Discover New Features and Achieve More in Microsoft 365

Microsoft is adding a new Shared tab in Teams Chat. After the rollout, the Files tab will be named Shared. You can see files and links sent in a chat, in a new, richer format using the new Shared tab. Channels are not affected by this change. This message applies to Teams for Desktop and for Mac.  

After the rollout, the new Shared tab will include recent files, all files, and links.  

• Coming soon after the rollout:  
• Image previews for links  
• Keyword search to find content easily  

The next version will include Media links (images, videos, GIFs, etc.) in this section.

WHEN:  Rollout will be completed by the end of September.  

In Teams Chat, users will soon be able to turn off or turn on notifications for a post in a channel. Currently notifications settings are available only at the channel level; this new functionality will enable you to set them on a post-by-post basis. This feature applies to Teams on Desktop and Mac.  

HOW: Click on the ellipse (…) after the reaction buttons at the top of the post and choose “Turn Off Notifications.” 

WHEN: This feature was rolled out in August.  

With skin tone settings and reactions in Microsoft Teams, users will be able to set a preferred skin tone for relevant emojis and reactions.. The skin tone rollout will apply to emojis and reactions in chats, channels, and meetings on all Teams platforms.   

HOW: Each user can change their own skin tone setting in the Teams app Settings > Appearance and accessibility menu or in the emoji/reaction menu on Desktop or web 

WHEN: This feature will be rolled out by the end of October.  

Town hall and webinar organizers using Microsoft Teams will be able to download a CSV file of questions and answers posted in Teams Q&A by town hall or webinar attendees. 

HOW: After concluding a town hall or webinar, organizers can go to the Reports section of their Teams town hall or webinar invitation and download the Q&A report.  

WHEN: Rollout will be completed by the end of September.  

Team owners will be able to rename the general channel to a name that better reflects the purpose of the channel for everyone in the team, helping you navigate your channel list with greater ease.  

HOW: Click on the ellipse (…) after the channel name and choose “Rename Channel.” 

WHEN: Rollout will be completed by the end of September.  

Changes we are currently making to email and storage services in response to changes in Microsoft's pricing model will include deleting inactive accounts. Once an account is no longer active the following deletion schedule will apply. The deletion of the account would purge all data (email, email archive, OneDrive files, and other related storage data) held within that account. With the exception of any accounts on litigation hold or required to be preserved for other reasons. 

The following account types would be deleted 5 years after separation:  

• Faculty, Staff, Retiree, Student Employee  
• Guest  
• Non-human accounts, i.e. Organizational accounts (Shared Mailboxes)  

The following account types would be deleted 2 years after separation:  

• Graduated Students who graduated starting May 2024  
• Other Students (those that do not graduate or have withdrawn)  

WHEN: This process is already underway.

Mobile office applications are supported on the two most recent versions of iOS, iPadOS and watchOS. That means the apps operate fully in the current version and of iOS, iPadOS and watchOS. Each time a new version is released, the oldest version is no longer supported. 

When iOS 18 is released, Microsoft will update the minimum system requirements for mobile office apps are no longer guaranteed to work on iOS 17, and will instead require iOS 17 or iOS 18.  Likewise, Microsoft will retire support for iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9; the only supported versions will be iPadOS 17 and 18 and watchOS 10 and 11 for iPad and Apple Watch, respectively.  

Microsoft is retiring the OneNote for Windows 10 app. The recommended alternative is the OneNote app that is part of the Microsoft 365 applications.  

HOW: Microsoft has posted additional information on What is happening to OneNote for Windows 10.  

WHEN: OneNote for Windows 10 will be retired by the end of October.  

Microsoft is retiring the Dictation feature of Outlook mobile. The recommended alternative is to use the system microphone while working in the app. The dictation option in the compose toolbar was a duplication of this functionality. 

WHEN: Rollout will be completed by the end of September.  

The Acronyms feature in Microsoft Word will retire in September. After that date, users will not be able to access the feature from the References tab on the ribbon or from the Acronyms section in the Editor pane on the right of the screen. This message applies to Word for Windows and on the web.  

WHEN: The Acronyms feature will be retired on September 11, 2024. 

The Delve application is retiring in December 2024. Most of the features and value offered by Delve today are already available and improved in other Microsoft 365 apps. The main one being Profile Cards, which are available in Outlook and Teams.   

HOW TO: Here is a list of features offered in Delve and the experiences we recommend using instead:  

• Delve Home: You can discover relevant documents recommended on Office.com, in Office apps and in Profile Cards.  
• Delve Profile: You can view profile data in the Profile Cards cross M365, through people in search on Office.com and search in SharePoint.  
• Edit profile: A new edit profile experience is tightly coupled with Profile Cards, which are currently under development, with release expected by the end of the year. It is also possible for users to edit their profile data in the SharePoint profile edit experience (editprofile.aspx).  
• Organizational View: This view exists in the Profile Card and as a dedicated experience in Org Explorer  
• Favorites: Favorites on Office.com and OneDrive is not connected to Delve and is a good alternative for users with similar functionality and improved availability.  
• Boards: will not be replaced.  

WHEN: The Delve application is retiring on December 16, 2024. 

Retirement of Outlook Microsoft 365 Groups Connectors  

Microsoft will be retiring the Microsoft 365 Groups connectors in Outlook feature.  This functionality is being replaced by Microsoft Power Automate app.  Details are available on Microsoft's site under Connect apps to your groups in Outlook.  

HOW: Check to see if you are using a connector: 

1. Access Microsoft 365 Groups Settings in Outlook on the Web  
2. Select Connectors from the menu  
3. Locate or search for the required connector 

WHEN: The Connectors feature will be retired on September 5, 2024.

Microsoft will be retiring the Microsoft Office 365 connectors feature in Microsoft Teams, also referred to as Teams Channel Connectors.  This functionality is being replaced by the new Workflows app in Teams.  Microsoft has updated the timeline based on feedback and potential negative impact this change may cause people.  While the deadline has been extended there are additional steps you must take for your connectors to continue working.  The steps are due to further service hardening updates being implemented for Office 365 connectors in alignment with Microsoft’s Secure Future Initiative. Updated details are available on Microsoft's site under Retirement of Office 365 connectors within Microsoft Teams.  

HOW: Check to see if you are using a connector: 

1. Go to the team or channel you would like to check  
2. Open the More Options menu from the upper right corner of a channel  
3. Select Connectors from the menu  
4. Locate or search for the required connector.   
    

WHEN:   

• Wave 1 – Effective Thursday, Aug.15 users will only be able to create Connectors using the Workflows app in Microsoft Teams   
• Wave 2 - By Dec. 31 connector owners will be required to update the respective connector URLs.  If the URL has not been updated by Dec. 31, 2024 the connector will stop working. Additional details will be made available on the exact steps for the URL update later this fall.  
• Wave 3 – On Dec. 31 all connectors will stop working   

Currently when you share a link in Microsoft 365 from OneDrive or Teams, Set expiration date will let users set a date for a link to expire. After a user sets a date and the link expires, the link won't work, and the user will need to make a new link or reshare with people so they can continue to access the file. With this update, users can also set an expiration on for links for People in your organization and People you choose.  

WHEN: Microsoft completed rolling out this enhancement at the end of August 2024.  

The Copilot button that provides access to work and web chat for people signed in with a work or school account was retired beginning with version 128 of Edge mobile in late August 2024. Copilot and the corresponding settings were removed from the Edge mobile application. Instead Work and web chat will be available to people signed in with a work or school account through the Microsoft 365 Copilot mobile application.  

WHEN: This feature was retired at the end of August 2024.  

A new Scheduled Prompts feature that allows users to automate Copilot for Microsoft 365 prompts to run at set times and frequencies in Microsoft Teams, Office.com/chat, and Microsoft Outlook for the web and Desktop.  

HOW: A Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 license and a Standard Microsoft Power Automate license are required to use this feature. Users can find the Scheduled Prompts feature by hovering over a prompt they have submitted to Copilot. When a user selects the Save and activate button to confirm the scheduled prompt, a user's prompt information will be sent to the Power Automate and Power Platform system.  

WHEN: Rollout will be completed by the end of October.