When Does a Microsoft 365 Password Expiration Policy Take Effect?
Question details
The user wants to know the exact effective timeline for newly implemented Microsoft 365 password expiration policies, specifically whether existing passwords will expire immediately upon applying the policy.
- Product
- Microsoft 365
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- An administrator configures a new 90-day password expiration policy for Microsoft 365 users and needs to understand its immediate impact on current accounts.
- Observed behavior
- Users can continue using their current passwords for up to 90 days from the date the new policy is applied, rather than being forced to change them immediately.
Before altering password policies, ensure you have Global Administrator privileges in the Microsoft 365 admin center and communicate the upcoming timeline to your organization to prevent unexpected login issues.
Understanding the Password Policy Effective Date
Learn how the expiration timer applies to existing user accounts when a new Microsoft 365 password policy is enforced.
When you apply a password expiration policy for the first time, it takes effect from the exact date the change is made in the admin center.
For example, if you set a 90-day expiration period today, the system starts counting from today's configuration date. Existing passwords will not expire immediately, giving your users a full 90 days from this change date to update their credentials.
Navigate to the Microsoft 365 admin center, go to 'Settings', then 'Org settings', and select the 'Security & privacy' tab to configure the Password expiration policy.
Record the date you saved the new policy. The 90-day countdown for all existing users begins on this exact date.
Inform your employees that they have 90 days from the policy activation date to change their passwords before they are prompted during login.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I configure the password expiration policy in Microsoft 365?
Log in to the Microsoft 365 admin center with a global admin account. Go to Settings > Org settings > Security & privacy, and select 'Password expiration policy'. Check the box to set passwords to expire, enter the desired number of days, and save your changes.
Will users be notified before their password expires?
Yes, Microsoft 365 can notify users automatically. When setting up the expiration policy, you can specify the number of days prior to expiration that users will start receiving update prompt notifications.
Can I set passwords to never expire for specific user accounts?
Yes. While the global policy applies to the entire organization, you can use Microsoft Graph PowerShell or the Azure Active Directory module to set individual accounts, such as critical service accounts, to have non-expiring passwords.
