Review the update and plan any required actions before rollout.
Primary Audience
Why this score?
AT A GLANCE
END USERS
IT ADMINS
ROLLOUT TIMELINE
Late September 2026
📢 Official Microsoft Message Center Announcement
Microsoft Viva Engage: Microsoft Entra permissions required for community and membership administration
Message ID: MC1465773
[What and why]
To align community administration in Microsoft Viva Engage with the Microsoft Entra security and administration model, we are changing how certain community and membership management actions are authorized.
Today, users assigned the Verified Admin or Network Admin role within Viva Engage can perform a limited set of community and membership administration tasks, even if they do not have the corresponding permissions in Microsoft Entra. After this rollout, those actions will require the appropriate Microsoft Entra administrative permissions.
To continue performing these actions, users must either:
- Be assigned the Yammer Administrator role in Microsoft Entra
- Be assigned as a Community Admin for the specific community they manage.
This change improves alignment between Viva Engage administration and Microsoft Entra access controls.
[Rollout schedule]
- General Availability (Worldwide): Beginning in late September 2026 and expected to complete by late September 2026
[Impact on your organization]
Who is affected
- Organizations using Microsoft Viva Engage
- Users assigned the Verified Admin or Network Admin role within Viva Engage
- Community owners and administrators responsible for community and membership management
Platforms and services
- Microsoft Viva Engage
- Microsoft Entra ID
What will happen
After this rollout, users assigned only the Verified Admin or Network Admin role within Viva Engage will no longer be able to modify the following community settings unless they are also assigned the Yammer Administrator role in Microsoft Entra or are designated as a Community Admin for the affected community:
- Community name
- Community description
- Community avatar
- Community privacy settings (public or private)
- Membership management
- Community deletion
No changes are being made to Community Admin capabilities.
[Action required and recommendations]
Administrators should review current Viva Engage administrative assignments before rollout.
Recommended actions:
- Review users currently assigned the Verified Admin and Network Admin roles in Viva Engage.
- Identify users who need to continue managing community settings or membership.
- Determine whether those users should be assigned the Yammer Administrator role in Microsoft Entra.
- Alternatively, assign Community Admin permissions for specific communities where appropriate.
- Communicate any administrative process changes to support teams and community managers before rollout completion.
Learn more
[Compliance considerations]
| Question | Answer |
| Does this change include an administrative control that affects who can perform administrative actions? | Yes. After this rollout, users must have the appropriate Microsoft Entra permissions, such as the Yammer Administrator role, or be assigned as a Community Admin to perform certain community and membership management actions. |
| Does this change modify how users or administrators access Microsoft 365 resources or capabilities? | Yes. The change updates the permissions required to manage community settings and membership in Microsoft Viva Engage. |
| Does this change affect identity, access, or authorization controls? | Yes. Administrative actions that were previously available to locally assigned Verified Admins and Network Admins will require Microsoft Entra-based authorization or Community Admin assignment. |
| Does this change require administrators to review or update role assignments? | Yes. Administrators should review existing Verified Admin and Network Admin assignments and determine whether affected users require the Yammer Administrator role or Community Admin permissions. |
Source: Microsoft Message Center • Analysed by MWPro
