Microsoft Teams classic users will have more time to migrate to new versions of the productivity app due to Microsoft’s end-of-life date changes.
Microsoft originally planned to retire Classic Teams at the end of March 2024, after which it would automatically upgrade users from older versions to newer versions.
Going forward, Microsoft will give certain users “access to the classic Teams client” until early July 2024.
Specifically, users who “had issues migrating to the new Teams or don’t meet the upgrade prerequisites” will be able to take advantage of the extended deadline.
“This gives administrators more time to address any issues that arise during this process,” Microsoft said in an update.
Microsoft also cited “scheduling concerns” as the reason for the decision.
This is a reference to the backlash the company received when it first announced the end of Classic Teams and automatic updates to new clients.
Many people reacted loudly to the decision on social media, criticizing Microsoft for forcing a new Teams client.
In response to this criticism, the company opted for a more long-term, phased approach to rolling out the new Teams client.
Microsoft Teams classic upgrade: How to migrate
For classic users who are not experiencing migration issues or who have met the upgrade prerequisites, there are two client update processes available.
The first is a “Microsoft-managed rollout,” which puts the burden on Microsoft itself.
For users who leave policy controls at their default settings, Microsoft will continue to deploy the new Teams client to their systems according to the original schedule. However, you will be prevented from uninstalling the Classic Teams client for 14 days.
If your users have established their own admin rights for the team, you can select the second option, “Administrator Management Rollout.”
In this case, the administrator can use Microsoft’sUpgrade to new Teams using policies” Guidelines.
New Teams will continue to be the default client, but the switch back to Classic Teams will be available until mid-May. Again, Microsoft will try to uninstall classic Teams after his 14 days.
According to Microsoft, the new Teams is twice as fast and uses 50% less memory than previous versions.
