SharePoint Alerts Are Retiring — Let’s Talk About What That Means
Hey! Did you hear the news about SharePoint Alerts?
No? Well, grab a coffee and let’s chat. This isn’t one of those “sky is falling” moments, but it’s definitely something you’ll want to know about—especially if you or your team rely on those little email notifications to stay in the loop.
I’ll walk you through what’s changing, why it’s happening, and what you can do to stay ahead of it all. Sound Good? Let’s go.
You: Wait, are SharePoint Alerts really going away?
Me: Yes, they are. Microsoft is officially retiring the SharePoint Alerts feature to make way for more modern, integrated notification systems. Starting July 2025, new tenants won’t be able to create alerts. By September 2025, this restriction will apply to all tenants. And by July 2026, SharePoint Alerts will be completely gone.
You: Why is Microsoft doing this?
Me: The goal is to streamline and modernize how users get notified. SharePoint Alerts were great in their time, but they’re limited. Microsoft wants to shift users toward Power Automate, which offers a much more flexible and powerful way to create workflows and notifications across Microsoft 365.
You: What happens to my existing alerts?
Me: From October 2025, existing alerts will start to expire 30 days after their first run. You’ll be able to re-enable them manually for another 30 days using the “Manage my alerts” menu in SharePoint. But after July 2026, even that option will disappear—alerts will stop working altogether.
You: What should I use instead?
Me: Microsoft recommends two alternatives:
Power Automate: Ideal for creating custom workflows and notifications that go beyond what SharePoint Alerts could do.
SharePoint Rules: A simpler option for automating list or library actions without needing to dive into Power Automate.
You: I'm the SharePoint Administrator, what should I do?
Me: Great question! As the SharePoint Admin, you’re in a key position to guide your organization through this change. Here’s where to focus your efforts:
Audit your current alerts: Identify which ones are still in use and who relies on them.
Start migrating: Recreate critical alerts using Power Automate or SharePoint Rules.
Update training materials: Make sure your teams know about the change and how to use the new tools.
Support your users: Help desks should be ready to answer questions and guide users through the transition.
You: Thanks for the information, it is really useful.
Me: You’re very welcome! I’m glad it helped—feel free to reach out anytime you need support or want to brainstorm solutions. Always happy to chat! 😊
SharePoint Alerts have been a simple way to stay informed, but it’s time to move on. Their retirement isn’t the end—it’s a chance to build smarter, more connected notifications with tools like Power Automate.
Have you already started moving away from SharePoint Alerts? What’s your experience with Power Automate been like? Drop your thoughts in the comments—we’d love to hear how your team is handling the change.
And if you found this post helpful, don’t forget to share it with your colleagues. Let’s help each other stay ahead of the curve! 🚀
References
Prepare for Microsoft 365 Feature Retirements with the M365 Assessment Tool: https://intranetfromthetrenches.substack.com/p/prepare-for-microsoft-365-feature-retirements-with-the-m365-assessment-tool
SharePoint Alerts retirement: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/sharepoint-alerts-retirement-813a90c7-3ff1-47a9-8a2f-152f48b2486f
Microsoft 365 Assessment tool: https://pnp.github.io/pnpassessment/index.html
Microsoft 365 Assessment tool Github repo: https://github.com/pnp/pnpassessment