in 2026.
July 14, 2026
- SQL Server 2016
- SharePoint Server 2016
- SharePoint Server 2019
August 1, 2026
- Standalone Microsoft Defender Threat Intelligence (MDTI) will be integrated into Defender XDR and Microsoft Sentinel.
October 13, 2026
- Office 2021 (including Project, Visio, and Access)
- Windows Server 2012 / 2012 R2 (Year 3 Extended Security Updates)
December 31, 2026
- Office Online Server
For organizations still running these platforms, 2026 is a hard deadline to plan upgrades or migrations.
Promotions Worth Paying Attention To
Microsoft is using discounts strategically to drive longer commitments and Copilot adoption.
Copilot
Microsoft 365 Copilot
- 15% discount for new customers
- Minimum 10 licenses, up to 2,400
- Ends 30 June 2026
Copilot Business Launch Promotions (through March 31, 2026 )
- 15% off Copilot Business (1–300 licenses)
- 35% off Business Standard + Copilot Business
- 25% off Business Premium + Copilot Business
ScaleUP Promotion
- 20% discount
- Minimum 100 seats
- Annual commitments only
Windows 365
- 20% discount for new customers
- Monthly or annual billing
- Ends April 30, 2026
These offers can materially reduce costs, but only if licensing profiles and usage are correct before committing.
Price Adjustments Coming February 2026
Effective 1 February 2026, Microsoft will adjust pricing for Commercial Cloud services in the following currencies:
The goal is to align regional pricing more closely globally. On-premises software pricing is not affected.
Microsoft announced this change through its Partner Center updates in December 2025.
Microsoft 365 Pricing Update Mid-2026
In December 2025, Microsoft confirmed it will expand the security, management, and AI capabilities included in its Microsoft 365 offerings for 2026 and adjust pricing to reflect those enhancements.
The company highlighted that Microsoft 365 now includes more than 1,100 new features across productivity, security, Copilot, and collaboration tools, and is rolling out expanded AI-driven experiences, such as Copilot Chat in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote, with deeper integration into workstreams and enhanced admin controls.
Security upgrades include broader protection against malicious content and tighter endpoint management powered by Intune. Alongside these additions, Microsoft announced a global price update for commercial Microsoft 365 suite subscriptions and Government suites starting 1 July 2026 , giving customers advanced notice to plan.
Additionally, external reporting confirms that Microsoft’s pricing shifts will increase monthly costs across many plans, with frontline and small-business tiers seeing higher relative hikes, while enterprise SKUs also rise.
While full details are still emerging, Microsoft has made it clear that additional functionality will be bundled into core plans, continuing the trend of value-based price increases rather than simple list price changes.
What This Means for Organizations
2026 is shaping up to be a year where:
- Incorrect licenses will stop working
- Grace periods will disappear
- Long-term commitments will matter more than ever
- Pricing changes will arrive quietly but hit budgets hard
Organizations that review licensing once a year will be reacting too late. Those who track usage, pricing, and promotions continuously will be able to reduce risk and take advantage of discounts before they expire.
The difference in 2026 will not be who negotiates harder at renewal, but who is prepared long before it begins.