Microsoft Teams will soon automatically label external third-party bots in meeting lobbies, requiring organizers to explicitly admit them so bots cannot be inadvertently accepted alongside human attendees. The change, due to roll out in May 2026 across Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and GCC clouds, complements Teams’ other safety features such as call reporting, fraud-protection warnings and blocking external users via the Microsoft Defender portal. #MicrosoftTeams #DefenderPortal
Keypoints
- Teams will label external third-party bots waiting in the meeting lobby.
- Organizers must explicitly admit bots before they can join a meeting.
- The feature is in development and scheduled to roll out in May 2026 across Windows, macOS, Android and iOS for standard multi-tenant and GCC clouds.
- Labelling helps prevent malicious apps or automated agents from joining meetings unnoticed.
- This update complements other protections like call reporting, impersonation warnings, and blocking external users via the Defender portal.