Salesforce Winter ’26 Release: What’s Coming & How to Prepare


NSIQ Icon
August 7, 2025

salesforce winter 26 release whats coming and how to prepare

I. Release Timeline & What to Know

  • Sandbox Preview: Most sandboxes will receive Winter ’26 starting September 6, 2025.
  • Production Rollout: Scheduled across weekends on September 6, October 4, and October 11, 2025—check Salesforce Trust by instance for your upgrade date.
  • Pre‑release orgs are available now for early feature exploration in isolation.

II. Mandatory Changes You Should Implement Now

A. Email Verification for Legacy Users

Users created on or before November 1, 2016, must verify their email to continue sending mail via Salesforce. Build a list (Created Date ≤ Nov 1, 2016 & Verified Email = False) and distribute verification links—users should complete within 72 hours to avoid losing email privileges.

B. Secure Roles Behavior & Sharing Group Update

The old sharing group label “Roles and Subordinates” is replaced by “Role and Internal Subordinates” and is enforced in production. Update all code, queries, flows, and integrations that reference the old label to prevent errors.

C. Restrict Flow Access to Authorized Users

The broad FlowSites org permission is being retired. After Winter ’26, only users with explicit Run Flow permission can launch flows. Audit current flow users and assign proper permissions via Profiles or Permission Sets, testing carefully in the sandbox first.

D. Agentforce Service Assistant Access Update

Access to Agentforce Service Assistant now requires the Service Planner User Permission Set License. Identify users currently with access and apply the correct licensee in the sandbox before deploying to production.

III. Recommended (Non‑Enforced) Best Practices

While not mandatory yet, consider implementing these proactively:

  • REST API–triggered Apex now rolls back the entire transaction if exceptions occur—test your integrations accordingly.
  • Apex‑Launched Flows invoked from with sharing classes now respect sharing rules-review launcher patterns and test on API v62.0+.
  • Order product updates now, auto-trigger logic on the parent order—deprecating previous manual workarounds. Enable and validate this behavior in the sandbox.

IV. Broader Feature Enhancements Likely Arriving

Based on trusted previews (and pending official release notes):

  • Improved Data Security & Governance:

    • Stronger MFA, encryption, fine‑grained permissions, and compliance enhancements (GDPR, CCPA, emerging AI regulations).
  • Enhanced Einstein & AI‑based Agent Tools:

    • Over 100 prebuilt industry actions, deeper Agentforce Studio & Command Centre integrations.
  • Salesforce + Informatica Integration:

    • A unified AI-driven data platform combining data lineage, catalogue, and CLAIRE AI capabilities.

V. Preparation Checklist

Step Action
1. Spin up a pre‑release org to explore upcoming features safely.
2. Upgrade your sandbox when Winter ’26 lands around September 6.
3. Thoroughly test permissions, flows, Apex, REST integrations, and agent features.
4. Update scripts, access controls, sharing labels, and verify legacy users.
5. Deploy to production in non‑peak hours; monitor performance and be ready to rollback.
6. Train stakeholders on new AI features, access governance, and agent workflows.

VI. Final Thoughts

Winter’26 is a milestone release focused on security, automation control, AI‑driven productivity, and robust governance. Early preparation—especially around permissions and legacy email verification—ensures uninterrupted service and smoother adoption of new features. When Salesforce publishes the official release notes, use them as your definitive guide.
For marketing teams leveraging Salesforce Marketing Cloud services, this release sets the stage for smarter campaign execution, improved customer journeys, and tighter integration with Salesforce core and AI tools.