Updates to Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel for Windows

Please see the following scheduled Microsoft change:

Date: Effective immediately and March 10, 2026

The following work is being completed: Microsoft is updating the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel for Windows desktop apps.

All affected groups: WSU system administrators utilizing the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel to manage Microsoft 365 on university-owned Windows devices.

All affected processes

  • The Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Preview is no longer receiving updates.
  • The Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Extended will no longer be supported on March 10, 2026.
  • The Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel is following a 6+2-month lifecycle (6 months of feature updates followed by 2 months of rollback support), intended for specialized, unattended devices.
  • Monthly Enterprise Channel now provides feature previews and supports N, N-1, and N-2 builds.

Duration of impact: This is a permanent, Microsoft-driven change.

Necessary follow-up steps

  1. Identify all WSU-owned devices currently configured with Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Preview or Extended.
  2. Migrate Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Preview devices to Monthly Enterprise Channel or Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Extended as soon as possible.
  3. Migrate Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Extended devices to Monthly Enterprise Channel before March 2026.
  4. Migrate user-facing or interactive devices to Monthly Enterprise Channel to ensure frequent updates.
  5. For devices remaining on Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Extended, plan to follow the twice-yearly update cycle (January and July).

Questions? Please contact Crimson Service Desk at crimsonservicedesk@wsu.edu or 509-335-4357.