How to disable EWS throttling

Instructions to disable EWS throttling using your Microsoft 365 account

By default, Microsoft throttles EWS connections in order to limit simultaneous connections for security and infrastructure stability. In typical use, most users will not come across EWS throttling, but it is possible to hit this limitation during a migration due to the increased number of requests.

Throttling can be temporarily disabled for up to 90 days from within the Microsoft 365 account settings and requires an account with access to the Admin portal.

Requirements

To disable EWS throttling you will need:

  • A Microsoft 365 account with access to the Admin portal

  • Permissions to submit Support requests in the Microsoft 365 admin center

Steps to Disable EWS throttling

  1. Login to Microsoft 365 with an Admin account

  2. Open the Admin panel from the list of apps

  3. From the Sidebar, choose the tab for Support and then Help & Support. You may need to click Show All for the Support tab to appear.

  4. A search bar will appear. Type in Increase EWS Throttling Policy.

  5. An option will appear to Run Diagnostics. Click Run Tests and choose a duration that will cover the migration period.

  6. You will receive a message that an update to the throttling policy has been started. This may take 15 minutes to take effect.

Verifying that EWS throttling has been successfully disabled

After at least 15 minutes have passed, you can check to see if the changes have taken effect. Repeat Steps 1-4 above. If the changes were successful, the Run Diagnostics window should now show a message that Exchange Web Services are not currently throttled.

Disabling EWS throttling via support ticket

An alternative method to disable EWS throttling is to create a Support ticket and ask the Microsoft Team to make the change for you.

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