What Is Happening
Microsoft's Exchange Team announced on July 9 that OWA Light will be disabled and removed in an upcoming Exchange Server update estimated for August 2026.
After the update, users will no longer be able to choose or be redirected to OWA Light. All web-based email access will go through the modern Outlook on the web experience.
Why Microsoft Is Removing OWA Light
OWA Light was introduced roughly 20 years ago for systems running older browsers or low-bandwidth connections. Modern browsers are now more capable and consistent.
Retiring OWA Light reduces legacy attack surface, simplifies engineering work, and lets the team focus on the main Outlook on the web client.
What Admins Should Do
Admins can disable OWA Light now using Set-OwaMailboxPolicy -OwaLightEnabled $false and Set-OwaVirtualDirectory -LogonPageLightSelectionEnabled $false.
Organizations relying on OWA Light for kiosk scenarios should evaluate the modern client before the August deadline.
