Microsoft introduced three companion applications for the Microsoft 365 suite in early 2025, specifically Calendar, People, and Files. These tools were designed to offer quick access to data from the taskbar in Windows 11 by utilizing WebView2 wrappers to pull information from the main suite.
The company plans to officially retire these applications on December 16, 2026. Following this date, the tools will cease to function, though they will remain on user systems. Microsoft confirmed that users will be responsible for manually removing the software from their PCs after the shutdown.
During their deployment, Microsoft automatically installed these companion apps on many computers and pinned them to the taskbar. While administrators had the option to opt out of the forced installation, individual users were required to manage the presence of these applications on their own devices.
