Classic Teams: Microsoft points to an imminent end

Microsoft has announced the end of the availability of the "classic Teams" client. IT managers in company networks should take action. Otherwise, users will no longer be able to participate in Teams meetings.

Microsoft has provided information about this in the Microsoft 365 Message Center. "The classic Microsoft Teams client will no longer be available for macOS and Windows from July 1, 2025. Users will need to upgrade to the new Teams or Teams on the web to avoid disruption," the company writes there.

Users of the classic Teams will be locked out

From July 1, 2025, users of the classic Teams client will be blocked from using the client; Microsoft refers to this as a "block". The message that appears cannot be clicked away by those affected, and the classic Teams desktop app cannot be used.

IT managers should therefore ensure before this date that the Teams clients on the computers of users in the network are up-to-date so that they can be used after July 1. Microsoft provides a script that can be used to detect problematic computers or installations. The script also recognizes devices that use an unsupported operating system for the installation of the new Teams client.

The Redmond-based company also provides a guide, in which it lists the options for upgrading to "New Teams" and specifies some requirements. There are also system requirements for the new Teams on Macs. Of course, there are also specific prerequisites to be met for Windows.

Microsoft will soon be introducing a function in the new Teams client that will prevent screenshots of Teams sessions from being taken. This serves to protect privacy, for example. However, such programmatic solutions are not a serious hurdle. External devices such as smartphones can still be used to take photos of the screen or capture the entire screen output using capture cards. This function therefore raised more questions on the weekend.

(dmk)