---
slug: "azure-machine-learning-external-data-import-and-data-connections-retirement"
title: "Azure Machine Learning: external data import and data connections retirement"
summary: "Import data from external sources (Preview) and external Data Connections (Preview) in Azure Machine Learning are not available after 30 Sep 2026. Existing connections are not available, and imported assets stay available but scheduled refreshes stop working."
cloud: "azure"
service: "Azure Machine Learning"
service_slug: "machine-learning"
category: "feature"
type: "retirement"
announced_date: "2026-03-31"
effective_date: "2026-09-30"
effective_precision: "day"
replacement: "Microsoft Fabric with Azure Machine Learning datastores"
affected_versions: []
source_url: "https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=557406"
extra_source_urls: ["https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-portal/supportability/how-to-create-azure-support-request"]
vendor_ref: "557406"
last_checked_at: "2026-11-12T09:55:19.345Z"
created_at: "2026-11-13T13:36:44.208Z"
updated_at: "2026-11-13T13:36:44.208Z"
url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-machine-learning-external-data-import-and-data-connections-retirement"
short_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/i/12"
markdown_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-machine-learning-external-data-import-and-data-connections-retirement.md"
json_url: "https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-machine-learning-external-data-import-and-data-connections-retirement.json"
source_note: null
---

# Azure Machine Learning: external data import and data connections retirement

Import data from external sources (Preview) and external Data Connections (Preview) in Azure Machine Learning are not available after 30 Sep 2026. Existing connections are not available, and imported assets stay available but scheduled refreshes stop working.

- Effective date: 30 Sep 2026
- Cloud: [Azure](https://eolwatch.dev/cloud/azure.md)
- Service: [Azure Machine Learning](https://eolwatch.dev/services/azure/machine-learning.md)
- Type: Retirement
- Category: [Feature](https://eolwatch.dev/categories/features.md)
- Replacement: Microsoft Fabric with Azure Machine Learning datastores
- Announced: 31 Mar 2026
- Official source: [azure.microsoft.com](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=557406)
- Last checked: 12 Nov 2026

## What breaks

After 30 Sep 2026, Import data from external sources (Preview), S3, Snowflake, Azure SQL Db and external Data Connections (Preview) in Azure Machine Learning are no longer available. Existing external data connections are not available. New data imports and new external data connections cannot be created. Pre-existing imported assets continue to be available, but any scheduled refresh no longer works.

## What to do

Microsoft recommends migrating external data imports to Microsoft Fabric and using AzureML datastores to make the data available in AzureML.

## Replacement

Microsoft Fabric with Azure Machine Learning datastores

## Sources

- [Official source](https://azure.microsoft.com/updates?id=557406) (azure.microsoft.com, Official)
- [Additional source](https://learn.microsoft.com/azure/azure-portal/supportability/how-to-create-azure-support-request) (learn.microsoft.com, Official)

Last checked against the first source in this list on 12 Nov 2026.

Page: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-machine-learning-external-data-import-and-data-connections-retirement | JSON: https://eolwatch.dev/items/azure-machine-learning-external-data-import-and-data-connections-retirement.json

The text on this page is drafted with AI assistance from the vendor's text, checked against the official source and approved by a person before it is published.