Microsoft Teams
The latest Microsoft Teams coverage — news, analysis, and updates from the WindowsNews.AI desk.
Microphone Testing in 2026: Why Old Windows Tricks No Longer Work and What to Do Instead
Microphone testing has changed on Windows and other platforms in 2026. Outdated tools like Skype Echo and Cortana are gone, replaced by built-in sound tests and Voice Access. This guide explains the new layered approach to troubleshooting mic issues across devices, apps, and browsers, with practical steps for home users and IT admins.
Ubuntu Gets Certified for Lightbits NVMe/TCP Storage: A Step Toward Standardized Enterprise Infrastructure
Lightbits Labs has officially certified its NVMe over TCP software-defined block storage platform for Ubuntu, enabling enterprises to deploy high-performance, disaggregated storage clusters on the widely used Linux distribution. The move simplifies infrastructure standardization, aligns storage with cloud-native environments, and eliminates the need for a separate OS just to satisfy vendor support requirements. IT teams must still validate compatibility matrices, test workloads, and implement rigorous network and resilience planning.
Microsoft Teams Outage Paralyzes Meetings and Calls Across Australia, Asia-Pacific on Friday
On Friday, July 24, 2026, a Microsoft Teams outage hit the Asia-Pacific region, preventing users in Australia and neighboring countries from joining meetings or making calls during peak hours. The partial service disruption, which left chat functional but broke real-time communication, highlighted the risks of deep platform dependency and the need for robust business continuity planning.
Microsoft to Overhaul Viva Engage Feeds with Triage and Full-Review Capabilities in 2026
Microsoft’s Viva Engage is set to receive a significant feed upgrade by September 2026, introducing a refined default browsing experience alongside a new triage and full-review capability for readers who need to see every message. The change aims to serve both casual community members and those responsible for moderation, support, or comprehensive oversight.
Microsoft Scraps Teams’ Inline @Search Feature for Files and Chats Before Launch
Microsoft has cancelled its planned inline search feature for Teams, which would have let users @-search for files, chats, and meetings directly from the compose box. The feature, Roadmap ID 564612, was set for September 2026 but was scrapped in July 2026. Teams users and admins must rely on existing sharing and search methods while awaiting future improvements.
SharePoint Newsrooms Will Soon Track Campaign Performance with Native Analytics
Microsoft plans to release a feature in August 2026 that allows Viva Amplify-licensed users to group SharePoint news posts into campaigns and analyze their collective performance directly within SharePoint. This lighter-weight option aims to reduce context switching for communicators and make campaign-level analytics more accessible, though it requires disciplined governance to avoid campaign sprawl.
Microsoft Excel’s Big Reboot: A Practical Guide for Windows Users Who’ve Been Away
Microsoft Excel has transformed with dynamic arrays, XLOOKUP, Python, and AI-powered formula assistance. This practical guide for returning Windows users explains what changed, what it means for home users, power users, and IT pros, and how to start using the new features without breaking existing workflows.
Why Your Teams ‘Schedule Meeting’ Button Is Missing—and What to Use Instead
Microsoft’s retirement of classic Teams, live events, and meeting registration has left many users searching for missing schedule buttons. This analysis explains what changed, why the Teams scheduling experience now depends on your account type and calendar, and provides clear, practical guidance for work, school, personal, and Google Workspace users to schedule meetings without frustration.
Outlook’s Out-of-Office Maze: Your Account Type Decides Everything
Setting an out-of-office reply in Outlook depends entirely on your email account type and which version of Outlook you use—the feature can be under five different menus, or missing altogether. This article explains why the fragmentation happened, how it affects home users, business users, and admins, and provides a clear decision framework to get automatic replies working reliably.
Microsoft 365 Outage Leaves IT Admins Blind as Admin Center, Teams, OneDrive Falter
A regional network-path outage hit Microsoft 365 on July 23, 2026, disrupting Teams, OneDrive, SharePoint, Power Automate, Loop, Copilot Chat, and especially the admin center. Microsoft is actively redirecting traffic. This article explains what broke, why it cascaded, and what users and admins should do while recovery proceeds—including avoiding unnecessary PC troubleshooting, activating alternate communication, and preparing to audit automations after service resumes.
Microsoft Gave Outlook Its Own Browser Setting—Here’s How to Take Control
Microsoft Outlook now has its own link-opening preference that can override your Windows default browser. Users whose links open in Edge rather than Chrome, Firefox, or another chosen browser can fix the issue by flipping a single setting in Outlook—while also ensuring their system default is correctly configured. This article explains the dual-layer control system, offers practical steps for each Outlook version, and clarifies when disabled links are a security feature, not a browser bug.
Why Office 2019 for Mac Just Stopped Editing Documents—and Your Best Replacement Options
On July 13, 2026, Office 2019 for Mac permanently lost editing capabilities due to an expired licensing certificate. The suite now only opens, views, and prints files—users must migrate to Microsoft 365, Office 2024, or a web-based alternative. This article explains what happened, who is affected, and how to regain full document editing without falling for risky cheap keys.
Microsoft Publisher Fades Away on October 1, 2026: A No-Panic Migration Guide
Microsoft Publisher will be removed from Microsoft 365 on October 1, 2026. This guide explains the timeline, who's affected, and provides a step-by-step plan to preserve your .pub files and select a suitable replacement—from PowerPoint to professional layout apps.