Microsoft has announced a series of updates for Microsoft 365, with several changes rolling out in early 2026 and more expected later in the year.
One of the key updates is the automatic switch from classic Outlook to the new Outlook for Windows. The company states that this change will bring “a more modern Outlook experience, with updated design, improved performance and new features such as message pinning, snoozing and enhanced customization.” Users will be notified ahead of time within Outlook before the transition occurs and can opt to revert to classic Outlook if they prefer.
Starting in February, Microsoft Teams on mobile devices will allow users to choose how links open when tapped in chats or channels. Links can be opened either in the device’s default web browser or within Teams’ own in-app browser. According to Microsoft, “This update gives you more flexibility when viewing shared content on your phone or tablet, especially if you prefer using saved passwords, bookmarks or accessibility features already set up in your browser.” This setting can be changed at any time through the Teams mobile app settings.
Teams is also expanding its private channel capabilities. The limit on private channels per team will increase from 30 to 1,000 total channels. Private channel membership limits are being raised from 250 to 5,000 members. Additionally, meetings can now be scheduled directly within private channels. Microsoft notes that these enhancements are designed “for large projects, departments or cross-functional groups that need focused conversations and meetings within a team.”
A major update for Microsoft Planner is scheduled for early 2026. New features include task chat for basic plans, custom templates for reusable plan layouts and broader availability across user groups. At the same time, some existing features will be retired: task comments will be replaced by task chat; the whiteboard tab for premium plans will be removed; and integrations with Viva Goals, iCalendar feeds and Loop components will no longer be supported. During this rollout period certain functionalities like converting a basic plan to a premium plan may not be available temporarily.
In mid-February, Teams users will gain the ability to create, save and reuse custom templates for immersive events via the Teams Meet app. These immersive events occur in virtual 3D spaces where participants interact as avatars. Event organizers can design environments once and share them as templates with collaborators.
The Microsoft Lens mobile app for iOS and Android is being retired in early 2026. It will no longer appear on app stores after February 9th; scanning functionality ends March 9th. Existing scans remain accessible but creating new scans won’t be possible after that date. Users are encouraged to use OneDrive’s scan feature instead.
Outlook on the Web is introducing an updated People Hub featuring a refreshed multi-column layout along with faster contact search capabilities. This upgrade offers unified views of contacts by automatically linking duplicates and enhancing details using organizational profile information when available.
Microsoft says these updates aim to improve collaboration tools’ usability while streamlining planning processes across its productivity suite.
