Microsoft is making a change to Teams messaging safety that will affect all Teams users. On 12 January 2026, Microsoft will automatically enable additional messaging safety protections across all Teams tenants. This is happening automatically, so you don’t need to do anything, but it’s worth understanding what’s changing and how it might affect your team.
We’ve been reviewing what Microsoft is implementing, and it’s generally a good thing. These protections are designed to reduce phishing, malware, and other security threats that come through Teams messages. But there are some things you should know about how it works and what to expect.
Here’s what’s happening, why it matters, and what you might need to do about it.
What’s Changing
Microsoft is enabling additional messaging safety protections that will automatically scan Teams messages for potentially malicious content. This includes links, files, and other content that could be harmful. The system will check messages against known threats and suspicious patterns, then warn users or block content that appears dangerous.
This is similar to what email security systems do. You’ve probably seen warnings in Outlook when an email looks suspicious. Teams will now do something similar for messages, checking links before they’re clicked and scanning files before they’re opened.
The protections will apply to all Teams messages, including direct messages, group chats, and channel conversations. They’ll work automatically in the background, so users won’t need to do anything different. If a message is flagged, users will see a warning, and potentially dangerous content will be blocked.
Microsoft is doing this to improve security across Teams. Phishing and malware attacks through messaging platforms have been increasing, so these protections are designed to reduce the risk. It’s a proactive security measure that should help protect businesses from threats.
What This Means for Your Business
For most businesses, this change will be positive. You’ll get better protection against malicious content in Teams messages without having to configure anything. The protections work automatically, so you don’t need to set them up or manage them. Microsoft handles it all.
Your team might notice some differences. If someone sends a suspicious link or file, Teams might warn about it or block it. This is normal, and it’s the system working as intended. If legitimate content gets flagged, users can report it, and Microsoft will review it.
You might see some false positives. Security systems aren’t perfect, and sometimes legitimate content gets flagged as suspicious. If this happens, users can report it, and Microsoft will adjust. Over time, the system should get better at distinguishing between legitimate and malicious content.
And you should still maintain your own security practices. These protections are helpful, but they don’t replace good security habits. Your team should still be cautious about clicking links, opening files from unknown sources, and following security best practices. These protections are an additional layer, not a replacement for common sense.
What You Don’t Need to Do
You don’t need to configure anything. Microsoft is enabling these protections automatically, so there’s no setup required. They’ll just start working on 12 January 2026, and you don’t need to do anything to enable them.
You don’t need to change how your team uses Teams. The protections work in the background, so users can continue using Teams normally. If something is flagged, they’ll see a warning, but the overall experience should be the same.
And you don’t need to worry about compatibility. These protections are built into Teams, so they work with all Teams features and don’t require any additional software or configuration.
What You Should Do
Let your team know about the change. It’s worth telling people that Teams will be more proactive about security and that they might see warnings for suspicious content. This helps set expectations and reduces confusion if legitimate content gets flagged.
Review your Teams usage. If you have automated systems or bots that send messages through Teams, make sure they’re configured correctly. The new protections shouldn’t affect them, but it’s worth checking that everything still works as expected after the change.
Monitor for issues. After 12 January, keep an eye on whether legitimate content is being flagged incorrectly. If you see patterns of false positives, you can report them to Microsoft. Most businesses won’t have issues, but it’s worth being aware.
And continue following security best practices. These protections are helpful, but they’re not a replacement for good security habits. Train your team to be cautious, use strong passwords, enable multi-factor authentication, and follow other security best practices.
Why This Matters
Phishing and malware attacks through messaging platforms are a real threat. We’ve seen businesses affected by attacks that started with a malicious link or file in a Teams message. These protections should reduce that risk, which is good for everyone.
It’s also a sign that Microsoft is taking security seriously. They’re proactively adding protections rather than waiting for problems to occur. This is the right approach, and it should help protect businesses from threats.
For small businesses, automatic protections like this are valuable. You might not have dedicated security staff, so having Microsoft handle this automatically is helpful. It’s one less thing to worry about, and it provides protection you might not have otherwise.
But remember that no security system is perfect. These protections will catch many threats, but they won’t catch everything. You still need to be vigilant, train your team, and follow security best practices. These protections are a helpful addition, not a complete solution.
What to Expect
After 12 January 2026, Teams will automatically scan messages for potentially malicious content. If something looks suspicious, users will see a warning. If something is clearly dangerous, it will be blocked. This should happen seamlessly, without disrupting normal Teams usage.
Most businesses won’t notice much difference. The protections work in the background, and for most Teams conversations, nothing will change. You’ll only see warnings or blocks when something actually looks suspicious.
If you do see issues, Microsoft has processes for reporting false positives. If legitimate content gets flagged, you can report it, and Microsoft will review it. Over time, the system should improve and false positives should decrease.
Overall, this is a positive change. It provides better security without requiring any action from you, and it should help protect your business from threats. The automatic nature of it means you get the benefits without the complexity of managing it yourself.
Bottom Line
Microsoft is automatically enabling additional messaging safety protections in Teams on 12 January 2026. This is a good thing. It provides better security against phishing and malware without requiring any configuration or management from you.
You don’t need to do anything to enable it, but it’s worth letting your team know about the change. Most businesses won’t notice much difference, but you might see warnings for suspicious content, which is normal and expected.
These protections are helpful, but they don’t replace good security practices. Continue training your team, following security best practices, and being vigilant about threats. These protections are an additional layer of security, not a replacement for common sense.
If you have questions about how these protections work, or if you need help reviewing your Teams security settings, get in touch. We’ve been reviewing Microsoft’s changes and can help you understand what they mean for your business.