Microsoft 365: E3 & E5 Upgrade Guide

Key insights

• Microsoft 365 E3 and Microsoft 365 E5 received a quiet, no‑cost upgrade that adds enterprise endpoint, security, and analytics features. 
  These changes target business owners, IT admins, and MSPs and aim to simplify management and security at scale.
• Intune Remote Help and Intune Advanced Analytics now appear in E3 to speed troubleshooting and surface device health issues. 
  Expect faster remote support and proactive alerts that reduce downtime.
• Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 enhancements bring stronger email protections for phishing, malware, and malicious links. 
  This expands real‑time threat detection across email and collaboration apps in lower tiers.
• Endpoint Privilege Management, Enterprise App Management, and Cloud PKI join E5, alongside full Intune Plan 2 features and integrated Microsoft Security Copilot. 
  These add least‑privilege controls, secure app rollouts, certificate management, and AI-assisted security workflows.
• Quick Machine Recovery (QMR) and Windows resiliency features improve device recovery with cloud rebuild and point‑in‑time restore. 
  These tools help restore apps, files, and settings faster after failures or attacks.
• Practical next steps for IT: review license assignments, update Intune policies, enable new capabilities in test rings, and prepare Autopatch and recovery plans. 
  Validate Security Copilot and endpoint changes in a controlled environment before broad rollout.

Overview of the Video

Jonathan Edwards published a clear explainer video that outlines a quiet but significant upgrade to Microsoft 365 E3 and E5. In the video, Edwards breaks down which features Microsoft added to each plan and explains what they do in plain terms. He also highlights the broader context, noting that Microsoft is folding advanced endpoint and security tools into core licenses rather than keeping them as separate purchases. As a result, the update changes buying decisions for many IT teams and managed service providers.

Key Feature Additions

Edwards lists several concrete additions to Microsoft 365 E3, including Intune Remote Help, Intune Advanced Analytics, and other Intune-related capabilities that improve device support and visibility. Meanwhile, E5 gains more advanced items such as Endpoint Privilege Management, Enterprise App Management, and Cloud PKI, together with the broader Intune Plan 2 feature set. Edwards also emphasizes the inclusion of email protections from Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 and the staged rollout of Microsoft Security Copilot integrations for E5 customers. Consequently, organizations that already hold E3 or E5 will see this added functionality without a separate purchase in many cases.

In addition, Edwards touches on Windows enterprise improvements that link to these changes, such as quick machine recovery and cloud-based device rebuilds for Windows 11. He frames these as part of a move to make resilience and recovery easier at scale for businesses and IT operators. Moreover, Security Copilot integration promises AI-driven agents that work across Defender, Entra, Intune, and Purview, which Edwards says will speed up incident workstreams. Overall, the video presents the update as a push to give admins better tools while keeping end users productive.

Impact on Security and IT Operations

Edwards explains that the combined additions change both defensive posture and daily operations by making proactive monitoring and rapid response more accessible. For example, Intune Advanced Analytics provides insights that help IT teams spot risky trends early, while Remote Help reduces time spent on device troubleshooting. At the same time, Endpoint Privilege Management lowers risk by limiting persistent admin rights, which is important in an era of AI-assisted attacks. Therefore, these features together reduce exposure and speed recovery, which matters to both security and uptime.

However, Edwards also notes practical limits: adding features to a license does not eliminate the need for skilled staff and sound processes. Teams still must configure policies, tune detections, and train helpdesk staff to use remote support tools effectively. Additionally, integrating AI assistants like Security Copilot requires careful oversight to avoid overreliance on automated outputs. Thus, while the tools reduce friction, they do not replace the need for governance and human judgment.

Tradeoffs and Challenges

The video weighs the benefits against tradeoffs, pointing out that while many organizations will gain value immediately, others may face complexity from rapid feature expansion. For smaller teams, the new capabilities can be a force multiplier, but they may also introduce extra configuration work and monitoring obligations. In contrast, larger enterprises may appreciate the consolidation of features into existing plans, yet they still need to address change management across many endpoints. Consequently, adopting the new set of tools involves balancing immediate gains with the overhead of deployment and ongoing upkeep.

Edwards also raises the point that licensing alone does not guarantee security outcomes; operational maturity remains critical. For instance, enabling Cloud PKI or enterprise app controls is only effective when certificate lifecycle and app policies are actively managed. Furthermore, AI-driven features like Security Copilot bring efficiency but require controls to verify suggestions and to prevent false positives from driving costly responses. Therefore, organizations must invest time into policy, training, and validation to realize the intended benefits.

What Organizations Should Do Next

Edwards recommends a pragmatic, staged approach for teams that hold Microsoft 365 E3 or E5, starting with inventory and pilot projects before full rollouts. He suggests that IT leaders prioritize features that deliver quick wins, such as enabling remote help to cut support time and turning on advanced analytics to surface pressing device issues. Next, teams should plan for governance and training around privilege management and AI integrations to avoid creating new risks as they adopt new capabilities. By taking this measured path, organizations can reduce deployment friction while gaining value faster.

In closing, the video by Jonathan Edwards serves as a practical guide for understanding the scope and implications of Microsoft’s changes. It offers a balanced view that acknowledges the clear benefits while pointing out necessary follow-up work in configuration, monitoring, and staff training. As a result, decision-makers can better weigh whether to accelerate adoption or to stage changes to match their operational capacity. Ultimately, this update shifts the baseline for what many customers can expect from core Microsoft 365 plans, and Edwards urges viewers to plan accordingly.

Keywords

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