New Update Microsoft to Retire the Calendar, People, and Files Microsoft 365 Companion Apps in December

Windows 11
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lokamoka820

lokamoka820

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Microsoft is urging administrators to have the Calendar, People, and Files Microsoft 365 companion apps removed from managed devices, as stated in an update to the Microsoft 365 message center, with the company announcing that it will be phasing out these apps on December 16, 2026; after that date the apps will no longer work or be supported.

This action follows around a year after Microsoft had started automatically installing the apps on Windows 11 enterprise devices, and the company has also ceased installing them via Microsoft 365 Apps updates.

The applications incorporated Copilot and were fixed to the Windows 11 taskbar.
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Because the apps stop functioning after December 16, admins and users should act before then:
  1. The administrators must have the Calendar, People, and Files companion apps removed from the managed devices in their tenant by December 16, 2026.
  2. Users should remove the apps themselves in the case of unmanaged devices, since Microsoft won't automatically remove them.
  3. It should be noted that there will be no new installations since Microsoft has stopped the installation of the apps via the Microsoft 365 Apps updates.
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www.ghacks.net

Microsoft to Retire the Calendar, People, and Files Microsoft 365 Companion Apps in December - gHacks Tech News

Microsoft will retire its Calendar, People, and Files Microsoft 365 companion apps on December 16, and is urging admins to remove them.
www.ghacks.net www.ghacks.net
 
"Jonny Quest to retire Windows"...LOL. Bye Windows. After the last update fiasco, the previous one that broke my LibreOffice office file path to my Google Drive folder because Microsoft thought it would be nice to see my name in the folder path, breaking the link. It happened to some Dropbox users as well. The ghost file path to OneDrive when it was uninstalled, and all the hoops to jump through to possibly get rid of it. The telemetry etc, for what, why in my case? Microsoft's ridiculous bloated 20 minute install Tuesday updates.

The Surface 5 Mint install was a bit of a known challenge with how Microsoft configured the hardware for that laptop. The HP Envy laptop, essentially one and done, everything worked, just needed some Firefox tweaks. Some really nice features, tweak, and tools etc. in Cinnamon Mint. On start up, it's pretty instantaneous, no populating, loading of the system tray. What was once 58-64% memory at idle with Windows, is now ~35% (on the Surface). I have a desktop folder of my synced Google Drive, as well as the folder tree link opening the Drive folder.

I did try Zorin via USB boot, but some of the features Mint has that Zorin didn't, even though it looks more polished, kept me with Mint :)

ksnip_20260922-202425.png ksnip_20260922-204426.png
 
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Zero Knowledge said:
@Jonny Quest maybe try an over the top Windows install first. It fixed my issues with WU and so far smooth sailing.
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Oh, it's done, and it feels fantastic, feels liberating :) When I needed Windows for work, it was a different story.
"I'm out there, Jerry, and I'm loving every minute of it!" Cosmo Kramer 😅

Jonny Quest

New Update Post in thread 'XnView MP Upatedes Thread'

lokamoka820 said:
What a surprise! I didn't know you were interested in Linux. You're brave to replace Windows with Linux instead of using a virtual machine or dual boot system, but this is the way you'll learn faster. I hope you enjoy it. 😀
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I trialed it on my HP Envy laptop in a VMware workstation for a while, then booting from a USB drive on this Surface 5 laptop for a while, just to make sure :)
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stonjean633 said:
It's like marriage. He will come back to Windows after Tasting Linux.
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I have several times, my experience this year is, I reinstalled Windows a fresh in March after three years or more without reinstalling, apart from changing my VPN / office lookalike to NG & changing AV to ESET all is well & no needed changes, cooking on gas here, we all have different experiences? If I had consistent issues I would use Linux but as I don't I'm sticking with 11 pro :cool:
 
@Jonny Quest I'm sorry to say, but right now you're in the honeymoon phase. Linux might be good for light use, such web browsing, e-mail, office; anything other than that... there will be struggle.

I was planning to switch to Linux from Windows 11; after seeing that NVIDIA drivers aren't great (including the open source ones) and that I won't have access to all features hardware offers, I decided not to move. Instead, I installed Windows 11 Enterprise which is light years away from regular Home/Pro versions in control so I don't have any issues whatsoever regarding bugs in the system. After clean installation, I uninstalled everything I could from Microsoft including Edge because Microsoft apps are one part causing issues.

I'm not exactly sure what programs do you use on your PC, but it's worth to note that usually, Linux counterpart of programs we use on Windows are sometimes less capable than Windows versions and with delayed updates. This is very common for open source programs where there aren't many developers, so the Linux programs come last to updating and getting new features. Firefox is the perfect example; Windows and Mac get the new features before they reach Linux version. And this is ultimately what keeps me away from Linux.

In case of emergency, I could switch, but because I'm using Enterprise version of Windows, I chose to stay with it.
 
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stonjean633 said:
It's like marriage. He will come back to Windows after Tasting Linux.
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Some people really like to identify as BI-OS. I guess you can try before you buy sort of thing. But the Windows guys laugh at Linux, and the Linux guys laugh at Windows.

But everyone looks at the people duel booting with one feet on each side and goes REALLY? Just pick your OS!
 
Marko :) said:
@Jonny Quest I'm sorry to say, but right now you're in the honeymoon phase.; anything other than that... there will be struggle.

I was planning to switch to Linux from Windows 11; after seeing that NVIDIA drivers aren't great (including the open source ones) and that I won't have access to all features hardware offers, I decided not to move. Instead, I installed Windows 11 Enterprise which is light years away from regular Home/Pro versions in control so I don't have any issues whatsoever regarding bugs in the system. After clean installation, I uninstalled everything I could from Microsoft including Edge because Microsoft apps are one part causing issues.

I'm not exactly sure what programs do you use on your PC, but it's worth to note that usually, Linux counterpart of programs we use on Windows are sometimes less capable than Windows versions with delayed updates. This is very common for open source programs where there aren't many developers, so the Linux programs come last to updating and getting new features. Firefox is the perfect example; Windows and Mac get the new features before they reach Linux version. And this is ultimately what keeps me away from Linux.

In case of emergency, I could switch, but because I'm using Enterprise version of Windows, I chose to stay with it.
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@Marko :) What you mentioned is exactly all that I was doing on Windows: "Linux might be good for light use, such web browsing, e-mail, office".
So my thought, why put up with a heavier OS, and use something lighter and not as intrusive? Besides, it's fun learning something new of what Linux is about, and can do and can't as easily as Windows. And I did watch some YouTube videos mentioning the Honeymoon phase as @stonjean633 alluded to :)

I also have a Windows 10 desktop PC downstairs, just in case I get Windows withdrawals 😅
Zero Knowledge said:
Some people really like to identify as BI-OS. I guess you can try before you buy sort of thing. But the Windows guys laugh at Linux, and the Linux guys laugh at Windows.

But everyone looks at the people duel booting with one feet on each side and goes REALLY? Just pick your OS!
Click to expand...

In the past I've done that before, dual booting from a USB or a SSD drive bay. After a while it got old in that if I saved an image, an app, bookmarked a webpage and wanting to sync it, see it, use it on the default Windows side, was more of a hassle than just doing everything on one side. So that's what I tend to do, just pick an OS :)
 
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Jonny Quest said:
@Marko :) What you mentioned is exactly all that I was doing on Windows: "Linux might be good for light use, such web browsing, e-mail, office".
So my thought, why put up with a heavier OS, and use something lighter and not as intrusive? Besides, it's fun learning something new of what Linux is about, and can do and can't as easily as Windows. And I did watch some YouTube videos mentioning the Honeymoon phase as @stonjean633 alluded to :)

I also have a Windows 10 desktop PC downstairs, just in case I get Windows withdrawals 😅
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Linux suits you needs prefectly then. You should have switched sooner.
 
Marko :) said:
Linux suits you needs prefectly then. You should have switched sooner.
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I agree, I retired about a year and a half ago so I don't need and use Windows like I used to, and needed to. I guess it just took enough of some of Microsoft's frustrations and my considering an alternative for what I do and don't use my laptops for, to consider a change :)
 
Jonny Quest said:
I agree, I retired about a year and a half ago so I don't need and use Windows like I used to, and needed to. I guess it just took enough of some of Microsoft's frustrations and my considering an alternative for what I do and don't use my laptops for, to consider a change :)
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You don't need to tell anyone on here if you do revert (you can tell me though: I PROMISE?? not to disclose it) :p:p:p
 
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Jonny Quest said:
I did try Zorin via USB boot, but some of the features Mint has that Zorin didn't, even though it looks more polished, kept me with Mint :)
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Zorin appears more polished mainly because it uses the "Papirus" icon theme, which is also available in Linux Mint but not set as the default. You can switch to it through the appearance settings. 😉
 
Sorrento said:
You don't need to tell anyone on here if you do revert (you can tell me though: I PROMISE?? not to disclose it) :p:p:p
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I guess it's like a midlife crisis. Change OS. But your wife (Windows) will be angry that you have been hiding yourself all this time.

Or is it more of a case of trading in your wife (OS) for a younger model (Linux)
 

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