Microsoft to move Configuration Manager to annual release cadence in ‘26

Configuration Manager will move to an annual release schedule while Microsoft focuses on Intune as the long-term platform for device management.

The new release schedule will begin September 2026, with version 2609, Microsoft announced in a blog post this week. Further releases will then align with the Windows security and stability update cycle (H2). Microsoft has already briefed customers on the new approach at events and in discussions; this week’s announcement makes those plans official.

The shift means that hotfix rollups will only be provided when “absolutely necessary,” such as for critical security or functionality problems, Microsoft said, with other updates coming in the annual release.

Configuration Manager, which launched in 1994 as Systems Management Server (SMS), and later rebranded to System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), is an on-premise application that supports management of PCs and servers. Now part of the Microsoft Intune suite, it coexists and overlaps with the Intune app, a cloud-based endpoint management service.

Microsoft will continue to support Configuration Manager, with a focus on “security, stability, and long-term support,” said Danny Guillory, senior program manager at Microsoft. Any changes or deprecations “will be communicated well in advance,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Intune suite will receive “all future investments and innovation,” as Microsoft prioritizes its device management suite going forward.

“This isn’t the end of Configuration Manager, but it’s a clear signal of Microsoft’s cloud-first strategy,” said Daniel Engberg, principal consultant at Agdiwo. 

Although there’s no immediate pressure to abandon Configuration Manager, organizations should start planning for “co-management or eventual migration to Intune,” he said.

Many organizations still rely heavily on Configuration Manager for on-premises and hybrid scenarios, and it remains a mature and highly capable product, according to Engberg. Furthermore, it’s not a direct replacement for Intune. “ConfigMgr does far more than just manage mobile endpoints, including robust server management and advanced deployment capabilities,” he said.

For some customers, such as those in regulated environments or that run complex infrastructure, it could make sense to remain on Configuration Manager for the foreseeable future. “In many ways, it feels like Configuration Manager is moving toward a Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC)-style role, focused on stability rather than new features,” said Engberg. Microsoft to move Configuration Manager to annual release cadence in ‘26 – ComputerworldRead More