Microsoft just quietly marked 4 more AI Applied Skills for retirement, and all of them are free to take right now if you act before the deadlines. This Microsoft Applied Skills retirement wave is surprising for two reasons: one credential was announced only three months before its retirement date, and another covers Microsoft 365 Copilot security, a topic most IT admins are actively working on today.
Key takeaways
- 4 AI Applied Skills are retiring between May 28, 2026 and June 30, 2026.
- The Create an AI Agent Applied Skill (APL-3031) had the shortest run, just three months from announcement to retirement notice.
- The Prepare Security and Compliance to Support Microsoft 365 Copilot Applied Skill (APL-4002) is the most surprising retirement given how actively Copilot rollouts are happening.
- Applied Skills are free, unproctored, and can be taken from anywhere. There is no reason to skip them before the deadlines.
- Once you pass an Applied Skill, it stays on your Microsoft Learn transcript forever, even after retirement.
The 4 AI Applied Skills retiring
Here is the full list of the Microsoft Applied Skills retirement wave, in order of urgency.
APL-3031: Create an AI Agent (retires May 28, 2026)
The Create an AI Agent Applied Skill validates your ability to build an AI agent using Microsoft Foundry. This one is the most time-sensitive of the four.
What makes it strange is the timeline. Microsoft announced this Applied Skill on February 26, 2026, and it is retiring on May 28, 2026. That is roughly three months from announcement to retirement notice on a credential that covers Microsoft Foundry, a current and actively invested product. Microsoft does not publish a reason for retirements, but a short run like this usually points to lower-than-expected adoption.
APL-3022: Implement Knowledge Mining With Azure AI Search (retires May 28, 2026)
This Applied Skill validates your ability to create Azure AI Search solutions, implement custom skill sets, and add skill enrichment to an index. Unlike APL-3031, this one has had a real run since it was announced in November 2024, so it had roughly 18 months in the program before retirement.
APL-3003: Build a Natural Language Solution With Azure AI Language (retires June 30, 2026)
This Applied Skill validates your ability to create a natural language processing solution using Azure AI Language. It was part of the initial Applied Skills launch back in October 2023, so it had almost three years in the program, which is a respectable run.
APL-4002: Prepare Security and Compliance to Support Microsoft 365 Copilot (retires June 30, 2026)
This is the one most likely to surprise IT admins. APL-4002 validates your ability to prepare Microsoft 365 security and compliance to support Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365. With organizations still actively rolling out Microsoft 365 Copilot, this credential is highly relevant right now, which makes the retirement decision unusual. Personally, this is the one I will be adding to my own to-do list before it goes away.
What an Applied Skills retirement actually means
Applied Skills retirements do not work the way certification retirements do. If you have already passed an Applied Skill, the credential stays on your Microsoft Learn transcript for two years as an active credential, then moves to your historical credentials.
Here is the part most people miss: it stays on your transcript forever as a credential you have passed. It is never removed. You will always be able to show that you passed it. The “retirement” only means new candidates can no longer take it after the deadline.
Why you should still take them before they retire
You can still take all 4 of these Applied Skills right now for absolutely free. Applied Skills are not proctored, take only a few clicks to start, and can be done from anywhere. If you have been hesitating on any of these, the deadlines are now firm.
If you have not taken an Applied Skill before, my guide on how to get Microsoft Applied Skills walks through the process from Microsoft Learn through completing the lab. And for the APL-4002 specifically, my breakdown of the Prepare Security and Compliance to Support Microsoft 365 Copilot Applied Skill covers what is on it in detail.
The bigger Microsoft certification shakeup
This Microsoft Applied Skills retirement wave is not happening in isolation. Microsoft is updating its entire certification portfolio right now. In total:
- 13 Microsoft certifications are set for retirement between June 1 and September 30, 2026.
- 6 Applied Skills are retiring between May 28 and June 30, 2026, including the 4 covered in this post.
If you have been putting off any Microsoft credentials, the next few months are when the dominoes fall. The full picture on the certification side is covered in my post on Microsoft certification retirements 2026.
What this means for you
If any of the 4 Applied Skills on this list are relevant to your role, take them before the retirement date. They are free, fast, and stay on your transcript forever.
The two most urgent ones, APL-3031 and APL-3022, both retire on May 28, 2026. APL-3031 in particular only has a few weeks left depending on when you read this. APL-3003 and APL-4002 give you a bit more breathing room until June 30, 2026.
If you are an IT admin actively involved in a Microsoft 365 Copilot deployment, APL-4002 is the one I would prioritize. The skills it validates map directly to what you are doing on the job, and having it on your transcript is a real signal of expertise in an area that is still in high demand.
Frequently asked questions
Do retired Microsoft Applied Skills disappear from my transcript?
No. Once you pass an Applied Skill, it stays on your Microsoft Learn transcript permanently. After retirement, it remains as an active credential for two years and then moves to your historical credentials. You will always be able to show that you passed it.
Are Microsoft Applied Skills free to take?
Yes. Applied Skills are free and unproctored. You can take them from anywhere with a Microsoft Learn account, and they typically take a few clicks to start.
Why is the Microsoft 365 Copilot Applied Skill retiring if Copilot is still being rolled out?
Microsoft does not publish a reason for credential retirements. Given how actively Microsoft 365 Copilot is being deployed and how relevant APL-4002 is to current IT admin work, this is the most surprising retirement of the four. It is possible Microsoft is planning a replacement, but nothing has been announced yet.
Will Microsoft replace these retiring Applied Skills with new ones?
Microsoft has not announced direct replacements for these 4 Applied Skills. Based on past patterns, some retirements are followed by AI-focused replacements, but there is no guarantee a 1-to-1 replacement is coming for any of these.
Take action before the deadlines
If any of these Applied Skills are on your list, now is the time. They are free, they only take a few clicks to start, and they stay on your transcript forever once you pass them. Once the retirement dates hit, the door closes for new candidates.
Prefer video? Watch the full walkthrough on my YouTube channel: Microsoft Retires 4 More AI Applied Skills
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