These new features are features that are already available to all users in Monthly Enterprise Channel. If you're using a "locked-down" PC from your organization, you may have to ask IT for help -- ask them to read this page. While we still recommend Monthly Channel (to be renamed Current Channel), if you need a more predictable release schedule for monthly feature updates, Monthly Enterprise Channel can provide that for you. Current Channel is already the default update channel for Microsoft 365 Apps for business (previously named Office 365 Business) and for the subscription versions of the Project and Visio desktop apps. Overview of update channels for Office 365 ProPlus has more specifics on each channel and the Overview of the upcoming changes to Office 365 ProPlus update management has intended audiences for each channel. Also, many customers have asked us to provide an update channel that doesn’t change often, because changes could require them to do another round of compliance testing. This change to the default selection in the Microsoft 365 admin center only applies to new tenants that are created on or after June 9, 2020. How to Change to the Office 365 Monthly Update Channel Dynamic arrays have been rolled out to Office 365 users that are on the monthly channel updates. If needed, security updates for Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel are released on the second Tuesday of the month. After June 9, 2020, previous attribute values for each update channel will still be valid. This coincides with how often Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) is updated with new features. How to configure and manage update channels Default update channel. This change takes effect with versions of the Office Deployment Tool that are released on or after June 9, 2020. For more information, including implications for network bandwidth utilization, see, When a new version of Current Channel is released with new features, When security updates are released on the second Tuesday of the month. A feature update for Current Channel is made available only when various release criteria are met, including criteria related to stability and performance. This task, which updates the assigned channel, is a required part of managing updates for Microsoft 365 Apps, whether you use Group Policy, the Office Deployment Tool, or Configuration Manager (ConfigMgr). If there is a critical issue that needs to be fixed sooner, such as one related to data loss, we will provide an updated release with the fix, instead of waiting for the next scheduled monthly update. Navigate to “ C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\ClickToRun ” To change your setting type: “ OfficeC2RClient.exe /changesetting Channel=Current ” To implement the change and start the … Change Office 365 Update Channel 1. If you don't see Check for Updates, run the latest version of Microsoft AutoUpdate tool, then check for updates … If you want to use a specific update channel, specify that update channel in your configuration XML file. This means that the new version of Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel that is released in January is supported until March of the following year, and the July release is supported until September of the following year. In addition to new features, update channels provide, as needed, security and non-security updates on a regular basis, every month. New, or updated, features for Current Channel usually are released every month. They are listed as “Resolved issues.”. For update packages released on and after June 9, 2020, the title of the update package will look something like the following example: Â Â Microsoft 365 Apps Update - Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel Version 1908 for x64 based Edition (Build 11929.50000). Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) also receives, if needed, security and non-security updates every month, on the second Tuesday of the month. Each subscription product is configured with a default update channel. To become familiar with the new features coming in the next feature release of Current Channel, we recommend that you use Current Channel (Preview). Version 2003 is the first version of Monthly Enterprise Channel. They are listed as “Resolved issues.”, For a list of non-security updates included in a given release of Current Channel, see Release notes for Microsoft 365 Apps releases. Now, the company is also changing the names of the update channels for the Microsoft 365 suite of apps on Windows devices. Unfortunately, this means that if you are not on it, you will not have these (or other incredible updates) yet. Any given version of Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) is supported for only six months. This monthly update can include feature, security, and non-security updates. Features that are currently in Current Channel need to meet certain release criteria before they are included in a feature update for Monthly Enterprise Channel. To see what version of Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel (Preview) is currently supported, refer to the table at the top of, The Office Insider program gives you early access to Office features through these update channels: Beta Channel and Current Channel (Preview). We also encourage you to use Current Channel (Preview) so that you can identify any possible issues that you want us to fix before that version is released to Current Channel. Separate downloads of just security updates for Monthly Enterprise Channel aren’t available. To become familiar with the new features in a monthly feature release of Monthly Enterprise Channel, you can have a representative sample of users in your organization download and start using the new version as soon as it becomes available on the Office CDN. Office 365 “First Release” Channel (Office Insider Slow), is essentially a preview of the current channel, with build updates once or twice a month. For a list of feature updates included in a given release of Monthly Enterprise Channel, see Release notes for Microsoft 365 Apps releases. New, or updated, features are released in Monthly Enterprise Channel on the second Tuesday of the month. If needed, non-security updates are provided for Current Channel. How to Manually change your Update Channel Launch a Command Prompt as an Administrator. We recommend Current Channel, because it provides your users with the newest Office features as soon as they are ready. Starting on June 9, 2020, Current Channel will become the default update channel for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise (previously named Office 365 ProPlus), instead of Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel. Once a version is released to Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel, the approval process for non-security updates becomes even more rigorous. Office 365 ProPlus has four different update channels: Monthly Channel (Targeted) Monthly Channel; Semi-annual Channel (Targeted) Semi-annual Channel; In order to switch your client to different channels, you must change the CDNBaseUrl and UpdateChannel registry keys in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\ClickToRun\Configuration. To do that, sign in to the Microsoft 365 admin center with your admin account, go to Show all > Settings > Org settings > Services > Office installation options, and then choose the appropriate update channel for your users. For example, network bandwidth utilization, end-user training and support, line-of-business applications, and other organizational requirements. Non-security updates are cumulative. The following table provides a comparison of Current Channel, Monthly Enterprise Channel, and Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel. Here are the new names as they would be configured in the appropriate configuration file. For the official announcement of these changes, read this blog post. These update channels still work the same way as they did before. 2 For information about what feature updates and non-security updates are included in a given release of these update channels, see Release notes for Microsoft 365 Apps releases. These update channels also apply to the subscription versions of the Project and Visio desktop apps. But, Beta Channel is. Non-security updates provide fixes for known issues and provide stability or performance improvements for Office. Not all devices in your organization have to be configured with the same update channel. Separate downloads of just security updates for Current Channel aren’t available. Non-security updates are cumulative. There is no dedicated preview channel for Monthly Enterprise Channel, like there is for Current Channel and for Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel. The longer support duration for Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel is intended to provide more time and flexibility for those organizations that have devices that require extensive testing before rolling out new Office features. On the Classifications tab, select Updates. Is there any reg parameters we can change locally on the PC? There is no set schedule for when non-security updates are released for Current Channel. Because of this, some features that are in Monthly Enterprise Channel aren’t included right away in the next available feature update for Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel. When you enable the policy setting, you can select the appropriate update channel from a drop-down list. Let’s list down the Microsoft 365 Apps CDN Base URL for update channels. Non-security updates provide fixes for known issues and provide stability or performance improvements for Office. Security updates are released on the second Tuesday of the month. The longer support duration gives these organizations the ability to deploy new features only once a year if needed. ODT has been updated (version 16.0.8529.3600) with support for the updated channel names. Separate downloads of just non-security updates for Current Channel aren’t available. When we make a new release available on the Office CDN, we gradually advertise the availability of this release over a period of several days to devices worldwide that have Office installed. The following table shows the new name and previous name for each update channel. You can deploy Monthly Enterprise Channel just like you would any other update channel. Transitioning Between Channels and Customizing Installations with Office 365 Update Channels. Monthly Enterprise Channel will only contain features that have been completely rolled out in Current Channel. The choice of an update channel for a device is not a setting that follows the user from device to device. If needed, security updates for Monthly Enterprise Channel are released on the second Tuesday of the month. You can have other check boxes selected in the Products and Classifications tabs. For more information about Monthly Enterprise Channel, see Overview of update channels for Microsoft 365 Apps. For example, if you’re installing Office, Project, and Visio on the same device, they all must use the same update channel. For the last several years, Monthly Channel has provided that capability, delivering new or updated Office features every month, but on no set release schedule. For more information about these update channels, see Overview of update channels for Microsoft 365 Apps. We all know how much Microsoft loves updates and changes, but most of us in the real world have a love-hate relationship regarding the never-ending deluge. The default selection will not change for tenants that were created before June 9, 2020. For example, if you use Broad in your configuration XML file, Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel will be installed. 3 For a list of security updates included in a given release of these update channels, see Release notes for Microsoft 365 Apps Security Updates. To see which versions of Monthly Enterprise Channel are currently supported, refer to the table at the top of Update history for Microsoft 365 Apps. They are listed as “Resolved issues.”. After Office is installed, you can change the update channel for a device. A new update channel, the … For more information, visit Microsoft's Monthly Enterprise Channel Overview. If needed, non-security updates for Monthly Enterprise Channel are provided on the second Tuesday of the month. Get version and update channel from local installed Office 365 (for 2016) Get version (build number) and update channel (monthly,semi-annual, semi-annual targeted) from local Office 365 … You can control how often the users in your organization get these new features by specifying the update channel. When using the Office Deployment Tool, you can specify the Channel attribute in either the Add element or in the Updates element of your configuration XML file. There is a Channel attribute available in the Add element and in the Updates element. The exception is existing tenants with Office 365 Education or Microsoft 365 Education plans. Non-security updates are usually included with the following releases: Non-security updates can be released at other times. There is no set schedule for when a feature update for Current Channel occurs. Those plans already have Current Channel as the default update channel for Microsoft 365 Apps for enterprise. There might be several releases of Current Channel (Preview), with non-security updates, before that version is released to Current Channel. There are three update channels for Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus: 1. Updates to Monthly Enterprise Channel are released on the second Tuesday of the month. Also, new security updates aren’t provided for versions of Current Channel that are no longer supported. They are listed as “Resolved issues.”. Current Channel will be the default selection when you sign into the Microsoft 365 admin center and go to Show all > Settings > Org settings > Services > Office installation options. Endpoint configuration Manager manage update channels of May 12, 2020 4.0 if want. In the ConfigMgr database from the portal help > check for updates, the update. 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