-
Written By Rohan Wiese
-
Updated on February 24th, 2026
EWS Ending Soon: Public Folder Migration You Can’t Delay
Microsoft is slowly navigating toward modern and secure cloud technologies. This shift includes the retirement of the older integration methods. One of those integration methods is Exchange Web Services (EWS) as well. Microsoft is planning for a gradual phase- out of EWS because it is less secure and not optimised for cloud services. However, the transition won’t take place overnight. Microsoft has made it clear that the Microsoft Graph API will eventually become the primary method for accessing Exchange Online data.
For some of the organizations, adapting to this change will be straightforward. However, environments that still rely on Public Folders may face unique challenges that would require early planning.
Understanding the EWS Transition
It has been more than a decade since Exchange Web Services has been used as the primary technology for connecting applications to Exchange Online. It has supported a wide range of operations, including mailbox access, migrations, and Public Folder management.
Microsoft’s long-term plan is to replace EWS with the Microsoft Graph API.
|
Important Dates: Oct 1, 2026: EWS starts getting blocked April 1, 2027: EWS will completely shut down |
After this migration, the use of EWS will gradually decrease, and this would compel organisations to adopt the Microsoft Graph API as the newer integration method.
Although EWS is still operational for now, the direction is clear: future integrations must move to Graph API to remain usable in the upcoming years.
Why Microsoft is Moving to Graph API?
Microsoft Graph offers a more secure and scalable approach to accessing Microsoft 365 services. It is mainly designed to support modern authentication, improve performance, and provide a unified development experience across Microsoft platforms.
Microsoft is rapidly expanding the capabilities of Graph. Thus, organizations are expected to update their software and workflows as per Microsoft Graph to stay relevant in the future. accordingly. However, there doesn’t exist an equivalent to every feature in EWS. This eventually creates challenges for certain migration scenarios.
The Challenge with Public Folders
Public Folders will be the most complex workload affected during the EWS to Graph API transition. Many organizations still rely on Public Folders for shared communication, historical data storage, and collaboration. Unfortunately, Public Folder migrations currently depend heavily on EWS-based processes. On top of that, Microsoft has not fully confirmed the long-term Graph support for Public Folder migrations. This uncertainty creates a challenge for organizations that still need to migrate this data. Given below are the consequences of delaying the migration:
- A limited number of migration options in the near future.
- More complicated project requirements.
- The costs and timelines will increase.
- Moreover, the flexibility will gradually reduce.
Without EWS, migration paths for Public Folders may become significantly more restricted.
Why is it Important to Plan Early?
Although currently EWS is working fine and even the retirement process of EWS is gradual, starting the planning early would provide significant advantages. Organizations that begin planning now can make their existing software in accordance with the latest Microsoft Graph API before they become irrelevant.
Users can move their Public Folders to modern alternatives such as Shared Mailboxes to:
- Use the proven migration methods.
- Maintain control over project timelines.
- In order to reduce the risk of migration.
- Additionally, users can avoid the last-minute disruptions.
Early planning is especially important for IT teams and managed service providers to manage multiple environments. Waiting until the final stages of EWS retirement may result in limited options and increased complexity.
Choosing the Right Migration Approach
From the above, it is evident that managing Public Folders will become essential as the retirement of EWS approaches. It is not essential that all the migration solutions support these public folders, and this would become even more concerning as the time of EWS retirement comes. Thus, it would be more highly beneficial to use the Aryson Microsoft 365 Migration Tool for any further migrations, as this software is completely based on the Graph API. In the migration strategy, you must include the migration of Public Folder data, user mailboxes, and any associated resources to avoid leaving critical data behind. Using the right approach and software would help organizations to modernize their environments. Moreover, it will minimise the downtime and the user disruption.
Important Note: Even when the EWS retires, you don’t need to worry about the migration process, as the Aryson Microsoft 365 Migration Tool is available. This software is designed in accordance with the Microsoft Graph API and supports the migration of Public folders as well.
Take Action Before the Window Closes
Considering the above information, keep in mind that if your organization still relies on the Public Folders, this is the right time to evaluate your software or environment. After planning it, make sure to plan an appropriate migration strategy.
Microsoft has made it clear that Graph is the future of Exchange integrations. Until Public Folder support fully exists in that ecosystem, EWS remains a critical bridge for migration projects.
However, EWS will not remain forever. Therefore, if you start early, you can maintain control over your migration strategy instead of being forced to react to upcoming deadlines. Planning now would help you secure a supported path forward and reduce the risk of complications later.
About The Author:
Rohan Wiese is a Technical Writer at Aryson Technologies. He is an expert Email Forensic, Cloud Computing, and a passionate nerd with over 10 years of experience in technical content writing. He writes about Cloud Migration, Database Recovery, Email Backup, Windows, Mac, and Tech.
Related Post
