"Microsoft has officially confirmed that Configuration Manager will transition to an annual release cadence, with Intune as the primary focus for innovation. The change will take effect in fall 2026, with a few more editions in the interim - 2509 in December 2025, and 2603 in March 2026 - before the first annual release in September next year, with 2609."
"The decision, according to Microsoft, is to "align with the Windows client security and stability cadence (H2)." The "top priority is to maintain a secure, reliable Configuration Manager experience." In practice, this will mean hotfix roll-ups will only happen "when absolutely necessary" and critical updates and patches will be applied as needed. Microsoft Configuration Manager (MCM), first introduced in 1994 alongside Windows NT 3.5 in the guise of System Management Server, has become a stalwart in Microsoft's systems management software suite."
"Microsoft wants customers to transition to Intune for hardware management. It described the product as "the future of device management" and said "all new innovations will occur there." Configuration Manager, on the other hand, will have "a renewed focus on security, stability, and long-term support." The Register asked Microsoft if this might be a step on the path toward the eventual sunsetting of the venerable Configuration Manager, but the company had nothing to say."
Configuration Manager will move from frequent updates to an annual release cadence beginning September 2026 with version 2609, after interim releases 2509 (December 2025) and 2603 (March 2026). Microsoft will align Configuration Manager releases with the Windows client security and stability cadence (H2), prioritizing a secure, reliable experience. Hotfix roll-ups will be issued only when absolutely necessary, with critical patches applied as needed. Microsoft positions Intune as the primary platform for innovation and hardware management, while Configuration Manager will emphasize security, stability, and long-term support. Microsoft provided no comment about eventual deprecation, and customers express concern about feature parity.
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