Microsoft is gradually shutting down Exchange Web Services (EWS) from October 1, 2026. To ensure that calendar, contact, and email syncing continues to work, your Microsoft 365 administrator will run a pre-made script that adds the Add it app to allowed apps and enables EWS. This takes about 10 minutes.
| Who does this? | Your Microsoft 365/Exchange administrator |
| Time | About 10 minutes, plus up to 24 hours before the change takes effect |
| Tool | Azure Cloud Shell (Bash) |
| Script file | activate-add-it-ews.sh |
| App | Add it |
| Application ID | c55ca600-29f4-42b5-8c9a-a2d53153f8a2 |
Do you need to do this?
Yes, if you use the connection between the app and Microsoft 365 for calendar, contacts or email. Make the change well in advance before October 1, 2026 – then your users will not notice the transition at all. If the sync has already stopped working, the same steps will restore the connection.
What is affected – and what is not?
Affected
- The Microsoft 365 account that each user connects to their personal app for calendar, email and contacts.
Not affected
- Email addresses linked to Contact Center.
- Activity status (presence) sync and Microsoft Teams connector – they do not use EWS.
- Telephony, call history and other functions in the app.
Why is this a temporary solution?
Microsoft will permanently shut down EWS on April 1, 2027, without exception. The steps in this guide will keep the connector running until then. In parallel, the next generation of the Microsoft connector is being built on Microsoft Graph, and we will be in touch with instructions in due course.
When EWS is activated, it only applies to the apps that are in the AppID list . If the list is empty today, all EWS apps will work for you – and an activation with just Add it in the list will immediately disable the others.
Therefore: always start with step 0 and enter all the App IDs you use.
More about why
EwsEnabled = True does not mean "EWS is on for everything", but "EWS is on for the apps in the list". Shows the current state Null (not explicitly set) and even the app list is not restricted yet. This can apply to backup, archiving, migration tools, room booking, CRM connectors, older Outlook add-ins and some Microsoft services. Apps that have never been in the list cannot be preserved automatically - they must be actively added.
Preparations
| Claim | Control |
|---|---|
| Administrator account | The Exchange Administrator or Organization Management role. |
| The right tenant | Sign in to the Microsoft 365 tenant where Add it will be used. |
| Exchange Online | The user's mailbox should be in Exchange Online, not on-premises Exchange Server. |
| Script file | Download activate-add-it-ews.sh in step 1. |
| Identifier | Only the Application ID is used. The Object ID should not be specified. |
| EWS mapping | Do step 0 first, so you know which other apps use EWS. |
Check that you have the correct file (SHA-256)
SHA-256 for activate-add-it-ews.sh:
Here's how you calculate the sum yourself on Linux, macOS or in Cloud Shell:
On Windows: Get-FileHash .\activate-add-it-ews.sh -Algorithm SHA256
941352e1927ca129b3cd5b17326e4e426b98d47e60a262a7ae23d24ffc6fd31esha256sum activate-add-it-ews.shIf you don't have an Azure subscription
Azure Cloud Shell may require an Azure subscription. The script works just as well locally: install PowerShell 7 (pwsh) and the Exchange Online module with Install-Module ExchangeOnlineManagement, and run the same flow from there.
Technical background
The script is launched from Bash but uses Microsoft's official Exchange Online PowerShell module in the background. The settings are not available as equivalent pure Bash commands.
Additionally, Cloud Shell is "ephemeral": uploaded files may disappear when the session ends. Saved Exchange settings are not affected.
Do this:
The entire flow is run from the Bash prompt. The prompt should not start with "PS".
Step 0 – Map your EWS usage
Mandatory if your app list is empty today.
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center and open the EWS usage report .
- The report shows which Application IDs are using EWS on your site, call volume and recent activity.
- Write down all the App IDs that have traffic – backup, archiving, migration, room booking, CRM, Outlook add-ins, and Microsoft services.
- If there are more apps than Add it: contact our support before running the script, and we will add all App IDs in the same batch.
Step 1 – Download the script file
Download the file to your computer and save it without changing the name.
Step 2 - Open Azure Cloud Shell
Go to portal.azure.com , select Cloud Shell (the >_ icon in the top menu), and launch Bash . If the prompt starts with PS, type exit and switch to Bash.
Step 3 – Upload the script file
Use the upload function in Cloud Shell and select activate-add-it-ews.sh. Then verify that the file came up:
Expected: The filename activate-add-it-ews.sh appears in the list.
Step 4 – Make the file executable
Step 5 – Start the script
Start the entire flow with one command. Don't paste the PowerShell parts line by line.
If you see PS /home/… or >>, you are in an interactive PowerShell prompt. Type exit and run the file from Bash instead.
Step 6 – Complete device sign-in
The script pauses Microsoft device sign-in. Open the address provided, enter the one-time code, and sign in with the administrator account. Do not share the code with anyone else.
Step 7 – Read the status before the change
Expected: a status report, something like this.
Copy the entire "STATUS BEFORE CHANGE" printout to a text file. It is your only trace of the original state.
Step 8 – Review the proposed list
Add its Application ID should appear in the suggested list, and the existing App ID should remain. Compare it to what you wrote down in step 0 – if something is missing, do not answer YES , but contact us first.
lschmod +x activate-add-it-ews.sh./activate-add-it-ews.shEWS-status: INTE UTTRYCKLIGEN SATT (Null)
EWSAllowedAppIDs: Applistan är tom.
Add it finns i applistan: NEJStep 9 – Approve the change
Type exactly YES and press Enter. Blank or other answers cancel without change.
Skriv JA för att uppdatera applistan och aktivera EWS:
JAVerification
After the change, the script rereads the configuration and prints a final result.
This is what a successful result looks like.
Checklist
STATUS EFTER ÄNDRING
EWS-status: AKTIVERAD (True)
[OK] Add it: c55ca600-29f4-42b5-8c9a-a2d53153f8a2
Add it finns i applistan: JA
SLUTRESULTAT: GODKÄNTTroubleshooting
Common errors and how to solve them
| Symptom | Probable cause | Measure |
|---|---|---|
The prompt starts with PS or shows >> | You are in an interactive PowerShell prompt | Type exit, go back to Bash and run ./activate-add-it-ews.sh |
Permission denied when the script is started | The file is not executable. | Run chmod +x activate-add-it-ews.sh and try again |
The script file is not visible with ls | The session has ended and the file has disappeared. | Re-upload activate-add-it-ews.sh |
| Error 403 Forbidden | Permissions, Conditional Access or mailbox blocking | Check Entra ID permissions, Conditional Access, that the mailbox is active, and that EWS is on at the mailbox level |
| Sync doesn't work immediately after the change | The Exchange cache has not been updated yet. | Wait up to 24 hours and test again. |
| The final result was not APPROVED. | Approval was canceled or the account is not authorized. | Run the script again with an account that is allowed to change the organization configuration and answer YES |
| Another EWS app stopped working immediately after the change | The app was not in the AppID list when EWS was enabled | Get the app's Application ID, add it to the list, and run the verification again. |
| One individual user is out of sync, the others are working | EWS turned off at the mailbox level, or the mailbox is not in Exchange Online | Check the mailbox EWS setting with your Exchange administrator. |
Legacy EWS policy is separate
EwsApplicationAccessPolicy/EWSAllowList are based on User Agent and are not the same as EWSAllowedAppIDs. If such a policy is used, the app must pass both checks.
What happens next?
- October 1, 2026 – Microsoft will begin phasing out EWS in customer environments.
- Until April 1, 2027 – The steps in this guide keep the connection going.
- April 1, 2027 – EWS will be permanently closed. The new Microsoft connection is in place and we will return with more information.
Do you need help?
Contact our support – we will be happy to help with the setup and send you the script file.
Frequently asked questions
What parts of the app are affected by turning off EWS?
Only the personal Microsoft 365 connection in the user's app – that is, syncing calendar, email and contacts . Syncing of activity status (presence) and the Microsoft Teams connection are not affected, nor are telephony, call history or other functions.
Does activity status or Teams connection stop working?
No. Activity status (presence) sync and Microsoft Teams connectivity are not based on EWS. They will continue to work as before, whether or not you make this change.
Are the email addresses associated with Contact Center affected?
No. Email addresses associated with Contact Center are handled differently and are not affected by the EWS decommissioning. You do not need to do anything with them.
Can the activation affect our other apps that use EWS?
Yes, if they are not in the AppID list. When EWS is activated, only the apps in the list apply. If you currently have Null and an empty list, all EWS apps will work, and activation without mapping will immediately disable them. Therefore, the guide starts with step 0.
Why a script instead of individual commands?
The script does the same thing every time: displays the current state, preserves existing App IDs, adds Add it after your approval, activates EWS, and verifies the result. This reduces the risk of accidentally overwriting the app list.
Can we review the script before running it?
Yes. Open the file in a text editor and compare the SHA-256 sum in the preparation with the file you received. The script will not make any changes until you type YES .
Does each user need to do something themselves?
No. Your Microsoft 365 administrator will make the change once for the entire organization. For testing, it may be enough to disconnect and add the email account back to the app.
What happens if we do nothing?
When Microsoft's shutdown reaches your environment, calendar, email, and contacts syncing will stop working in the app. It will be restored as soon as the script has been run through with a successful outcome.
Is it safe to allow the Add it app?
Yes. Add it only has access to what is required for syncing, and only for users who have connected their Microsoft 365 account in the app.
We use local Exchange Server – does the guide apply to us?
No. The guide applies to mailboxes in Exchange Online. Contact our support if you are running Exchange on-premises or in hybrid mode.