Microsoft Ignite 2025 provided a clear view of the changes that will soon shape day-to-day IT operations. AI remained a strong topic of conversation, with Microsoft positioning themselves pushing forward an AI-first roadmap built around Copilot and intelligent workflows.
But while the headlines focused on the future, many of the most impactful developments were far more grounded. Across the sessions, Microsoft delivered a series of practical enhancements that will shape how organisations manage devices, protect data and prepare for a more automated future. These improvements are the ones that will help organisations build the solid operational foundations required for adopting it.
Our Project Engineer Team Lead, Oscar Woods, explores the topics that stood out at the conference, and what they mean for the future of IT.
A major theme this year was the rapid evolution of Intune. Microsoft has clearly set its sights on making endpoint management smoother and more intuitive. And the pace of progress is striking.
macOS support continues to accelerate, with Platform SSO emerging as a particularly meaningful improvement. It finally delivers a more seamless sign-in experience for Apple users, reducing friction and giving IT teams a far more consistent approach across mixed device environments.
Endpoint Privilege Management has also taken a significant step forward. The ability to automatically elevate approved applications, without granting full local admin rights, strikes a responsible balance between productivity and security. It reduces reliance on local admin accounts while helping users get on with their work uninterrupted.
Other changes, such as simplified enterprise application management and the removal of the long-standing eight-hour policy sync window, make Intune feel considerably more responsive. These types of practical, detail-oriented improvements allow for smoother day-to-day operations.
SharePoint also made headlines, particularly for organisations still relying on legacy on-premise deployments. With SharePoint 2016 and 2019 reaching end of support in July 2026, Microsoft has made it clear that now is the time to begin planning a move to SharePoint Online.
This transition offers benefits that go far beyond remaining supported. It opens the door to improved security, stronger governance and more modern, cloud-based collaboration experiences.
Microsoft’s growing emphasis on consistent management across Microsoft 365 tenants reflects the increasing complexity of today’s environments. While Microsoft has launched its own tenant baseline tool, OryxAlign continues to see exceptional results with Inforcer, which is working closely with Microsoft to help SMBs create stable, standardised tenant environments. Its new support for Sensitivity Labels plays a crucial role in data protection and AI readiness, ensuring organisations can classify and safeguard the information that underpins their operations.
What Ignite 2025 truly highlighted is that AI does not exist in isolation. The organisations best positioned to take advantage of AI tools will be those that have invested in strong, well-managed platforms, consistent policy frameworks and secure data governance.
These practical updates across Intune and SharePoint may not capture the same spotlight as AI, but they are the enablers. They create the stability and structure needed to adopt AI safely and effectively.
OryxAlign helps businesses build secure, resilient and modern IT environments by supporting them across the full technology lifecycle, from endpoint management and cloud collaboration platforms to data protection and strategic modernisation projects.
To find out how we can support your digital transformation and prepare your organisation for the era of AI-driven operations, visit oryxalign.com or contact us at hello@oryxalign.com.