Microsoft Teams: Chat with any email addresses is coming
Microsoft introduces a feature in Teams that allows users to start chats with external parties via email address. It is initially intended for smaller companies.
(Image: El editorial/Shutterstock)
Microsoft is planning a new feature for MS Teams that will allow users to start chats with any email address in the future. The feature is expected to be introduced starting February 2026.
The “Chat with anyone via email” function enables external individuals without an existing Microsoft account to be directly invited to a chat via their email address. The guest user can then participate in the conversation via Teams Free or the web client. The function is available on desktop systems (Windows, macOS), in the web client, and on mobile platforms (iOS, Android).
Videos by heise
Administrators can disable feature
Initially, the new feature will only be usable with MS Teams Essentials, Business Basic, Business Standard, and Business Premium licenses. Whether and when it will be available for enterprise customers is still unclear. Administrators can disable the feature, which is enabled by default, via the Microsoft Teams Admin Center or PowerShell. The TeamsMessagingPolicy with the parameter UseB2BInvitesToAddExternalUsers, which can be set to false, is used for this purpose.
The new collaboration feature integrates with Microsoft's Entra B2B Guest Policy. This controls whether guests can be invited at all. If Guest Access is restricted in the tenant policies, the function will fail and the user will receive an error message. The chat data will remain stored in the initiating tenant.
The default activation still poses potential security risks. These include, for example, social engineering and phishing attacks via prepared links and uncontrolled outflow of company data. However, the new function is practical for helpdesks: support staff will be able to initiate chats with customers directly via email in the future, which could accelerate problem resolution and reduce email traffic.
Companies can test the function even before the official launch by activating Targeted Release in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center. Further information can be found in the Microsoft 365 Roadmap.
(fo)
