Microsoft is unlocking the "Full Potential" of Private Channels in Microsoft Teams: What You Need to Know

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It has been a while since I posted something just about a Microsoft Teams update, as a lot have been Copilot in Teams to be honest. But here is a real Microsoft Teams update I think is worth knowing about, and it involves Security and Compliance as well. Microsoft is rolling out a "major" update to private channels in Teams, starting in late September 2025 and continuing through mid-December. This biggest change in this update is a shift in how private channel data is stored from individual user mailboxes to a dedicated channel mailbox. Not only will this simplifie compliance management, it will also and align private channels with shared channels, making governance and experience more consistent across Teams. This update promises to increase the support up to 1000 channels per team and 5000 members per channel, removing previous limitations. Teams will also allow meetings to be scheduled directly within private channels, enhancing collaboration.  For organizations using Micr...

The new Teams and an update on avatars

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The new Teams is rolling out in GA, and all users will start to see the "New Teams" toggle soon, if it's not already there. For now, users can choose to switch back and forth between the clients, but admins can control how this toggle behaves. With the "Teams Update Policy" it is possible to choose what the default mode should be, let Microsoft control when it shifts or disable the new client all together. I am guessing the old client will be disabled in the end, but here is the guide on how to control things for now.

Here is a heads-up on changes to Avatars in Teams. First of all, there will be a new license introduced to eligible users (MESH_AVATARS_FOR_TEAMS). This will be added to users with one of the following licenses: Teams Essentials, Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Microsoft 365 Business Standard, Microsoft 365 Business Premium, Microsoft 365 E3/E5, and Office 365 E1/E3/E5.
Also, please note that avatars will not be available to users not meeting the minimum hardware requirement of a CPU with 2 cores and 6GB ram. This is done to ensure the right experience.