Published Sep 12, 2024
Microsoft Teams is introducing a block user feature allowing admins to prevent malicious users from contacting the organization again. This feature, associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 411138, will roll out in mid-January 2025 and be completed by late January 2025. Admins need to turn on this feature and configure the block list in external access settings.
Updated November 20, 2024: We have updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.
The availability of the delete API (removeallaccessforuser API) does not stop a malicious user from resending a Microsoft Teams message to the same victim. To help prevent that, a block user feature will allow the admin to block the malicious user from reaching out again. To make this possible, we will use a similar feature as the allow/block list in federation identity credentials to block the malicious user from the entire organization.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 411138.
When this will happen:
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out mid-January 2025 (previously early December) and expect to complete by late January 2025 (previously mid-December).
How this will affect your organization:
Admins can now set up a list of users that are blocked from collaborating with their organization. If a user is added to the block list, your organization will not be able to have 1:1 and group chats with these users. If chats already exist before a user is added to the block list, the blocked user will be removed from the chat.
This feature is turned off by default.
What you need to do to prepare:
If you wish to use this feature, navigate to external access organization settings to turn this feature on and add users to the block list.