Table of Contents
Summary
- Azure AD Account Linking feature for Microsoft Rewards will be retired and will no longer be available.
- Users will not be able to link Azure AD accounts to Microsoft Rewards after the feature is removed.
- Entry points for account linking will be removed from various Microsoft services.
- Existing Microsoft Rewards point balances remain unaffected.
- No action is required from administrators, but teams should be informed and internal documentation updated.
Admin Impact: Low
User Impact: Medium
Release Start: 19 Mar 2026
Release End: 19 Mar 2026
Services: Entra
Category: Plan for change
Tags: User Adoption, Admin Action, Retirement
History
2/18/2026 Item Added to Message Center
Microsoft Message
Introduction
Microsoft is retiring the Azure AD Account Linking feature that allowed users to connect a work (Azure AD) account with a personal Microsoft account (MSA) to earn Microsoft Rewards points for Bing search activity performed while signed in with a work account.
When this will happen
- February 17, 2026: the feature is retired.
- March 19, 2026 (30 days from this notice): the capability will be fully removed.
How this affects your organization
Who is affected:
- Users who previously linked an Azure AD account to Microsoft Rewards
- Organizations where users sign in to Bing, Edge, MSN, or Microsoft 365 with a work account
What will happen:
- Users can no longer link Azure AD accounts to Microsoft Rewards after March 19, 2026.
- Account linking entry points will be removed from Bing, Edge, MSN, and the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.
- Existing Microsoft Rewards point balances are not affected.
- Personal Microsoft accounts continue to work as usual when used independently.
- No admin controls, configuration changes, or policy updates are required.
What you can do to prepare
- No action is required from administrators,
- Inform helpdesk teams of the change,
- Update any internal documentation that references earning Microsoft Rewards while signed in with a work account
Compliance considerations
Question: Does the change modify or retire an existing capability?
Explanation: The Azure AD Account Linking feature for Microsoft Rewards is being retired and will no longer be available.
Question: Does the change allow users to enable or disable the feature themselves?
Explanation: After the feature is removed, users will no longer be able to enable Azure AD account linking for Microsoft Rewards.