Microsoft 365 Business Premium frequently asked questions

Business Premium is an integrated solution that brings together best-in-class productivity tools, security, and device management capabilities for small to medium-sized businesses. It's a comprehensive, cloud-based security solution that enables you to defend your business against advanced threats with sophisticated phishing and ransomware protection. Business Premium helps you safeguard your data, devices, and information.

Business Premium is fully integrated with Microsoft 365 Apps to provide you with a familiar location for administration, billing, and 24x7 support. It consists of enterprise-grade technology built for businesses with fewer than 300 users.

You can purchase Business Premium using either of the following methods:

• Through a Microsoft Partner.
• Directly from Microsoft.

How you purchase Business Premium depends on your IT staff capability and whether you want to manage your own IT infrastructure. A Microsoft Partner can help you deploy and manage your IT infrastructure, including Microsoft solutions.

Yes. Business Premium is designed for small to medium-sized businesses with low to medium IT complexity requirements. You can purchase up to 300 seats total across all of our Business family of plans (Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium). 

You can also mix and match other cloud subscriptions (for example, Microsoft Defender for Endpoint or another Microsoft 365 Enterprise subscription).

If you're considering using multiple subscription types, consider working with a trusted IT advisor to determine how best to manage and secure the various subscriptions. Business Premium and Microsoft 365 Enterprise use different capabilities to secure and manage applications and data.

Yes. You can combine Business Premium subscriptions with plans and add-ons from Azure, Dynamics 365, Enterprise Mobility + Security, and Office 365.

No. However, the security and management benefits of Business Premium are available only to users with devices managed with a Business Premium subscription.

All businesses should seek to standardize their IT environment to help reduce maintenance and security costs over time. However, we recognize that small and medium-sized businesses often update their software when they upgrade their hardware over an extended time period.

Although you can deploy Business Premium to part of your organization, we recommend deploying Business Premium to all users for the best protection of sensitive business data and consistent collaboration experiences.

See the following articles to ensure a smooth transition to Business Premium:

• Microsoft 365 Business Premium requirements
• Windows Compatibility Cookbook
• Microsoft 365 system requirements

Windows for business includes the following Windows versions:

• Windows 11 Pro
• Windows 11 Pro for Workstations
• Windows 10 Pro
• Windows 10 Pro for Workstations

These operating systems include cloud services and device management capabilities that enable the centralized management and security controls of Business Premium.

Business Premium includes free upgrades to Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro from the following versions of Windows:

• Windows 7 Pro
• Windows 8 Pro
• Windows 8.1 Pro

For more information, see Upgrade Windows devices to Windows 10 or 11 Pro.

Microsoft has productivity and security management offerings that bring increasingly powerful features and functionality to small to medium-sized businesses:

• Microsoft 365 Business Standard includes the apps and services that businesses need for remote work and collaboration. It includes Microsoft Teams, secure cloud storage, business email, and premium Office applications across devices.

• Microsoft 365 Business Premium is a comprehensive cloud productivity and security solution that's designed and built for small and medium-sized businesses (1-300 users). Microsoft 365 Business Premium includes everything in Microsoft 365 Business Standard, plus the following security products:

  • Microsoft Defender for Business
  • Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Plan 1.

  You get more cybersecurity and productivity capabilities, including advanced security protection, next-generation protection, endpoint detection and response, and threat & vulnerability management.

• Microsoft 365 Enterprise is a complete, intelligent solution that empowers everyone to be creative and work together securely. Microsoft 365 for enterprise is designed for large organizations, but it's also available to small to medium-sized businesses who need the most advanced security and productivity capabilities.

For more information, see:

• Microsoft 365 User Subscription Suites for Small and Medium-sized Businesses
• Microsoft 365 for enterprise overview

Yes.

You can switch from a qualifying Microsoft 365 plan to Business Premium, which might increase or decrease the monthly charges.

Business Premium is available to all partners and organizations where Office 365 is available. For more information, see Office 365 international availability for languages, countries, and regions.

Yes.

For more information, see the Microsoft 365 Business Premium product page, where you can start your trial or paid subscription.

Consider working with a Microsoft Partner. They have extensive training and experience with a wide variety of customer scenarios and are best equipped to understand your environment and needs.

If you prefer to set up and configure Business Premium on your own, see Microsoft 365 Business Premium - productivity and cybersecurity for small business.

All the add-ons that can be added to Microsoft 365 Business Standard can be added to Microsoft 365 Business Premium.

Yes.

Microsoft Teams Phone with Calling Plan is a telephony add-on subscription that bundles Phone System, Audio Conferencing, a Domestic Calling Plan, and more. You also get voicemail, caller ID, call park, call forwarding, auto attendants, and call queues.

To find out whether Microsoft Teams Phone with Calling Plan is available in your country or region, see Country and region availability for Audio Conferencing and Calling Plans. For pricing information, see Microsoft Teams Phone.

Partners now selling Office 365 can use the same methods to sell Business Premium.

More resources and training for your sales team is available in the Microsoft Partner portal at https://partner.microsoft.com to help you:

• Effectively communicate the full value of Business Premium in relevant way to customers.
• Understand customer desktop environments, Active Directory reliance, mobility, and security needs.

Partners now selling Office 365 can use the same consultative selling methods to sell Microsoft 365 Business Premium. In addition, we are introducing more resources and training for your sales team to understand the customers' existing desktop environment, Active Directory reliance, mobility, and security needs to effectively communicate the full value of Microsoft 365 Business Premium in a way that is relevant to the customer. Find these resources at the Microsoft Partner portal (https://partner.microsoft.com).

No.

Business Premium doesn't make an otherwise non-genuine version of Windows genuine.

Business Premium includes free upgrades to Windows 10 Pro or Windows 11 Pro from the following genuine versions of Windows:

• Windows 7 Pro
• Windows 8 Pro
• Windows 8.1 Pro

For more information, see Upgrade Windows devices to Windows 10 or 11 Pro.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a comprehensive new privacy law that gives residents of the European Union (EU) greater control over their "personal data" and requires organizations to maintain the integrity of that personal data.

The GDPR requires organizations that control or process personal data tied to EU residents to use only third-party data processors that meet the GDPR requirements for personal data processing. In March 2017, Microsoft made available contractual guarantees that provide these assurances.

Visit https://www.microsoft.com/trust-center/privacy/gdpr-overview if you have questions about how Microsoft can help your organization meet GDPR obligations.