“Major change” on the way — Microsoft 365’s best-kept secret is retiring from the desktop

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What you need to know

  • The Windows app for Sway will be retired on June 1, 2026.
  • Sway users will continue to be able to use all of the app’s features through the web.
  • Sway is a free app that gains enhanced functionality when you are subscribed to Microsoft 365.

Recent reports that Microsoft was changing the names of its Office apps are false. However, the company is discontinuing the desktop app for Sway. Users will no longer be able to access the Windows version of Sway after June 1, 2026.

After the specified date, Sway will still be accessible, but only through its website. This change won’t impact any of your existing content, and all of Sway’s features will continue to be available as usual.

The news was shared recently through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center (archived here):

Microsoft is making Sway easier to use by retiring the desktop app for Windows on June 1, 2026. They’re focusing on the web version of Sway, which offers the same features, better accessibility, and ongoing support. You can still access all your Sway content and the latest features by visiting sway.cloud.microsoft in your web browser.

You might not know about Sway, even if you’re a long-time Microsoft 365 user. It’s a tool for easily making presentations, newsletters, and reports.

Microsoft shared a sample presentation created with Sway. It’s too bad more people aren’t familiar with Sway, as it’s a great tool for making engaging, interactive presentations.

Sway isn’t meant to replace PowerPoint or other Microsoft 365 apps—it works best alongside them. It’s a web-based tool designed to easily include different types of content, like videos, images, and documents.

Sway is free to use with a Microsoft account, but a Microsoft 365 subscription unlocks more features. Specifically, Microsoft 365 users have much larger limits for adding things like pictures, videos, and other content to their Sways.

It’s strange, but Microsoft doesn’t list Sway anywhere on its Microsoft 365 website. You won’t find it even if you dig around for more information. However, I can assure you Sway is a real product – I’ve personally used it.

Sway, a Microsoft product, seems to have been largely overlooked. The official website still promotes using it with Office 365, but the link actually leads to the page for purchasing Microsoft 365.

The naming for Office 365, Microsoft 365, and now Microsoft 365 Copilot has always been a little confusing.

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2026-01-08 16:39