SharePoint alerts are retired: what to use instead

Short answer: SharePoint Alerts no longer work. Microsoft's retirement page says that from July 2026, "existing SharePoint Alerts can't be extended anymore and won't work anymore." Microsoft recommends "to either use rules or Power Automate to do notifications." Start with a list rule. Use a flow when a rule cannot do the job.

Build the rule that takes over

Open the list or library you had the alert on.
Select Integrate, then Rules.
Choose the trigger under "Take action when". For a plain change alert, that is an item being modified.
Click each underlined word in the sentence and fill in the column, the value and the recipient.
Select Create. The rule is on at once and is listed on the Manage rules page.

Exact names may differ on your screen. Your account needs Contribute permission on the list or library.

Triggers on offer

Microsoft's page names these: "An item is modified", "a date approaches", a column change with a condition (a value rising above an amount, for example), and a new file in a library.

Limits to read first

Two "a date approaches" rules is the cap for each list or library.
A multi-line text column cannot drive a rule.
A rule can email one person, several people, or a person named in a column. A group address is not allowed.
The sender shows as no-reply@sharepointonline.com. Warn your team, so the message is not mistaken for junk mail.

What an alert did, and which replacement fits

Map each alert you have to one of these. Our advice, not a Microsoft rule:

Alert on any change to an item: a rule with "An item is modified".
Alert before a date: a rule with "a date approaches". Past two such rules, use a flow. See "Send a reminder before a due date".
Alert sent to a group mailbox: a Power Automate flow, because rules cannot email a group address.
Alert for one file in a library: a flow, since a rule works on the whole library.

If you use a flow

A flow that starts when an item is created or modified can trigger itself if it edits the same item. Add a Yes/No column named "Sent", set its default value to No, and have the flow check that Sent is No first. The flow sends the message, then sets Sent to Yes. See "Power Automate flow triggers itself".

Find the alerts you lost

Our advice, not a Microsoft rule: alert emails stopped, so make a list of what people used to get. Ask each team which emails stopped after July 2026: which list, what change, and who got it. Rebuild each one as a rule or a flow.

If a rule seems quiet, see "Microsoft Lists rules not working".

When to get help

You can build all of this yourself in Microsoft 365. If you would rather have it built and tested for your team, I do that. A tracker like this is a fixed price: $5,000 for one, built in 2 weeks. See "What a SharePoint tracker costs to build". Bring one example of the problem to a free call.

Tell me what's still manual

I am Al Davies. I run 250 High Street LLC and build SharePoint trackers and Power Automate flows for operations teams. I work remotely. The first call is free, and I will not try to sell you anything.

See trackers I built: Tools I built

FAQ

Are SharePoint alerts retired?

Yes. Microsoft's retirement page says that from July 2026, existing alerts "won't work anymore."

What replaces SharePoint alerts?

Microsoft recommends rules or Power Automate for notifications.

How do I create a rule on a SharePoint list?

Open the list, select Integrate, then Rules, pick a condition and select Create.

Can a rule email a group address?

No. Microsoft says you cannot notify a group email address with a rule.

Why did my SharePoint alert emails stop?

Microsoft retired SharePoint Alerts in July 2026. Rebuild each alert as a list rule or a Power Automate flow.