End of an Era for a Lightweight Email Client
Microsoft has confirmed it will disable and remove the Outlook Web Access (OWA) Light client from Exchange Server with an update expected in August 2026. Originally introduced about two decades ago, OWA Light offered a simplified web interface for users on older browsers or low bandwidth connections. The company notes that modern browsers, improved network conditions, and a changed security landscape have made the lightweight client obsolete.
The move follows a deprecation that took effect in August 2024. After the upcoming update, users will no longer be able to select or be redirected to OWA Light and must use the full Outlook on the web experience instead.
Impact on Administrators and Users
OWA Light provided only a subset of features compared to its full counterpart, lacking weekly or monthly calendar views, shared mailbox access, and the ability to import or export messages or contacts. For organizations still relying on this legacy client, the retirement reduces legacy attack surface and simplifies engineering work for Microsoft.
Administrators can proactively block OWA Light now by using the PowerShell command `Set-OwaMailboxPolicy -OwaLightEnabled $false` and can remove the selection menu from the login page with `Set-OwaVirtualDirectory -LogonPageLightSelectionEnabled $false`. Microsoft has provided documentation for both commands to assist with the transition.
Source: BleepingComputer
