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MC1182004 - Microsoft Teams: Chat with anyone with an email address

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Metadata at latest

Message ID

MC1182004

View in Message Center

Last Updated

May 8, 2026

Published Oct 31, 2025

Service

Microsoft Teams

Tag

Major change
Updated message
New feature
User impact
Admin impact

Roadmap ID

513271

View roadmap details

Platforms

Android
Desktop
iOS
Mac
Web

Metadata changes

End date
Apr 30, 2026May 13, 2026
Platforms
Android, Desktop, iOS, Linux, MacAndroid, Desktop, iOS, Mac, Web

Body changes

removed textadded text

Updated December 12, 2025:May 8, 2026: We have added additional content clarifying who is impacted byare not releasing this feature. Thank youfeature at this time. We apologize for your patience.any inconvenience this may cause.

Introduction

Teams users in tenants with more open collaboration policies have long been able to start a chat with anyone who has an email address. However, recipients without a Teams account were previously asked to sign up for an accountone before being able to collaborate. We're introducing a new capability in Microsoft Teams (for for certain tenants)tenants (see ‘Who is affected’ below) that allows these chat recipients without a Teams account to receive an email invitation to join the chat session as a guest, enabling seamless communication and collaboration.

This means that Teams users can truly start a chat with anyoneguest— no account needed who has an email address—even if they’re not currently using Teams, and as long as it is allowed by the tenant’s existing policy configuration. This update simplifies external engagement and supports flexible work scenarios.

This capability is currently available only in public preview to a limited number of small and medium business customers with a Teams Essentials, Business Basic, Business Standard, or Business Premium license. Organizations without users enrolled in public preview or without users with these licenses may still see this communication to learn from customer feedback and interest.

This feature will be available across Android, Desktop,Windows, Mac, Web, iOS, Linux, and MacAndroid platforms.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 513271.

When this will happen:

  • Targeted Release: Rollout for users with the aforementioned licenses begun in early November 2025 and was completed in mid-November 2025
  • General Availability (Worldwide): TBAWe are not releasing this feature at this time. 

How this affects your organization:

Who is affected:

  • Targeted Release: Only organizations that have Guest access chat enabled

    This capability is currently available only to small and do not restrict guest collaboration to specific domains. Within these organizations, Microsoft Teams usersmedium business customers enrolled in public preview with a Teams Essentials, Business Basic, Business Standard, or Business Premium license.

  • General Availability (Worldwide): TBA
It also only affects organizations with guest chat enabled and that do not limit guest collaboration to specific domains. Organizations without users enrolled in public preview or without users with these licenses may still see this post even if they are not affected.

What will happen for those who are impacted:affected:

  • Recipients,After Teams users start a chat with someone who dois not useon Teams, of chats initiated by impacted usersthe recipient will receive an email invitation inviting them to join chatsthe chat as guests.
  • The chat experience will be governed bya guest. Only Teams users in your organization’s Entra B2B Guest policy.organization can start the chat, as users without Teams accounts cannot initiate chats.
  • Chats will remain within your organization’s boundary.
  • This feature will beis enabled by default but can onlywill be used ifgoverned by your organization’s Entra B2B Guest policies and Teams Admin Center Guest Access policies allow.policies. It will not override any existing Teams Admin Center policies.policy configurations.

What you can do to prepare:

Compliance considerations:

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.