Retirement of Together Mode
Microsoft has announced it will retire the Together Mode meeting view in Microsoft Teams, bringing an end to one of the platform’s most recognizable features introduced during the early surge in remote work. The company states that the rollout will begin in early June 2026, with full removal expected by late June 2026 across all Teams environments, including Worldwide, GCC, GCC High, and DoD clouds.
What Was Together Mode?
Launched in 2020, Together Mode was designed to reduce virtual meeting fatigue by placing participants into a shared virtual setting—such as an auditorium or café—using AI-based image segmentation. Instead of displaying attendees in a grid of separate video tiles, it created the impression that everyone was in the same room, making meetings feel more interactive and engaging.
What’s Changing?
With this update:
- The Together mode option will be removed from the meeting “View” menu.
- Custom Together mode scenes and seat arrangements will no longer be supported.
- Gallery view will remain the default layout for multi-participant meetings in Teams.
There will be no administrative option or policy to retain or re-enable Together mode after its removal.
Microsoft explained that retiring Together mode will allow the company to focus its development efforts on improving the Gallery experience, which is the most widely used and consistently supported layout across desktop, web, and mobile platforms.
Impact on Users and Organizations
For most users, the change will have limited impact, as Together mode was not commonly used on a daily basis. However, teams that relied on it, especially those using customized or branded scenes—may feel its loss. Microsoft advises organizations to:
- Inform users who frequently used Together Mode.
- Update internal documentation and training resources.
- Recommend alternatives such as Gallery, Pin, Spotlight, or Large Gallery views.
- Prepare support teams to handle potential user inquiries.
Teams Meetings as a Reference in Copilot Notebooks
Microsoft has expanded Copilot Notebooks by enabling Microsoft Teams meetings to be used as reference sources, bringing meeting intelligence directly into AI-powered workflows.
With this enhancement, users can draw from:
- Meeting transcripts.
- Meeting chat.
- Notes and summaries.
- Files shared during meetings.
Copilot leverages this context to produce grounded summaries, briefs, and action items—rooted in actual discussions rather than static documents alone.
Why it matters
Since most decisions are made in meetings, integrating them into Copilot Notebooks helps teams retain critical context, minimize follow-up confusion, and generate more accurate AI-driven outputs.
Security and availability
This feature:
- Honors existing Teams permissions and governance policies.
- Requires no additional admin setup.
- Is available to Microsoft 365 Copilot (Premium) users.
General availability will begin rolling out in mid-May 2026.
In essence, Copilot Notebooks now transform meetings into reusable knowledge, making AI outputs more informed and work more seamlessly connected.
Teams Phone Call Transfer Improvements
Microsoft is improving the call transfer experience in Teams Phone to make it faster, easier, and more intuitive for everyday users. The goal is to reduce friction during transfers and help users connect callers to the right person more efficiently.
What’s changing?
On the Teams desktop app (Windows and Mac):
- Transfer and Consult transfer are now separate, one-click buttons directly in the call controls, rather than being tucked away in a menu.
- Teams will suggest transfer recipients based on recent activity, minimizing the need to search for contacts.
- Blind transfer is now the default option, enabling immediate call handoffs, while a “Ring back” option remains available for more controlled transfers.
Why it matters
For receptionists, support staff, and frequent call handlers, these updates bring:
- Fewer clicks during active calls.
- Faster and smoother call transfers.
- Less time spent locating contacts.
Overall, call management becomes more streamlined and efficient, particularly in high-call-volume scenarios.
Rollout and readiness
The update will begin rolling out in June 2026 and does not require any admin setup. Microsoft recommends notifying users in advance and preparing support teams for minor workflow adjustments.
In short, Teams Phone transfers are becoming quicker, smarter, and easier, helping users focus more on conversations and less on navigating call controls.
Our Microsoft office 365 Implementation services experts are here to support you with these new Microsoft Teams changes and enhancements.