> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.archera.ai/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.archera.ai/help-center/azure-faq/exchange-eligibility-and-2027-policy-change.md).

# How Do Azure Reservation Exchanges Work, and What's Changing in February 2027?

## Does Exchange Eligibility Apply to Reservations, Savings Plans, or Both?

Exchanges are a feature of Azure Reservations only. Azure Savings Plans cannot be exchanged — this is a Microsoft platform limitation, not an Archera one. When Archera identifies an underperforming or underutilized commitment as a candidate for exchange, that candidate is always a native Reservation.

## Is Microsoft Changing Azure's Native Exchange Policy?

Yes. Starting **February 1, 2027**, Microsoft is [restricting native exchange eligibility](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/cost-management-billing/reservations/reservation-exchange-policy-changes) for Azure Reservations on services that are also covered by Azure Savings Plans (for example, Virtual Machines, App Service, and SQL Database). This change does not apply to reservations for services that Savings Plans don't cover, such as Azure VMware Solution.

* **Reservations purchased before February 1, 2027** keep the right to one final exchange. Once that exchange is used (or once you exchange after February 1, 2027), the resulting reservation is treated as a new, post-cutoff purchase and is no longer exchangeable.
* **Reservations purchased on or after February 1, 2027** aren't eligible for exchange at all, for services covered by Savings Plans. You can still cancel a reservation (subject to Azure's existing $50,000/12-month cancellation limit) or trade it in for a Savings Plan — trade-in is a separate mechanism from exchange and isn't affected by this change.

This applies equally to 1-year and 3-year terms.

## What does this mean for Archera?

<mark style="color:$danger;">**None of this affects Archera's money-back guarantee.**</mark>

Because the guarantee is not built on top of Microsoft's native exchange mechanism, it has nothing to depend on here — there is no shared plumbing, no shared eligibility rule, and no shared cutoff date. Whether a commitment has zero, one, or unlimited native exchanges remaining has no bearing on whether it's protected by Archera's guarantee. Your GRI's rebate protection continues to operate exactly the same way before and after February 1, 2027.

## Related Resources

* [Does Archera Rely on Azure Exchanges or Returns Policy?](/help-center/azure-faq/exchanges-returns-policy.md)
* [What does Azure RI 'Instance Size Flexibility' mean and how does it work?](/help-center/azure-faq/instance-size-flexibility.md)
* [Does Archera Support Reservations for Azure Storage Disks?](/help-center/azure-faq/storage-disks.md)
* [Azure Storage Recommendations Not Showing](/help-center/azure-faq/storage-recommendations.md)


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.archera.ai/help-center/azure-faq/exchange-eligibility-and-2027-policy-change.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.