Microsoft has released Feature Update 26H2 for SharePoint Server Subscription Edition. It introduces new People Picker search settings and moves two previously introduced features to Standard release.
Feature Update 26H2 is included in the October CU
The update was released on 13 October 2026 as part of the October CU, KB5002927, build 16.0.20326.20190. The 26H2 features will also be included in subsequent public updates.
New features and promotion to Standard release
The official Microsoft overview for 26H2 lists the following changes.
| Feature | Status in 26H2 | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| Opt-in People Picker search throttling settings | New in Early release | Controls how frequently the directory is queried. Administrators can require users to press Enter to search or configure a delay after they finish typing a name. |
| AMSI Body Scan Defaults to “Full Mode” | Promoted to Standard release | Full Mode becomes the default mode for AMSI scanning of HTTP request bodies. |
| Config to exclude “Everyone” claim on People Picker | Promoted to Standard release | Administrators can exclude the “Everyone” claim from People Picker to reduce accidental grants of overly broad access. |
| Support JWE encrypted tokens from Entra ID | Remains in Early release | Supports processing encrypted JWE authentication tokens issued by Microsoft Entra ID. |
| Drag and drop functionality for web parts in publishing sites | Remains in Early release | Allows users to drag web parts between page sections and change their order when editing publishing sites in a modern browser. |
| Enhance Document Virus Check with AMSI Option | Remains in Early release | Enables document malware scanning during upload and download through Microsoft Defender or another AMSI-compatible solution. |
| New enhancements for the Text web part | Remains in Early release | Adds table headers and alternative text for accessibility, and expands image insertion options including uploads and pasting from the clipboard. |
What Standard release and Early release mean
Standard release is the default farm setting. Features reach this ring after additional validation in Early release. Early release provides earlier access to new features and is supported by Microsoft for production use, although their behaviour may change before promotion to Standard release. See the release rings documentation for details.
To validate changes first, use Early release in a test farm. Check custom solutions and common user workflows, and prepare documentation and user support. Keep production in Standard release if you do not need early access to new features. Continue installing security updates regularly when using Standard release.
How to change the farm setting
Go to Central Administration → System Settings → Feature release preference. The setting applies to the entire farm. After changing it, run the SharePoint Products Configuration Wizard on every server in the farm. This is also required when switching through PowerShell.