What is Microsoft Purview Information Protection (formerly Azure Information Protection)?

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Last updated: 27 September 2026

Microsoft Purview Information Protection helps you classify, label and protect sensitive documents and emails. It replaces Azure Information Protection (AIP): Microsoft retired the old AIP client and moved labelling into Microsoft 365 apps and the Microsoft Purview portal.

Want this sorted for you?Talk to our Burgess Hill team about microsoft defender and purview. Free, friendly and no obligation.

What does it do?

  • Sensitivity labels: mark content as Public, Internal, Confidential and so on, manually or automatically.
  • Encryption and access control: labelled files stay protected even when shared or downloaded, so only the right people can open them.
  • Visual markings: headers, footers and watermarks on labelled documents.
  • Works with DLP: labels can drive data loss prevention rules.

Do I need a new licence?

Manual sensitivity labels are included in Microsoft 365 Business Premium and E3. Automatic labelling and more advanced features need E5 or the Purview Suite add-on.

ABCOM can design a simple labelling scheme for your organisation and roll it out alongside our cyber security services.

Want this looked after for you?

ABCOM has supported Sussex businesses and charities since 1996 and is an NCSC Assured Service Provider – Cyber Advisor (Cyber Essentials). Talk to a real person about your IT.

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