The April release of Microsoft SharePoint Online includes required changes to the SharePoint Online privacy link enforcement. If you have modified your SharePoint Online master page or if you have uploaded a custom master page, you must take action before this release to prevent loss of access to your SharePoint sites.

If You Customized Your Default Master Page

1.       Use Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer to save a copy of your customized master page.

2.       In Microsoft Office SharePoint Designer, right-click default.master, and then select Reset to Site Definition.

If You Uploaded a Custom Master Page

If you uploaded a custom master page and modified your site collections to use this master page, you will experience a brief service outage during the upgrade. Service will be automatically restored. However, if you do not add this link within 30 days of the release, you will not be able to use your SharePoint site collections.

If this link is not included, you will receive an error message when you attempt to display pages on your SharePoint site and the Microsoft Online Services Technical Support team will contact you to help you update your custom master page.

After this release, you will be able to customize your site collections, but you must include a reference to the SharePoint Online privacy policy on your master page. For information about adding this link, see Add the Privacy Statement to Your SharePoint Online Site.

This post will be deleted after all SharePoint Site Collections have been safely upgraded.