(Updated) Microsoft Teams Rooms: Private chat for organizers and presenters in structured meetings and webinars

Updated September 30, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience. 

[Introduction]

We are introducing private chat in Teams Rooms on Windows for organizers, co‑organizers, and presenters in structured meetings and webinars. This update provides two chat options—one for private coordination among key participants and one for all attendees—helping event teams manage communications more effectively before, during, and after an event.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 557165.

[When this will happen]

General Availability (Worldwide and GCC): Rollout begins in early November 2026 (previously late October) and completes by late November 2026 (previously mid-November).

[How this affects your organization]

Who is affected

• Admins who manage Microsoft Teams meetings, webinars, and town halls
• Users in Teams Rooms on Windows who participate in structured meetings and events

What will happen

When a Teams Rooms on Windows device joins a structured meeting or webinar as an organizer, co‑organizer, or presenter:

• Everyone is shown by default (Figures 1 and 2):
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• Users will see two chat panels:
  • Event group (private chat for organizers and presenters)
  • Everyone (all presenters and attendees)
• Users can switch between chats using a new drop‑down chevron on the chat button.
• The feature allows presenters to coordinate privately without disrupting attendee chat.
• No changes are made to existing attendee chat behavior.
• This feature is enabled by default for Teams Rooms on Windows roles listed above.

[What you can do to prepare]

• Review your Teams meeting policies to confirm whether private chat is enabled for organizers and presenters.
• Communicate this change to helpdesk staff and event organizers.
• Update internal documentation that references chat behavior in Teams Rooms.
• Share Microsoft Learn resources for Teams Rooms as needed for training or troubleshooting.

Learn more: Host or attend an event from a Microsoft Teams Room (MTR) | Microsoft Support

[Compliance considerations]

No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.