MC1240699 - Introducing the new SharePoint experience

Updated April 30, 2026: We have updated this post as a reminder. We will begin the Targeted Release (TR) rollout on May 5, with an expected ramp to 100% TR by the end of the week. All customers and users in the TR program will automatically receive the new SharePoint experience, with no option to opt out at either the tenant or user level.

We recommend that customers explore the experience ahead of TR to ensure readiness.

For users and tenants already opted in via EAP or Public Preview, we will preserve their current state, their experience as of Monday will remain unchanged.

Introduction

We are introducing areimagined new SharePoint experience that simplifies how users discover knowledge, publishincludes a redesigned SharePoint app bar, a refreshed SharePoint start page for finding sites, content, and build solutions. This update delivers an intuitive design, a streamlined information architecture,news, and foundational support for future AI‑AI-assisted creation scenarioscreation, management, and discovery features. The new experience applies to all SharePoint users. Some capabilities in SharePoint Online. Athis experience use AI. Access to those capabilities requires a Microsoft 365 Copilot license is required to access the AI capabilities in this update.license.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 547732.

Before the new experience rolls out broadly, it will be available as a public preview. During the preview period, administrators can enable the experience for their tenant to evaluate the changes and prepare users. When enabled during preview, the experience applies to all users in the tenant. Users may opt out of the new experience during the preview period.

When the public preview ends, Targeted Release rollout will begin, followed by General Availability (GA). Starting with Targeted Release, the new SharePoint experience will automatically apply to all tenants and users. Any tenant-level preview settings or individual user opt-outs from the preview period will be overridden, and no controls will remain. We recommend customers try the experience ahead of TR to be better prepared.

When this will happen

• Public Preview: Rolling out in early March 2026; expected completion by late April 2026.
• Targeted Release: Rolling out in early May 2026 (previously late April 2026April);; expected completion by early mid-May 2026 (previously June).
• General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, DoD): Rolling out in mid-June 2026 (previously early May 2026May); expected completion by late Maymid-July 2026(previously end of July).

How this affects your organization

Who is affected

• OrganizationsAll SharePoint users
• Users with users who have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license.
• Organizations that chooselicense will have access to enableAI capabilities included in this experience.
  

What will happen

When the new SharePoint experience inis enabled—either during preview or as part of the SharePoint admin center.

What will happen

If your organization enables the new SharePoint experience in the SharePoint admin center, licensed Targeted Release and General Availability (GA) rollout—users will see:

• A redesigned see an updated SharePoint app bar, including:
  • that introduces entry points for discovering content, publishing communications, and building SharePoint solutions.

    The updated app bar includes:

    Discover– a

    A refreshed start experience to quickly find relevant sites, content, and news: news.

     
    

  • Publish –

    A unified publishing hub in SharePointthat brings together pages, newsnews, and campaign-style communications powered by Amplify:Amplify.

    
    

  • Build –

    A centralized experience to create, manage,place where makers can create and scale Sites, Lists, Libraries,manage SharePoint sites, lists, libraries, and Agents all withAI-powered agents from a streamlined surface: single surface.

    
    

  The app bar will also include:

  • OneDrive – Provides quick access to files.
  • Home – DisplayedAppears when a Home site with global navigation is enabled, with the appropriate logo and name as configured in global navigation.the tenant.

  Additional updates include:

  • Updated page, news, library, and list experiences with improved content elevationvisibility
  • Neutral theming applied across coreSharePoint product surfaces (site‑(site-level branding remains unchanged)

  If you do not enable the preview, there is no impact to your users or admin experience.

  What you can do to prepare

  If you plan to enable the newpreview experience:

  • Verify that users who need access have a Microsoft 365 Copilot license assigned to access the AI capabilities in this update.
  • Enable the experiencesetting in the SharePoint admin center:center: Settings → SharePoint → New SharePoint Experience
  • Review instructions for enablingdocumentation: Enable the new SharePoint experience (preview) | SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | SharePoint | Microsoft Learn
  • Review changes to the experience: Enable the new SharePoint experience (preview) | SharePoint in Microsoft 365 | SharePoint | Microsoft LearnSharePoint navigation experience, including the new app bar: SharePoint App Bar
  • Communicate expected UI changes to helpdesk teams and affected teamsusers before enabling. enabling the preview.
  • Update internal documentation if you describethat references SharePoint navigation or app bar elements.

  Compliance considerations

  No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.