MC1279093 - Microsoft Defender for Office 365: Enhancing how we handle promotional mail

Introduction

We are enhancing how Microsoft Defender for Office 365 identifies and manages promotional email. Promotional messages will be tagged as “promotions” (previously “Bulk” in preview) and can be moved automatically to a new Promotions folder. The system learns from user actions, such as moving messages into or out of the Promotions folder and applies those preferences to future messages. These improvements reduce inbox clutter and help users stay focused while still receiving promotional content they want.

When this will happen

• Public Preview (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in mid-April 2026 and expect to complete by late April 2026.
• General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in early July 2026 and expect to complete by late July 2026.
• General Availability (DoD, GCC, GCC High): We will begin rolling out in early July 2026 and expect to complete by mid-August 2026.

How this affects your organization

Who is affected

• All organizations that use Microsoft Defender for Office 365 across Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, and DoD clouds

What will happen

• Incoming promotional messages will be tagged as “promotions.”
• If the Bulk Moves Enabled setting is turned on, tagged messages will automatically move to a Promotions folder created in user mailboxes.
• The system will learn from user actions when they move messages into or out of the Promotions folder. Future messages will follow the learned behavior.
• Users will be able to create inbox rules that reference the promotions tag.
• During the Public Preview: 
  • Tagging will be opt-in and configured using Exchange transport rules.
  • Folder routing will be enabled through anti-spam policy settings (“Bulk moves enabled”).
  • Both features will be able to be scoped to pilot security groups for a staged rollout.
• At Worldwide General Availability, tagging will be enabled by default for all tenants.

Figure one - Admin configuration for tagging using exchange transport rule (required for public preview opt-In):

Figure two - Admin configuration for Bulk moves enabled to provision the promotions folder:

Figure three - System tagging of “Promotions” in outlook client and promotions folder:

Figure four - User inbox rules using the promotions” tag:

What you can do to prepare

• No action is required at this time.
• Review your internal mailbox and message handling guidance and update training materials if needed.
• If you plan to participate in the Public Preview, review your Exchange transport rule and anti-spam policy configurations to determine if you want to opt-in.
• Monitor the product documentation. A link will be added to this post when it becomes available.

Compliance considerations