These Microsoft 365 companion apps are getting retired after just one year
Microsoft is retiring three Microsoft 365 companion apps before the end of 2026. Calendar, People, and Files—features that integrated with the Windows 11 taskbar to provide quick access to productivity tasks—will be discontinued on December 16, 2026.
The short-lived apps debuted in 2025 and were designed to enhance user productivity by offering convenient taskbar access to calendar information, contacts, and file management. However, despite Microsoft’s initial promotion of these features, the apps have apparently failed to gain significant traction among users.
The discontinuation marks a particularly swift end to these applications, which lasted less than a year before being phased out. This signals that the companion apps did not achieve the adoption or engagement levels Microsoft had anticipated, prompting the decision to redirect resources elsewhere.
Users currently relying on these features will need to transition to alternative solutions before the December 16 deadline, as the apps will cease functioning after that date.