MC833890 - Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint: Protect sensitive files with dynamic watermarking
Service
Last Updated
Published Jul 24, 2024
Tag
Platforms
Summary
Microsoft 365 is rolling out dynamic watermarking for Word, Excel, and PowerPoint to protect sensitive files, with a current issue causing access errors. Public Preview begins mid-July 2024, with General Availability starting mid-January 2025. Admins need to configure this feature post-rollout.
More information
Update December 20, 2024: There is an issue causing users to get an access denied error when attempting to open files for which they are not the RMS owner, when the file has a sensitivity label configured for dynamic watermarking. We are working to resolve this issue.
Dynamic watermarking is a new sensitivity label setting that will add watermark text containing the consuming user’s information onto content in files created in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Sensitivity labels from Microsoft Purview Information Protection help you classify and protect your organization's data. Learn more: (Preview) Dynamic watermarking for sensitivity labels in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint - Microsoft Community Hub
This message applies to Word, Excel, and PowerPoint on the web, Desktop/Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS platforms.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 400717.
When this will happen:
Public Preview: We will begin rolling out mid-July 2024 and expect to complete by early August 2024.
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out to Current Channel mid-January 2025 (previously mid-November) and expect to complete by late January 2025. (previously late November).
The rest of the channels will follow in line with their normal cadence.
How this will affect your organization:
Before the rollout: Admins are not able to configure dynamic watermarking though sensitivity labels in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
After the rollout, refer to the admin documentation to configure dynamic watermarks in your tenant. This feature is off by default. Admins must configure the feature before it is accessible to users.
What you need to do to prepare:
This rollout will happen automatically by the specified date with no admin action required before the rollout. You may want to notify your users about this change and update any relevant documentation.
Learn more