Microsoft has announced it will retire the “Together mode” feature in Microsoft Teams, marking a shift toward simplified meeting layouts designed to improve performance, usability, and consistency across devices.
The change, confirmed by Microsoft Product Manager Katarina Tranker in the Microsoft 365 Insider blog, will take effect starting June 30, 2026.
Together mode, introduced during the pandemic to simulate a shared virtual environment, allowed participants to appear seated in a common background such as an auditorium.
While the feature gained popularity for virtual engagement, Microsoft now says improvements in the modern Gallery view have replaced its core purpose.
The updated Gallery view can display up to 49 participants simultaneously and dynamically adjusts video tiles based on device performance and network conditions. This eliminates the need for multiple layout options while maintaining visibility of key participants.
Microsoft stated that reducing layout complexity will help streamline the user experience and ensure consistent functionality across desktop, mobile, web, and Teams Rooms environments.
The retirement of Together mode brings several UI and feature-level changes across Microsoft Teams:
These changes will be rolled out gradually through Microsoft’s standard deployment process, with preview users receiving early access.
From a technical perspective, removing Together mode reduces rendering complexity and backend processing overhead. Microsoft noted that consolidating meeting layouts enables better allocation of system resources, which can enhance:
Although not a security feature in itself, simplifying the Teams architecture can reduce potential attack surfaces associated with complex UI rendering pipelines and custom scene processing.
Additionally, Microsoft plans to reinvest freed-up resources into advanced video enhancements such as super-resolution, noise suppression, and improved color accuracy, features that may indirectly support secure and reliable communications in enterprise environments.
Microsoft acknowledged that offering multiple layout options, Gallery, Large Gallery, Together mode, and dynamic views, created unnecessary complexity for users and developers alike.
Key reasons for the change include:
By consolidating into a single adaptive layout, Microsoft aims to deliver a more predictable and optimized meeting experience.
To maintain engagement in meetings without Together mode, Microsoft recommends leveraging existing tools within the Gallery view:
Administrators can manage and deploy branded backgrounds through the Teams Admin Center to ensure consistency across enterprise meetings.
The feature retirement will begin rolling out on June 30, 2026, in line with Microsoft’s phased deployment strategy. Users in Targeted Release and Public Preview channels may experience the changes earlier.
Organizations are advised to monitor the Microsoft 365 Message Center for platform-specific rollout timelines and prepare users for the transition away from Together mode.
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