Table of Contents
Summary
- Direct export download containers in Microsoft Purview eDiscovery will expire 14 days after creation.
- Exports created before the effective date are not affected by this change.
- Exports from Review Sets will remain unaffected.
- eDiscovery users should ensure downloads occur within the new 14-day timeframe.
- A notification banner will appear in the eDiscovery interface when an export expires.
Admin Impact: Low
User Impact: Medium
Release Start: 16 Feb 2026
Release End: 16 Feb 2026
Services: Purview
Category: Plan for change
Tags: User Adoption, Admin Action
History
1/13/2026 Item Added to Message Center
Microsoft Message
Introduction
We’re updating the retention period for direct export download containers in Microsoft Purview eDiscovery to improve storage efficiency and security. Starting February 16, 2026, direct export packages created from eDiscovery cases will expire after 14 days.
When this will happen
This change will take effect on February 16, 2026.
How this affects your organization
Who is affected: eDiscovery users who create and download direct export packages from eDiscovery cases in Microsoft Purview.
What will happen:
- Direct export download containers will expire 14 days after export process creation.
- After expiration, the container will no longer be available for download.
- This applies only to exports created after February 16, 2026. Existing exports created before this date are not affected.
- The eDiscovery interface will display a clear banner when an export has expired.
- Exports from Review Sets are not impacted by this change.
What you can do to prepare
No action is required if your organization typically downloads exports within 14 days.
If needed:
- Ensure eDiscovery users download required exports within 14 days of creation.
- Communicate this change to your eDiscovery team and update internal documentation.
- Expired exports can be regenerated by re-running the export from the original search using the same sources and conditions.
Learn more: Export search results in eDiscovery | Microsoft Learn
Compliance considerations
Question: Does the change alter how existing customer data is processed, stored, or accessed (e.g., documents, emails, chats, etc.)?
Explanation: Direct export download containers will expire after 14 days, but underlying source data in Microsoft 365 remains unchanged.