Microsoft Teams: Chat with anyone with an email address

• https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-365/roadmap?filters=&searchterms=513271
• https://learn.microsoft.com/microsoftteams/chat-with-people-not-using-teams
• https://learn.microsoft.com/powershell/module/microsoftteams/set-csteamsmessagingpolicy?view=teams-ps#-useb2binvitestoaddexternalusers

1. 8 May 2026

   Updated February 4,May 8, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank youare not releasing this feature at this time. We apologize for your patience.any inconvenience this may cause. Introduction Teams users in tenants with open collaboration policies have long been … early November 2025 and was completed in mid-November 2025 General Availability (Worldwide): May 2026 (previously February) We are not releasing this feature at this time.  How this affects your organization: Who is affected: This capability is currently …

2. 4 Feb 2026

   Updated December 12, 2025:February 4, 2026: We have added additional content clarifying who is impacted by this feature.updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. Introduction Teams users in tenants with open … early November 2025 and was completed in mid-November 2025 General Availability (Worldwide): February 2026 May 2026 (previously February) How this affects your organization: Who is affected: This capability is currently …

3. 12 Dec 2025

   … feature. Thank you for your patience. Introduction Teams users in tenants with more open collaboration policies have long been able to start a chat with … recipients without a Teams account were previously asked to sign up for an account one before being able to collaborate. We're introducing a new capability in Microsoft Teams (forfor certain tenants) that allows these chat recipients without a Teams accounttenants (see ‘Who is affected’ below) that allows these recipients to receive an email invitation to join the chat session as a guest, enabling seamless communicationguest— no account needed, and collaboration. This means that Teams users can truly start a chat with anyone 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 … early November 2025 and was completed in mid-November 2025 General Availability (Worldwide): TBAFebruary 2026 How this affects your organization: Who is affected: Targeted Release: Only organizations that have Guest accessThis capability is currently available only to small and medium business customers enrolled in public preview with a Teams Essentials, Business Basic, Business Standard, or Business Premium license. It also only affects organizations with guest chat enabled and that do not restrictlimit guest collaboration to specific domains. Within these organizations, Microsoft TeamsOrganizations without users enrolled in public preview or without users with a Teams Essentials, Business Basic, Business Standard, or Business Premium license. General Availability (Worldwide): TBA these licenses may still see this post even if they are not affected. What will happen for those who are impacted: Recipients, who do not use Teams, of chats initiated by impacted usersaffected: After Teams users start a chat with someone who is not on Teams, the recipient will receive an email invitation inviting them to join chatsthe chat as guests. The chat experience will be governed by your organization’s Entra B2B Guest policy.a guest. Only Teams users in your organization can start the chat, as users without Teams accounts cannot initiate chats. Chats will remain within your organization’s boundary. This feature will be is enabled by default but can only will 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: Update internal documentation to reflect this …

4. 12 Dec 2025

   Updated November  December 12, 2025: We have added clarification for customersadditional content clarifying who is impacted by this feature and updated the content. feature. Thank you for your patience. Introduction We're introducing a new capability in Microsoft Teams that allows usersTeams users in tenants with more open collaboration policies have long been able to start a chat with anyone who has an email address—even if they’re not currently using Teams. The recipient willaddress. However, recipients without a Teams account were previously asked to sign up for an account before being able to collaborate. We're introducing a new capability in Microsoft Teams (for certain tenants) 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 anyone 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 will beis 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, iOS, Linux, and Mac … with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 513271. When this will happen: Targeted Release: Rollout will begin Rollout for users with the aforementioned licenses begun in early November 2025 and is expected to complete by was completed in mid-November 2025.2025 General Availability (Worldwide): Rollout will begin in January 2026. TBA How this affects your organization: Who is affected: AllTargeted Release: Only organizations that have Guest access chat enabled and do not restrict guest collaboration to specific domains. Within these organizations, Microsoft Teams users in your organization.with a Teams Essentials, Business Basic, Business Standard, or Business Premium license. General Availability (Worldwide): TBA What will happen: Users will be able to initiate chats with any external contact using their email address. Externalhappen for those who are impacted: Recipients, who do not use Teams, of chats initiated by impacted users will receive an email invitation and caninviting them to join the chat chats as guests. The chat experience will be governed by your organization’s Entra … will remain within your organization’s boundary. This feature will be enabled by default.default but can only be used if your Guest Access policies allow. It will not override any existing Teams Admin Center policies. What you can do to prepare: Update internal documentation to reflect this …

5. 14 Nov 2025

   Updated November 7,12, 2025: We have added clarification for customers impacted by this feature.feature and updated the content. Thank you for your patience. Introduction We're introducing a new capability in … reflect this new capability. Inform helpdesk and support teams about the change. Review the documentation here: Chat with anyone not using Teams - Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Learn To disable the feature, set the UseB2BInvitesToAddExternalUsers attribute of TeamsMessagingPolicy to false. …

6. 7 Nov 2025
   • Tags New feature, User impact, Admin impact → Updated message, New feature, User impact, Admin impact

   Updated November 7, 2025: We have added clarification for customers impacted by this feature. Thank you for your patience. Introduction We're introducing a new capability in Microsoft Teams that allows users … and collaboration. This update simplifies external engagement and supports flexible work scenarios. This capability will be available to small and medium business customers with a Teams Essentials, Business Basic, Business Standard, or Business Premium license. This feature will be available across Android, Desktop, iOS, Linux, and Mac …

7. 31 Oct 2025 · first version seen

The notice links to no Microsoft Learn or Support page that this installation reads.

No related evidence found in this installation's recent collection. This does not establish that no announcement exists.

• Whether your tenant is affected: this is Microsoft's notice, not a check of your settings.