Microsoft Teams is about to break one of its biggest boundaries. Soon, you’ll be able to start a chat with anyone who has an email address – even if they don’t use Teams or have a Microsoft account.
According to a recent update on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, the company is preparing to roll out a new feature that will make Teams far more accessible for communication outside of an organisation.
The update, expected to arrive in November 2025, will allow Teams users to send an invite link to anyone’s inbox.
Once the recipient clicks the link, they can instantly start chatting with the Teams user – no app installation, admin approval, or IT setup required.
In practice, this means Teams will work a lot more like a universal chat tool, not just an internal workplace app. It is similar in spirit to how Slack Connect or Google Chat’s external messaging features work, but Microsoft’s approach appears to be even simpler. There is no need to configure guest access, adjust permissions, or worry about security groups – users just send a link and start a conversation.
Simplifying Communication Across Boundaries
Microsoft has long allowed Teams users to invite external participants as guests to specific channels or meetings, but the process could be cumbersome, especially for one-off conversations. Admins often needed to enable guest access, and permissions were tightly controlled to maintain security within enterprise environments.
This new feature changes that dynamic completely. Instead of relying on IT or tenant-level setup, any Teams user will be able to initiate a one-on-one chat with anyone who has an email address. Once the external user accepts the invitation, they can exchange messages, share files, and even start calls directly in Teams – all without needing to sign up for the platform.
That represents a significant step toward making Teams more flexible and appealing beyond traditional enterprise users. It also aligns with Microsoft’s broader goal of positioning Teams as a central hub for both work and personal communication, blurring the line between professional collaboration tools and everyday messaging platforms.
More Features Coming in November
The ability to chat with anyone by email is not the only feature Microsoft has planned for Teams’ November update. The company is also adding several quality-of-life improvements designed to make the platform more intuitive and efficient.
One of these is a new search feature for the Teams Settings app (Feature ID: 512427). This will let users quickly find specific options or configurations instead of digging through multiple nested menus – a small but much-needed upgrade for power users and IT professionals alike.
Another useful addition is the option to open channels in separate windows, a feature that will help users manage multiple conversations or projects simultaneously without constant tab-switching.
For organizations using Teams Rooms on Windows, Microsoft is also introducing multi-camera view switching (Feature ID: 503104). This feature will allow presenters or meeting organizers to toggle between different camera angles during a meeting, improving engagement and offering more flexibility for hybrid collaboration setups.
As with many Microsoft 365 Roadmap features, there is one caveat – these timelines are subject to change. Microsoft has postponed or staggered releases before, particularly for major cross-platform updates. Still, if everything goes according to plan, November should be an especially busy month for Teams users across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
Teams’ Push Toward Universal Access
This upcoming feature highlights Microsoft’s ongoing mission to make Teams the default communication platform for everyone, not just enterprise workers. By removing the barrier of requiring a Microsoft account, the company is effectively positioning Teams as a universal chat client that could compete more directly with consumer apps such as WhatsApp, Messenger, or Gmail chat.
For everyday users, this could make Teams more relevant and easier to use in casual or cross-organizational contexts. For businesses, it could streamline communication with clients, freelancers, and partners who are outside the same Microsoft 365 environment.
Microsoft’s message is clear: Teams is not just for work anymore. And if the company’s roadmap holds steady, starting next month, anyone with an email address will be just one click away from chatting – Teams user or not.
