Office 365 E3 Developer and Microsoft 365 E5 Developer licenses will be retired

Question

I need guidance on selecting a new license, performing the backup, or proceeding with the

upgrade. Who can assist you step by step?
This is in response to the email I received below:

Dear Admins.

 

I hope this message finds you well. I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your patience and understanding during this period. As we are currently in the holiday season, our agent availability—particularly within your time zone—has been temporarily reduced. This may result in delays in arranging real‑time support sessions.

 

To ensure that your case continues to move forward without interruption, I kindly request the opportunity to continue supporting you via email. This will enable us to maintain consistent communication regardless of time zone constraints or scheduling limitations. Please rest assured that I remain fully committed to addressing your concerns promptly and thoroughly.

 

Furthermore, I would like to inform you of an important update regarding your subscription. The Office 365 E3 Developer and Microsoft 365 E5 Developer licenses will no longer be supported moving forward. In preparation for this transition, I kindly ask for your assistance in backing up any necessary data and upgrading your environment to a supported license type.

 

Microsoft provides a grace period of approximately 90 days (“golden time”) to ensure that all data remains accessible and preserved during the migration process. This window is designed to give you ample time to secure your information and complete the upgrade without disruption.

 

Your cooperation during this transition is greatly appreciated. Should you need guidance on selecting a new license, performing the backup, or proceeding with the upgrade, I will be more than happy to assist you step by step.

 

Once again, thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued collaboration. Please feel free to share any questions or updates at your convenience, and I will ensure they are addressed with the utmost care.

 

Warm regards,  

[Moderator note: personal info removed]

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Answer 1

Hi Stefanie Burnham

Based on the information provided, this communication appears to be from Microsoft Support and relates specifically to the retirement of Office 365 E3 Developer and Microsoft 365 E5 Developer licenses. In this scenario, step‑by‑step assistance with license selection, data backup, and upgrade planning can only be provided by Microsoft Support directly, as these actions involve tenant‑level changes and subscription management that are outside the scope of the Microsoft Q&A forum.

As moderators here, we can help clarify general concepts and point you to official resources, but we do not have access to your tenant, subscription details, or support case, and we cannot perform or guide hands‑on migrations or backups on your behalf. 

Therefore, in this situation, I suggest that you can contact Microsoft Developer Support through the following link: Services Hub. Please note that this portal (Services Hub) is a paid ticket and access is subject to certain conditions, which you can review here: Services Hub sign in FAQs | Microsoft Learn.

Thank you for your understand

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Answer 2

To transition from the Office 365 E3 Developer and Microsoft 365 E5 Developer licenses, you will need to select a new supported license type. Here are the steps you can follow:

1. Selecting a New License: You can consider options like Microsoft 365 Business Basic or other Microsoft 365 offers that suit your needs. Review the available plans and determine which one aligns best with your requirements.
2. Performing a Backup: Before upgrading, ensure that you back up any necessary data. Microsoft provides a grace period of approximately 90 days to access and preserve your data during the migration process. Utilize this time to secure your information.
3. Proceeding with the Upgrade: Once you have selected a new license and backed up your data, you can proceed with the upgrade. This typically involves deleting your current subscription and creating a new one. Follow the specific instructions provided in the Microsoft 365 admin center for the upgrade process.

For detailed guidance, you may want to consult the Microsoft documentation or reach out to your Microsoft support contact for step-by-step assistance during this transition.