MVPs around the World (2026)

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Another year, another Microsoft MVP award cycle. And a new program logo, as you might have spotted. This year, this post took a while longer to get published. This is due to the date the renewals were announced, as well as the vacation period, which might delay people from confirming their renewal agreement.

The numbers below are taken from the public MVP portal on July 31st. The yearly MVP renewal period is a good moment to have a quick peek at the MVP population. Comparing them to the end of July from recent years should give an idea of trends and which award categories and technologies are in focus.

Some observations:

  • 3.577 public MVP profiles were processed. The overall number stayed roughly the same compared to last year. However, compared to the number of MVPs at the end of June, the number went down by 15%, coming from 4.193.
  • Denmark, Norway, and Sweden remain strong in MVP representation.
  • China has a sharp decline in absolute (-45) and relative numbers (-34%).
  • US remains dominant (551), while India is underrepresented relative to its population (132).
  • Again, some minor category shuffling took place, as Microsoft Foundry replaced AI Platform.
  • Have a look at the Sankey diagram further down this article to see where new awardees entered, awardees moved between categories, or who exited the program.
  • While 5 new countries are represented, 4 countries lost theirs.
  • Emerging growth in non-Western areas, e.g., Vietnam (+80%), Guatemala (+67%), El Salvador (+50%), Egypt (+40%), North Macedonia (+38%), Cameroon, and Malta (+33%), and Singapore (+30%).
  • The number of MVPs with more than one award category has increased by 5%.
  • The MVP award category with the most MVPs is now the M365 (was Developer Technologies).

MVP Awardees per Category

The following chart and table display the awardees per award category from 2021 to 2025, plus change percentages compared to previous years.

Diagram of number of MVPs per category from 2022 to 2026
CategoryJul’22%Jul’23%Jul’24%Jul’25%Jul’26%
Microsoft Foundry128-7%105.0-18%–-100%3860%258-33%
Business Applications3519%442.026%474.07%4832%5248%
Cloud and Datacenter Management164-25%136.0-17%111.0-18%106-5%1126%
Data Platform364-7%335.0-8%307.0-8%3297%312-5%
Developer Technologies715-7%7474%7612%85913%822-4%
Enterprise Mobility14912%100-33%–-100%–0%–0%
Internet of Things–0%430%430%39-9%34-13%
M365492-12%54110%64319%81927%89710%
M365 Development59-14%7019%–-100%–0%–0%
Microsoft Azure5462%526-4%5270%5392%5797%
Mixed Reality–0%450%35-22%–-100%–0%
Security–0%1710%30578%34914%42923%
Windows and Devices457%6136%10267%–-100%1330%
Windows Development92-23%37-60%30-19%3517%32-9%
Total Categories3,105-6%3,3598%3,338-1%3,94418%4,1325%
Total MVPs3,023-6%3,1755%3,1870%3,58913%3,5770%

Note: The difference between Total Categories and Total MVPs is caused by MVPs awarded in more than one category.

Where did they go?

The Sankey diagram below displays the number of awarded categories moving from last year to now. The move is based on the MVP, the categories they had, and the new categories they have currently been awarded in, which can be multiple. New awardees are categorized as New, and those who were not renewed are categorized as Out.

Sankey diagram of MVP categories moving from 2025 to 2026

MVP Awardees per Country

The following chart and table display the awardees per country, plus change percentages compared to July last year. Countries that show a 0 no longer have any MVP. “Fun facts,” such as MVP’s per 1M population and area, are based on data provided by countries.dev.

MVP awardees per country
CountryJuly
2025		July
2026		ChangeMVP’s per
1M population		MVP’s per
1,000 km2
Albania110%             0.35           0.03
Angola110%             0.03           0.00
Argentina19205%             0.44           0.01
Australia1131184%             4.59           0.02
Austria37383%             4.26           0.45
Azerbaijan32-33%             0.20           0.02
Bahrain220%             1.18           2.61
Bangladesh110%             0.01           0.01
Belgium64686%             5.88           2.23
Benin10-100%                –                 –  
Bolivia54-20%             0.34           0.00
Bosnia and Herzegovina65-17%             1.52           0.10
Brazil139138-1%             0.65           0.02
Bulgaria8913%             1.30           0.08
Cambodia110%             0.06           0.01
Cameroon3433%             0.15           0.01
Canada1301300%             3.42           0.01
Chile550%             0.26           0.01
China13489-34%             0.06           0.01
Colombia1413-7%             0.26           0.01
Congo (DRC)110%             0.01           0.00
Costa Rica220%             0.39           0.04
Côte d’Ivoire110%             0.04           0.00
Croatia1110-9%             2.47           0.18
Cyprus02100%             1.66           0.22
Czechia313410%             3.18           0.43
Denmark63653%           11.15           1.51
Dominican Republic65-17%             0.46           0.10
Ecuador440%             0.23           0.01
Egypt101440%             0.14           0.01
El Salvador2350%             0.46           0.14
Estonia42-50%             1.50           0.04
Finland39390%             7.05           0.12
France1141151%             1.71           0.18
Gabon110%             0.45           0.00
Georgia220%             0.54           0.03
Germany1791811%             2.17           0.51
Ghana660%             0.19           0.03
Greece10100%             0.93           0.08
Guatemala3567%             0.30           0.05
Honduras12100%             0.20           0.02
Hong Kong SAR7929%             1.20           8.15
Hungary6833%             0.82           0.09
Iceland65-17%           13.65           0.05
India148132-11%             0.10           0.04
Indonesia97-22%             0.03           0.00
Ireland32333%             6.61           0.47
Israel1715-12%             1.63           0.72
Italy768411%             1.41           0.28
Japan164160-2%             1.27           0.42
Jordan110%             0.10           0.01
Kazakhstan110%             0.05           0.00
Kenya87-13%             0.13           0.01
Korea5947-20%             0.91           0.47
Latvia32-33%             1.05           0.03
Lebanon110%             0.15           0.10
Lithuania53-40%             1.07           0.05
Luxembourg21-50%             1.58           0.39
Malaysia5620%             0.19           0.02
Malta3433%             7.61         12.66
Mauritania01100%             0.22           0.00
Mauritius220%             1.58           0.98
Mexico212310%             0.18           0.01
Morocco76-14%             0.16           0.01
Myanmar10-100%                –                 –  
Nepal5620%             0.21           0.04
Netherlands19722313%           12.79           5.33
New Caledonia01100%             3.68           0.05
New Zealand35363%             7.08           0.13
Nicaragua21-50%             0.15           0.01
Nigeria23230%             0.11           0.02
North Macedonia81138%             5.28           0.43
Norway52532%             9.85           0.16
Oman10-100%                –                 –  
Pakistan151713%             0.08           0.02
Panama110%             0.23           0.01
Paraguay110%             0.14           0.00
Peru151713%             0.52           0.01
Philippines6717%             0.06           0.02
Poland7370-4%             1.84           0.22
Portugal252812%             2.72 –
Puerto Rico10-100%                –                 –  
Qatar110%             0.35           0.09
Romania19190%             0.99           0.08
Saudi Arabia49125%             0.26           0.00
Serbia101110%             1.59           0.12
Singapore233030%             5.28         42.25
Slovakia550%             0.92           0.10
Slovenia7929%             4.29           0.44
South Africa14157%             0.25           0.01
Spain1241305%             2.75           0.26
Sri Lanka101220%             0.55           0.18
Sweden98980%             9.47           0.22
Switzerland667920%             9.15           1.91
Taiwan4637-20%             1.57           1.02
Tanzania10-100%                –                 –  
Thailand172229%             0.32           0.04
Tunisia04100%             0.34           0.02
Türkiye2423-4%             0.27           0.03
Ukraine1615-6%             0.34           0.02
United Arab Emirates48100%             0.81           0.10
United Kingdom306279-9%             4.15           1.15
United States563551-2%             1.67           0.06
Uruguay220%             0.58           0.01
Uzbekistan110%             0.03           0.00
Venezuela110%             0.04           0.00
Vietnam5980%             0.09           0.03
Yemen110%             0.03           0.00

If you have questions or comments, please leave them in the comments below.

Security Updates Exchange 2016-SE (Jul2026)

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The Exchange product group released the July 2026 updates for Exchange Server SE, as well as Exchange 2019 and 2016. The Security Update for Exchange SE is available to the public. Security updates for Exchange 2019 and Exchange 2016 are available to organizations enrolled in the Extended Security Update Period 2 program.

The vulnerabilities addressed in these Security Updates for Exchange Server are:

VulnerabilityCategorySeverityRating
CVE-2026-55005Remote Code ExecutionImportantCVSS:3.1 8.8 / 7.7
CVE-2026-55006Elevation of PrivilegeImportantCVSS:3.1 7.8 / 6.8
CVE-2026-55008SpoofingCriticalCVSS:3.1 9.6 / 8.3
CVE-2026-55009Elevation of PrivilegeImportantCVSS:3.1 7.8 / 6.8

The Security Updates for each supported Exchange Server build are linked below:

ExchangeSU/HUDownloadBuildKBSupersedes
Exchange SE8Download15.2.2562.45KB5103212KB5094139
Exchange 2019 CU159ESU Period 215.2.1748.48KB5103213KB5094140
Exchange 2019 CU1412ESU Period 215.2.1544.43KB5103214KB5094142
Exchange 2016 CU2323ESU Period 215.1.2507.71KB5103215KB5094144

Known Issue

Be aware of the following issue after installing these SU:

CVE-2026-42897

As a reminder, you may remove implemented mitigations for CVE-2026-42897. These mitigations could be deployed using Exchange Emergency Mitigation Service (EMS), or manually using the EOMT.ps1 script. If you used EMS, block the mitigation (M2.1.0) from re-applying, then remove its IIS rules. If you used the EOMT.ps1 script, use it to roll back the mitigation.

Notes

  • Security updates are specific to the Cumulative Update level. You cannot apply the Exchange 2019 CU15 security update to Exchange 2019 CU14. When downloading, the security update might carry the same name for different Cumulative Updates. Nowadays, Microsoft includes the KB article number as a reference, but I would still tag the filename with the CU level for archival purposes, e.g., Exchange2019-CU15-KBxxxxxxx-x64-en.exe.
  • Like Cumulative Updates, Security Updates are cumulative, and you only need to install the latest SU for your CU.
  • Suppose you have deployed Exchange Management Tools to manage your on-premises Exchange Servers or installed the tools after removing the Last Exchange Server for recipient management. In that case, it is recommended that you apply the Security Update.

On a final note, as with any patch or update, it is recommended that you test it in a test environment before deploying it to production. However, it is not recommended to wait for regular maintenance cycles for security updates; a more agile approach is preferable, and the ratings indicate the urgency level.

Microsoft 365 for IT Pros (2027 Edition)

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It is that time of year again. The new edition of Microsoft 365 for IT Pros is out, and this one brings the biggest structural change we have made in years. What used to be one large book with a single companion volume has now grown into a bundle of four focused books. Splitting the content allows us to go deeper while keeping the main book maintainable. Together, they deliver more than 1,700 pages of practical guidance for people who run Microsoft 365 every day.

A bit of history

The series goes back to May 2015, when it started life as Office 365 for Exchange Professionals. Over time, the platform expanded, the audience broadened, and the book evolved with it. This year also marks the move from Office 365 for IT Pros to Microsoft 365 for IT Pros. The name changed, but the focus did not. We still cover the services and workloads administrators, architects, and technologists rely on.

I joined the writing team in 2024. What stood out to me from day one is that this is not a traditional technical book. Most books age the moment they are published. This one does not. We update it every month and keep tracking the constant stream of changes across Microsoft 365. That evergreen model, combined with real-world experience, is what makes this book stand out. It is written for people who manage Microsoft 365 daily and need the most up-to-date content.

What you get

The bundle now consists of four books, each focusing on a specific area:

  • Microsoft 365 for IT Pros is the core book. It covers the Microsoft 365 ecosystem from an administrative perspective, including identity, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, Teams, OneDrive, and overall tenant management. This edition adds a dedicated AI and Agents chapter covering architecture, licensing, deployment, governance, monitoring, and cost control for Copilot and related technologies.
  • Automating Microsoft 365 with PowerShell is the PowerShell / automation book. It focuses on automating Microsoft 365 with PowerShell and Microsoft Graph, providing practical examples you can apply in real-world environments.
  • Microsoft Purview for IT Pros is a new standalone book. It covers compliance and data governance, including data lifecycle management, eDiscovery, data loss prevention, information protection, and communication compliance.
  • Power Platform for IT Pros is the 2nd new standalone book. It focuses on the administration and governance of the Power Platform, including environments, Dataverse, solutions, application lifecycle management, and platform security through policies and controls. It also covers scenarios for Power Apps, Power Automate, AI Builder, and Copilot Studio.

Splitting the content into separate books allows for more depth and focus, while making the core book easier to consume and maintain. And for those who need it, each companion book is available separately, offering the same monthly updates for that book throughout the subscription.

Who this is for

Tenant administrators, consultants, architects, engineers, and technical leads will get the most value from this edition. If your job involves Exchange Online, Entra ID, SharePoint Online, Teams, OneDrive, Purview, Power Platform, Copilot, PowerShell, or Microsoft Graph, this set has been designed for you.

Availability

We use Gumroad.com to publish and distribute the books. All books are available in EPUB and PDF formats and can be converted for use on Kindle devices.

You can get the books here:

Security Updates Exchange SE, 2019 & 2016  (Jun2026)

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The Exchange product group released the June 2026 Security Updates for Exchange Server SE, Exchange 2019, and Exchange 2016. There were no updates released in January, so if you missed those, you didn’t. The SE SU is available to the public. Security updates for Exchange 2019 and Exchange 2016 will be available to organizations enrolled in the Extended Security Update program.

The vulnerabilities addressed in these Security Updates for Exchange Server are:

VulnerabilityCategorySeverityRating
CVE-2026-42897Information DisclosureCriticalCVSS:3.1 8.1 / 7.5
CVE-2026-47631SpoofingImportantCVSS:3.1 8.1 / 7.1
CVE-2026-45583Remote Code ExecutionImportantCVSS:3.1 7.5 / 6.5
CVE-2026-45504Elevation of PrivilegeImportantCVSS:3.1 8.8 / 7.7
CVE-2026-45503Information DisclosureImportantCVSS:3.1 8.1 / 7.1
CVE-2026-45502Information DisclosureImportantCVSS:3.1 5.0 / 4.4
CVE-2026-45501SpoofingImportantCVSS:3.1 6.5 / 5.7
CVE-2026-45500SpoofingImportantCVSS:3.1 6.1 / 5.3

The Security Updates for each supported Exchange Server build are linked below:

ExchangeSU/HUDownloadBuildKBSupersedes
Exchange SE7Download15.2.2562.43KB5094139KB5074992
Exchange 2019 CU158ESU Period 215.2.1748.46KB5094140KB5074993
Exchange 2019 CU1411ESU Period 215.2.1544.41KB5094142KB5074994
Exchange 2016 CU2322ESU Period 215.1.2507.69KB5094144KB5074995

CVE-2026-42897

Be advised that these Security Updates do not remove any previously applied mitigations for CVE-2026-42897, whether through the EMS service (M2.1.0) or via manual configuration using the EOMT.ps1 script. More information about both options is described here. The recommendation is to keep mitigation in place. If you still wish to remove them, be advised that you need to take steps to prevent the mitigation from getting reapplied. These steps are also contained in the aforementioned article.

Fixed Issues

Other issues fixed in this update:

Emergency Mitigations & Flighting Service

Because of a server-side change, Exchange Server not patched with this June 2026 SU will stop processing emergency mitigations published after June 2026. As a result, their Emergency Mitigation Service (EMS) and Flighting Service cannot process any updates, and the Application event log will contain the following entries:

Event type: Error 
Event ID: 1008 
Event source: MSExchange Mitigation Service 
Exception encountered while fetching mitigations: This XML is not deemed safe to consume since Response xml’s leaf certificate is from unknown issuer or has EKU mismatch 

Any previously applied mitigations will continue to function.

Notes

  • Security updates are specific to the Cumulative Update level. You cannot apply the Exchange 2019 CU15 security update to Exchange 2019 CU14. When downloading, the security update might carry the same name for different Cumulative Updates. Nowadays, Microsoft includes the KB article number as a reference, but I would still tag the filename with the CU level for archival purposes, e.g., Exchange2019-CU15-KBxxxxxxx-x64-en.exe.
  • Like Cumulative Updates, Security Updates are cumulative, and you only need to install the latest SU for your CU.
  • Suppose you have deployed Exchange Management Tools to manage your on-premises Exchange Servers or installed the tools after removing the Last Exchange Server for recipient management. In that case, it is recommended that you apply the Security Update.

On a final note, as with any patch or update, it is recommended that you test it in a test environment before deploying it to production. However, it is not recommended to wait for regular maintenance cycles for security updates; a more agile approach is preferable, and the ratings indicate the urgency level.

Hotfix Update Exchange SE (May2026)

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The Exchange product group released the May 2026 Hotfix update for Exchange Server SE. Hotfix updates do not contain security fixes, but address issues. They also might introduce or add support for functionality changes, such as dedicated Exchange hybrid application support.

ExchangeSU/HUDownloadBuildKBSupersedes
Exchange SE6Download15.2.2562.41KB5081755

Changes

The change introduced in this hotfix is:

Dedicated Exchange Hybrid Application

The dedicated Exchange hybrid application supports Exchange Web Services workflows, enabling rich coexistence functionality. This hotfix adds Graph-based workflow support for rich co-existence features between Exchange SE and Exchange Online. After installing the May 2026 update on all your Exchange SE servers, make sure you configure and enable the dedicated Exchange Hybrid application in Entra.

The support page lists WW as the tenant environment that currently supports Graph-based workflows, e.g. not GCC nor DoD. In addition, rich coexistence still partially uses EWS as shown in the following table taken from the dedicated hybrid application page.

FunctionalityEWS supportedGraph supported
Free/BusyYesYes
MailTipsYesPartial
(Automatic Replies only)
Profile PicturesYesYes
Move to Archive
(Archive Mailbox in cloud)		YesNo

Important: If you previously configured the dedicated Exchange Hybrid application, you need to rerun the ConfigureExchangeHybridApplication.ps1 script. This will enable the new Graph-based workflow. Detailed steps for accomplishing this are described here.

What about Exchange 2019 and Exchange 2016?

Exchange 2016 and 2019 are out of support and will not receive this update when you are part of the ESU program. Therefore, with the upcoming deprecation of Exchange Web Services in Exchange Online, you must keep allowing EWS in your tenant as of October 2026 – when EWS gets disabled – and make sure you plan to have migrated to Exchange SE by April 2027 for continued rich coexistence functionality, when EWS gets permanently disabled in Exchange Online.