Simplifying Information Protection
If you’ve ever scrolled endlessly through sensitivity labels in Word, Outlook, or Teams, you know the frustration. Long lists of labels or confusing parent/child hierarchies can make data protection harder for end users — and messy for admins to manage.
To address this, Microsoft is introducing Sensitivity Label Groups in Purview — now available in Preview. This is more than just a cosmetic change. It represents a shift in how organizations will structure and publish labels going forward.
Sensitivity labels are at the core of Microsoft Purview Information Protection. They define how your data is classified, protected, and governed.
Until now, admins often relied on parent labels to create a sense of structure. For example:
- Parent: Confidential
- Child: Confidential – Finance
- Child: Confidential – HR
- Child: Confidential – Legal
While this worked, it came with challenges:
- Parent labels didn’t actually apply protection settings — they were often just containers.
- Managing policies became complex.
- Users found the hierarchy confusing.
Label Groups replace the need for parent labels by providing a clear and logical way to organize sensitivity labels into groups.
Think of them as “folders” for your labels, but with better flexibility and visibility.
Example:
| Old Model (Parent Labels) | New Model (Label Groups) |
|---|---|
| Parent: Confidential | Group: Confidential |
| Child: Finance, HR, Legal | Labels inside group: Finance, HR, Legal |
For admins, this means cleaner structures and simpler publishing.
For users, this means less clutter when choosing the right label in apps.
For Admins
- Easier management: logically bundle labels by department, regulation, or project.
- Simplified publishing: apply policies at the group level.
- No need for “dummy” parent labels anymore.
For End Users
- Cleaner, more intuitive interface in Office apps.
- Labels appear grouped logically — reducing confusion and mistakes.
For the Future
- Designed to scale with AI scenarios, such as Microsoft Copilot protection.
- Better foundation for role-based access and automation.
Current Limitations (Preview Stage)
Since this feature is still in preview, there are some caveats to keep in mind:
- Migration is manual: If you’re using parent labels today, you’ll need to recreate the structure using groups.
- Policy updates are required: Label policies must be reconfigured to target label groups.
- Parent labels still work for now, but Microsoft is clearly signaling that groups are the future.
- Preview scope: Supported in Microsoft 365 apps and the Purview portal, but some third-party integrations may not yet support groups.
How to Get Started
- In the Purview compliance portal, go to Information Protection → Labels.
- Create a new Label Group.
- Add new or existing labels into the group.
- Publish the group via a label policy to your users or groups.
- Test the experience in Office apps (Word, Outlook, Teams) to validate the structure.
💡 Tip: Start with a small pilot group of users to test usability before rolling out widely.
Availability
Currently the feature is still in rollout. For more information check: MC1111778 – Microsoft Purview | Information Protection: Sensitivity label grouping modernization | Microsoft 365 Message Center Archive
Additionally for more guidance check on learn and select modern label scheme: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/purview/create-sensitivity-labels?utm_source=chatgpt.com&tabs=modern-label-scheme#create-and-configure-sensitivity-labels
Final Thoughts
Sensitivity Label Groups may look like a small organizational tweak, but they signal a bigger shift in Purview Information Protection. Labels are becoming easier to manage, easier to use, and better aligned with AI-driven compliance scenarios like Copilot.
If your organization relies heavily on parent labels today, now is the time to start experimenting with label groups. Doing so will prepare you for a smoother migration when the feature reaches general availability.