Merge pull request #313362 from MutemwaRMasheke/March2026

March2026 - Agent Release Notes

Author: JamesJBarnett

articles/governance/machine-configuration/toc.yml

@@ -19,8 +19,14 @@ items:
 
 - name: What's new in Machine Configuration
   items:
-    - name: What's new in the agent
-      href: ./whats-new/agent.md
+    - name: What's new in the Azure machine configuration agent
+      items:
+      - name: Overview
+        href: ./whats-new/agent/index.md
+      - name: Windows agent release notes
+        href: ./whats-new/agent/windows.md
+      - name: Linux agent release notes
+        href: ./whats-new/agent/linux.md
     # Planned, not yet written
     # - name: What's new in the service
     #   href: ./whats-new/service.md

articles/governance/machine-configuration/whats-new/agent.md

@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+---
+title: Azure machine configuration agent release notes overview
+description: >-
+  Overview of the guest configuration agent release notes, issues, and frequently asked questions.
+ms.date:  04/13/2026
+ms.topic: release-notes
+---
+
+# Azure machine configuration agent release notes overview
+
+The machine configuration agent receives improvements on an ongoing basis. To stay up to date with
+the most recent developments by platform, see the following articles:
+
+- [Azure machine configuration agent for Linux release notes][01]
+  (`Microsoft.GuestConfiguration.ConfigurationforWindows`)
+- [Azure machine configuration agent for Windows release notes][02]
+  (`Microsoft.GuestConfiguration.ConfigurationforLinux`)
+
+Each article provides you with information about:
+
+- The latest releases
+- Known issues
+- Bug fixes
+
+For information on release notes for the connected machine agent, see
+[What's new with the connected machine agent][03].
+
+## Release timeline
+
+The following table shows the releases for both platforms from most recent to oldest. Each entry
+includes a direct link to the relevant release for more information.
+
+| Platform |   Version    |  Release date  |                   Link                   |
+|:--------:|:------------:|:--------------:|:----------------------------------------:|
+|  Linux   | `1.26.104.0` |  January 2026  |  [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.104.0)  |
+| Windows  | `1.29.104.0` |  January 2026  | [Release notes](./windows.md#1.29.104.0) |
+|  Linux   | `1.26.101.0` | November 2025  |  [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.101.0)  |
+| Windows  | `1.29.101.0` | November 2025  | [Release notes](./windows.md#1.29.101.0) |
+|  Linux   | `1.26.93.0`  |   July 2025    |  [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.93.0)   |
+| Windows  | `1.29.98.0`  |   July 2025    | [Release notes](./windows.md#1.29.98.0)  |
+|  Linux   |  `1.26.87`   |   April 2025   |   [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.87)    |
+| Windows  | `1.29.92.0`  |   April 2025   | [Release notes](./windows.md#1.29.92.0)  |
+|  Linux   |  `1.26.85`   |   March 2025   |   [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.85)    |
+| Windows  | `1.29.91.0`  |   March 2025   | [Release notes](./windows.md#1.29.91.0)  |
+|  Linux   |  `1.26.80`   |  January 2025  |   [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.80)    |
+| Windows  | `1.29.86.0`  |  January 2025  | [Release notes](./windows.md#1.29.86.0)  |
+|  Linux   |  `1.26.79`   |  October 2024  |   [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.79)    |
+| Windows  | `1.29.85.0`  |  October 2024  | [Release notes](./windows.md#1.29.85.0)  |
+|  Linux   |  `1.26.77`   | September 2024 |   [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.77)    |
+|  Linux   |  `1.26.76`   | September 2024 |   [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.76)    |
+| Windows  | `1.29.82.0`  | September 2024 | [Release notes](./windows.md#1.29.82.0)  |
+|  Linux   |  `1.26.47`   |  January 2023  |   [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.76)    |
+|  Linux   |  `1.26.38`   |       -        |   [Release notes](./linux.md#1.26.76)    |
+
+## Next steps
+
+- Set up a custom machine configuration package [development environment][04].
+- [Create a package artifact][05] for machine configuration.
+- [Test the package artifact][06] from your development environment.
+- Use the `GuestConfiguration` module to [create an Azure Policy definition][07] for at-scale
+  management of your environment.
+- [Assign your custom policy definition][08] using Azure portal.
+- Learn how to view [compliance details for machine configuration][09] policy assignments.
+
+<!-- Reference link definitions -->
+[01]: ./windows.md
+[02]: ./linux.md
+[03]: /azure/azure-arc/servers/agent-release-notes
+[04]: ../../how-to/develop-custom-package/1-set-up-authoring-environment.md
+[05]: ../../how-to/develop-custom-package/2-create-package.md
+[06]: ../../how-to/develop-custom-package/3-test-package.md
+[07]: ../../how-to/create-policy-definition.md
+[08]: ../../../policy/assign-policy-portal.md
+[09]: ../../../policy/how-to/determine-non-compliance.md