Where should I start learning Microsoft 365 administration in 2026?

The most useful practice is to build a lab and use the actual products. For Active Directory, install Windows Server in a virtual machine using a hypervisor and experiment with domains, users, groups, policies, DNS, and permissions. Trial versions can give you enough time to learn, and you can rebuild the lab as needed. For Microsoft 365, the old free developer tenant option is generally no longer dependable, so a short trial or a small paid tenant with one or two accounts may be the most practical route. Entra ID and Azure also have free or very low-cost features that are good for learning, as long as you monitor usage and billing.

Don’t skip the fundamentals. Make sure you understand basic networking, operating systems, authentication, DNS, permissions, and scripting before going too deep into the cloud portals. Microsoft 365 becomes much easier to understand when you already know what the underlying administration concepts are.

A useful learning path is to start with MS-900 to understand the Microsoft 365 services and terminology. It’s more of an overview and sales-oriented introduction than a hands-on administration course. After that, move to MS-102 material, which focuses more on configuring and managing a tenant. Alongside the courses, recreate the examples yourself instead of only watching the videos.

For hands-on practice, create a small test tenant and explore the services directly. A Microsoft 365 Business Premium trial can provide access to several relevant features for a limited period, including device and identity management. Be careful with trial limitations and billing, and keep the lab separate from any personal or production accounts.