Access Reviews in Microsoft Entra ID: Complete Guide for Admins

Access Reviews in Microsoft Entra ID help organizations periodically review and validate user access to applications, groups, and privileged roles. They improve security and compliance by ensuring that users only retain the access they still need.

What are Access Reviews?

Access Reviews are part of Microsoft Entra ID Governance and are designed to support the principle of least privilege access.

They help organizations:

  • Detect excessive permissions
  • Remove stale access
  • Improve compliance posture
  • Reduce insider security risks

👉 Instead of granting access forever, organizations can periodically verify whether access is still required.

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Key Features of Access Reviews

  • 🔄 Scheduled Reviews
    Run reviews weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually
  • đŸ‘Ĩ Review Group Memberships
    Validate membership in Microsoft 365 groups and Teams
  • 🔐 Review Role Assignments
    Check privileged role access
  • 📧 Automated Notifications
    Notify reviewers when action is required
  • âš™ī¸ Automatic Access Removal
    Remove access automatically if not approved

How Access Reviews Work

  1. Create an access review
  2. Select:
    • Users
    • Groups
    • Applications
    • Roles
  3. Assign reviewers
  4. Reviewers approve or deny access
  5. Results are applied automatically or manually

Common Use Cases

  1. 🔐 Review privileged admin access
  2. đŸ‘Ĩ Validate Microsoft Teams memberships
  3. 📊 Audit guest user access
  4. đŸĸ Support compliance requirements
  5. âš ī¸ Remove inactive or unnecessary access

Types of Access Reviews

Access Reviews can be used for:

  • Microsoft 365 Groups
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Enterprise Applications
  • Microsoft Entra Roles
  • Guest Users (B2B collaboration)

Access Reviews vs PIM

Feature Access Reviews PIM
Purpose Validate existing access Control privileged access
Focus Governance Security
Example Remove unnecessary access Temporary admin activation

👉 Insight:
PIM controls privileged access activation, while Access Reviews ensure access remains appropriate over time.


Benefits of Access Reviews

  • ✅ Reduces stale permissions
  • ✅ Supports compliance audits
  • ✅ Improves identity governance
  • ✅ Minimizes insider threats
  • ✅ Enforces least privilege access

Related Microsoft 365 Concepts


Admin Tip

Configure automatic removal of access for users who are denied or not reviewed. This prevents stale permissions from remaining indefinitely.


Common Mistakes

  • ❌ Running reviews too infrequently
  • ❌ Ignoring guest user access
  • ❌ Not automating access removal
  • ❌ Assigning inappropriate reviewers

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What are Access Reviews in Microsoft Entra ID?
  • Access Reviews are identity governance features in Microsoft Entra ID that help organizations periodically review and validate user access to applications, groups, and privileged roles.

  • Why are Access Reviews important?
  • Access Reviews are important because they help organizations remove outdated or unnecessary permissions, improving security and supporting compliance requirements.

  • Can Access Reviews remove user access automatically?
  • Yes, Access Reviews can automatically remove access if users are denied approval or if reviewers do not respond within the review period.

  • What resources can be reviewed using Access Reviews?
  • Access Reviews can be used to review access to Microsoft 365 Groups, Teams, enterprise applications, Microsoft Entra roles, and guest user access.

  • What is the difference between Access Reviews and PIM?
  • Access Reviews validate whether users should continue to have access, while PIM controls temporary activation of privileged roles.

  • Can guest users be included in Access Reviews?
  • Yes, guest users can be reviewed to ensure external collaborators still require access to organizational resources.

  • Do Access Reviews require a license?
  • Yes, Access Reviews require Microsoft Entra ID Governance or Microsoft Entra ID Premium P2 licensing.

  • How often should Access Reviews be performed?
  • Access Reviews should be performed regularly based on organizational risk and compliance requirements, commonly monthly or quarterly.


Conclusion

Access Reviews are a critical component of Microsoft Entra ID Governance, helping organizations continuously validate user access and reduce unnecessary permissions. By implementing regular reviews, administrators can strengthen security, improve compliance, and maintain better control over access to organizational resources.

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