Microsoft Configuration Manager to switch to an annual release cadence

Intune is where the party's at, even if admins might prefer the Configuration Manager kitchen

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. It underwent several name changes over the years as features and functions were added by the Windows giant, before settling on MCM.

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.

A transition to Intune is not something to be taken lightly. One wag on Reddit responded to the announcement, saying: "Let's hope they innovate some feature parity."

Another said: "they have to be putting a lot of focus on Intune if they even want it to get remotely close to what configuration manager is capable of, and they need to get it there before I'm going to use it as much as I use configuration manager..."

Intune is cloud-based, while Configuration Manager is a resolutely on-premises service. The latter sports a great deal more granularity and control over on-premises environments. However, the deprecation of Windows Server Update Servers (WSUS) gave MCM fans pause for thought.

In September last year, Microsoft stated, "WSUS deprecation does not impact existing capabilities or support for Microsoft Configuration Manager," but it also encouraged users to transition to services like Intune for server update management.

"As you consider your long-term device management strategy, remember that Microsoft Intune is where all new innovation happens," it said this week. ®