Microsoft is enhancing the functionality of Teams by introducing a new feature that allows meeting participants to select their own breakout rooms. This update, part of the Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 121269, will be available on Teams for Windows, Mac, and the web. The rollout begins in early October 2024 and should be completed by late November 2024. Notably, this feature will be enabled by default, requiring no administrative action before its deployment. However, meeting organizers are encouraged to inform users and update any relevant documentation to ensure a smooth transition.

The new feature will enable meeting organizers to make the list of breakout rooms visible to all participants. Instead of participants being assigned to a room, they will be allowed to choose which room to join. This setting will facilitate easier movement between rooms, thereby simplifying the coordination of breakout sessions for both organizers and participants. This update applies to Teams for Windows, Mac, and the web, ensuring broad accessibility.

Before this update, only meeting organizers could assign participants to breakout rooms, and participants were unable to move between rooms. Post-rollout, participants will have the flexibility to select their breakout rooms if the organizer enables this option during the meeting setup. Organizers can find this new feature under the breakout rooms panel when configuring breakout rooms.

The rollout will occur in phases. The targeted release will begin in early October 2024 and is expected to be completed by mid-October 2024. General availability for worldwide users and GCC (Government Community Cloud) will start in mid-October 2024 and conclude by late October 2024. For GCC High and DoD (Department of Defense) users, the rollout will commence in early November 2024 and finish by late November 2024.

Timeframe & Next Steps

This feature will be automatically available to all meeting participants on the affected platforms if enabled by the meeting organizers. No administrative action is required before the rollout, but it is advisable to notify users about this change and update any relevant documentation to ensure everyone is prepared for the new functionality.

This upcoming feature in Microsoft Teams will significantly enhance the user experience by providing greater flexibility and ease of coordination during meetings. The phased rollout ensures a smooth transition, and the default enablement of the feature means minimal disruption for users. Meeting organizers should take proactive steps to inform their teams and update documentation to fully leverage this new capability.

This new feature in Microsoft Teams will significantly improve the user experience by providing greater autonomy and ease of movement during meetings. Meeting organizers should inform their teams and update documentation to fully leverage this enhanced capability.