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Microsoft will retire the ‘Together Mode’ feature in Teams from June 30, 2026. This will be the end of a crucial feature that became popular during the pandemic-driven remote-work surge.
The company said it will now focus on improving the Gallery view experience in Teams meetings. Microsoft believes the newer layout offers better performance, stability and participant visibility without requiring a separate meeting mode.
Microsoft introduced Together Mode in 2020 when work-from-home and online classes became common during the COVID-19 pandemic. The feature used AI to place meeting participants inside a shared virtual setting such as an auditorium or conference room.
At the time, Microsoft said the feature could reduce video meeting fatigue by making conversations feel more natural. Teams later added multiple virtual scenes, including classrooms and cafés.
In a Microsoft 365 Insider update, the company said maintaining different meeting layouts increased product complexity. Microsoft added that focusing on a single layout system would help streamline the Teams’ experience and improve meeting quality.
The tech giant is now prioritising the modern Gallery view, which can display up to 49 participants at once depending on screen size and device support.
The company said the updated Gallery layout now covers most use cases that Together Mode was designed for. Teams’ users will continue receiving features such as Spotlight, Pin and AI-powered meeting tools within the standard interface.
The retirement will also remove custom Together Mode scenes and seat assignment options used during virtual events and presentations.
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Microsoft confirmed there will be no admin settings or policy to keep Together Mode active after the feature is removed in 2026. Organizations have been advised to update internal training documents and meeting guides before the change takes effect.
The move reflects a wider shift in workplace collaboration software. During the pandemic, companies experimented with features that recreated physical office environments online. Most platforms are now focusing on speed, reliability, and simpler meeting experiences.
Online reactions to the announcement suggest many users had already stopped using Together Mode regularly. While the feature attracted attention during the early remote work phase, it gradually became less common in day-to-day meetings as Teams evolved.
