May Update: What's New in Microsoft - The Latest from Current Cloud
Welcome to the May update! In this edition, we'll explore the latest features and developments within the Microsoft Ecosystem. We'll provide you with key points, highlight the benefits, and offer actionable insights—that's the Current Cloud way. Stay informed and ahead of the curve with our comprehensive overview of what's new and noteworthy in Microsoft 365, Office 365, Microsoft Teams, and beyond.
1. Changes for Updating the Windows Mail and Calendar Apps to the New Outlook for Windows
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft is transitioning the default Windows Mail and Calendar apps to the new Outlook for Windows. This update includes several key changes:
- Taskbar and Start Menu Updates: Pins for the Windows Mail app on the Taskbar and Start menu will be replaced with pins for the new Outlook, once it's freshly installed on a device.
- Desktop Shortcuts: Shortcuts for the Mail app on the Desktop will also be replaced with new Outlook shortcuts.
- Toggle Relocation: The option to switch back to the Mail & Calendar applications will move to the settings within the new Outlook. Users will now find this option under Settings > General > About Outlook, instead of in the Ribbon.
Impact on Users:
- Windows 10 and Windows 11: Users who have the Mail app pinned to their Taskbar or Start menu will see these pins automatically updated to the new Outlook.
- Shortcut Replacement: Desktop shortcuts for the Mail app will be replaced with new Outlook shortcuts.
- Switching Back: Users who transition to the new Outlook can still switch back to the Mail & Calendar applications by navigating to the new location in the settings.
Timeline:
- The update will begin in early June 2024 and is expected to complete by mid-June 2024.
1. Changes for Requesting Access to Shared Channels in Microsoft Teams
How this will affect your organization
This new feature allows in-tenant users to request access to shared channels using a link. Here are the key details:
- Join Requests: When users try to access a shared channel via a link, they can now request to join the channel.
- Approval Process: Channel owners will receive these join requests and can approve or deny them.
- Current Behavior: Before this update, users clicking on a channel link without access would see a "You don’t have access" message.
- New Behavior: After the rollout, users can request to join the channel, streamlining access requests and approvals.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in late June 2024 and is expected to complete by the end of June 2024.
2. New File Image Previews in Messages
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Teams is enhancing the content consumption experience in chats and channels. Here are the key updates:
- Enhanced Content Identification: A series of new features will be released to help users identify, consume, and act on various content types such as files, lists, and SharePoint pages/posts.
- File Image Previews: In this initial release, file image previews will be introduced in chats and channels. When a file (like a JPG, PNG, Microsoft PowerPoint file, or PDF) is attached to a message, users will see a small image preview of the file directly in the conversation stream.
- Improved Efficiency: This feature will allow users to quickly identify files without needing to open them, streamlining the content consumption process and improving overall efficiency.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in mid-June 2024 and is expected to complete by late June 2024.
3. Draggable Presenter Toolbar When Screensharing
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Teams is introducing a draggable Presenter Toolbar to enhance the screensharing experience. Here’s what you need to know:
- Flexible Toolbar Positioning: Presenters can now reposition the Presenter Toolbar from its default location at the top of the screen to any other area of the shared screen. This allows for a more customized and unobstructed view during presentations.
- Enhanced User Experience: By allowing the toolbar to be moved, presenters can better manage their screen real estate and focus on the content being shared without the toolbar interfering.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in mid-June 2024 and is expected to complete by late June 2024.
4. New File Image Previews in Messages
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Teams is simplifying IT administration with a new Unified Settings and Policies Management experience in the Teams admin center. Here’s what you need to know:
- Centralized Management: Administrators will now be able to search, locate, and manage all settings and policies from a single, unified location. This eliminates the need to navigate multiple areas within the Teams admin center (TAC).
- Improved Efficiency: This update streamlines the management process, making it easier and faster for IT administrators to handle Teams settings for users, groups, and the entire organization.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in early June 2024 and is expected to complete by early July 2024.
5. Microsoft Teams Phone Mobile: New "Call My Phone" Feature
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft is introducing a new feature for Teams Phone Mobile (TPM) that will enhance call management for users on iOS and Android devices:
- Seamless Call Transfer: TPM users will be able to transfer an active call from the Teams app to their cell phone dialer without any interruption. This feature is designed for calls to one person and does not apply to group calls.
- Audio Conferencing Subscription: The call transfer will utilize the user’s Audio Conferencing Subscription service to maintain connectivity during the transfer to the cell phone dialer.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in early July 2024 and is expected to complete by late July 2024.
6. Auto-create Microsoft Loop Workspaces to Share Meeting Content
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft is introducing a new feature in Teams that will streamline the management of meeting content for recurring meetings:
- Loop Workspace Creation: After a recurring meeting ends, organizers will be prompted in the chat to create a Microsoft Loop workspace. This workspace will serve as a central hub for all shared meeting content.
- Automatic Content Addition: As the meeting series continues, any new content shared in the meeting chat will be automatically added to the Loop workspace, ensuring all relevant materials are organized and easily accessible for ongoing collaboration.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in mid-May 2024 and is expected to be completed by early June 2024.
7. New Onboarding to Teams and Channels
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft is updating the onboarding process for Teams and channels to enhance user experience and relevance:
- Previous Method: Previously, team owners could mark a standard channel as "Show for members" during channel creation or later from the team management page. These channels would automatically appear in the teams and channels list for all team members.
- New Method: With this update, team owners will now be able to recommend channels for team members to join. This new functionality will replace the "Show for members" option.
Changes for Users:
- Joining a New Team: When members join a new team, they will initially see only the General channel.
- Onboarding Page: On the team onboarding page, additional channels can be tagged as "Recommended" by the team owner. Members can then review channel details and opt into the channels that interest them.
Benefits:
- Streamlined Experience: This rollout aims to help team members join the most relevant channels, making their Teams experience more efficient and focused.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in mid-July 2024 and is expected to be completed by late July 2024.
8. Custom Emojis and Reactions
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Teams is introducing the ability for users to add custom emojis and reactions. This feature allows users to upload an image or GIF file to create personalized emojis and reactions, which will be accessible to all users within the tenant, alongside the standard Teams emojis and reactions.
Key Features:
- Custom Uploads: Users can upload images or GIFs to create custom emojis and reactions.
- Tenant-Wide Access: Custom emojis and reactions will be available to all users within the tenant.
- Generous Limit: Up to 5,000 custom emojis can be added per tenant.
Benefits:
- Personalized Interaction: Enhance communication with unique and personalized emojis and reactions that reflect your organization's culture.
- Engagement: Boost user engagement and expressiveness in chats and meetings with a wider range of reactions.
- Unified Experience: Maintain a cohesive and customized experience across your organization.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in early July 2024 and is expected to complete by late July 2024.
9. Closed Captions in the Walkie Talkie App
How this will affect your organization
To enhance communication in busy frontline work environments, Microsoft Teams is introducing live closed captions for the Walkie Talkie app. This feature will provide real-time text captions for any audible transmission, making it easier for users to understand communications in noisy settings.
Benefits:
- Improved Clarity: Live closed captions ensure that all team members can comprehend Walkie Talkie transmissions, even in loud environments.
- Enhanced Accessibility: This feature supports inclusivity by aiding those who may have difficulty hearing or understanding verbal communications.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in early June 2024 and is expected to complete by late June 2024.
10. Organizers Can Manage Access to Meeting Transcripts, Recordings, AI-Generated Recap, and Copilot
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Teams is introducing a new feature that allows meeting organizers to manage access to meeting transcripts, recordings, AI-generated recaps, and Copilot. This feature can be accessed in the meeting options under the "Recording and transcript" tab.
How It Works:
- Everyone: Anyone with the meeting link or nudged into the meeting will have access.
- Organizer and Co-organizers: Only the meeting organizer and co-organizers will have access.
- Specific People: Besides the organizers, specific individuals can be granted access.
Benefits:
- Enhanced Control: Organizers can better manage who has access to sensitive meeting content.
- Customized Access: Tailor access based on the needs of the meeting, ensuring that only relevant participants can view the content.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in early June 2024 and is expected to be completed by mid-June 2024.
11. Speaker Recognition and Attribution for All Teams Rooms
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Teams Rooms on Windows is introducing speaker recognition and attribution during live transcription in shared meeting rooms. This feature enhances meeting clarity and accountability by identifying and attributing speakers throughout the meeting.
Key Features:
- Speaker Recognition: Accurately identifies speakers during live transcription.
- Clear Attribution: Ensures precise voice capture and attribution for every participant.
- Enhanced Recaps: Facilitates tracking of who said what through intelligent meeting recaps and Copilot.
Benefits:
- Improved Clarity: Ensures all spoken contributions are clearly attributed, enhancing meeting transparency.
- Enhanced Accountability: Makes it easier to follow up on specific comments or actions by identifying the speaker.
- Streamlined Meeting Recaps: Intelligent meeting recaps and Copilot can provide detailed summaries with speaker attributions.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in mid-June 2024 and is expected to complete by late June 2024.
12. Create Avatars from Photos
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Teams is introducing a new feature that allows users to create digital avatars from photos. Using AI-enabled technology, users can take or upload a photo and generate a personalized avatar.
Key Features:
- Photo Upload: Users can take a new photo or upload an existing one.
- AI-Enabled Avatars: The AI technology will generate a digital avatar based on the uploaded photo.
Benefits:
- Personalized Experience: Enhance your Teams presence with a unique, digital avatar that represents you.
- Engaging Interaction: Avatars add a fun and engaging element to virtual meetings and interactions.
Timeline:
- Public Preview: The rollout will begin in early June 2024 (previously mid-May) and is expected to complete by late June 2024 (previously mid-June).
1. SharePoint Document Libraries: Improved Version History Controls
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft is introducing enhanced version history controls for SharePoint document libraries. These new controls will help admins and content owners manage storage more efficiently by reducing the storage footprint associated with low-value file versions.
Key Features:
- Automatic Version Limits: Intelligent version deletion options that consider factors such as the age of versions and the probability of needing to restore them.
- Manual Settings: Admins and content owners can set manual version expiration and count limits, providing more control over document versioning.
- Improved Storage Management: These updates help to minimize storage use by automatically removing older, less valuable file versions.
Benefits:
- Efficient Storage Use: Reduce unnecessary storage costs by intelligently managing file versions.
- Enhanced Control: Greater flexibility with both automatic and manual version control settings.
- Streamlined Management: Simplify document library management with more intuitive version history controls.
Documentation:
- Admin Documentation: Overview of Version History Limits for Document Libraries and OneDrive
- End User Documentation: Enable and Configure Versioning for a List or Library
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in late August 2024 and is expected to complete by mid-October 2024.
2. Archive Feature for Inactive Sites on SharePoint
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft 365 is introducing a new feature to archive inactive sites on SharePoint, helping organizations manage their storage more efficiently and cost-effectively.
Key Features:
- Archive Inactive Sites: Automatically archive sites that are no longer active, reducing storage usage and costs.
- Storage Management: This feature helps prevent exceeding storage quotas by archiving sites that are no longer in use.
Benefits:
- Cost Savings: Reduce storage costs by archiving inactive sites and freeing up space.
- Efficient Management: Simplify storage management by automatically handling inactive sites.
- Quota Compliance: Ensure your organization stays within storage quota limits by archiving unused sites.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in late April 2024 and is expected to complete by mid-May 2024.
1. Platform Single Sign-On (SSO) for macOS Device Enrollment
How this will affect your organization
Platform Single Sign-On (SSO) for macOS device enrollment has arrived, enhancing both security and productivity for your organization.
Key Features:
- Enhanced Security: SSO integrates with Apple’s Secure Enclave technology, enabling phishing-resistant, hardware-bound, passwordless authentication on Mac through Intune.
- Zero Trust Implementation: This feature supports organizations implementing Zero Trust, leveraging Intune's cloud-native capabilities for robust security.
- Seamless User Experience: End users will enjoy a more seamless out-of-the-box experience, needing only their Entra ID password to set up their device.
Benefits:
- Improved Security: Hardware-bound, passwordless authentication reduces the risk of phishing attacks.
- Increased Productivity: Simplified device setup process with a single set of credentials.
- Streamlined Management: Integrates smoothly with existing Intune and macOS environments, simplifying the enrollment process.
Full Announcement: What’s new in Microsoft Intune May 2024 | Microsoft Intune Blog
Timeline:
- Public Preview: Available now.
Implementing Platform SSO on macOS devices will enhance your organization's security posture while providing a more efficient and user-friendly device enrollment process.
2. Windows Autopilot Device Preparation
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft is upgrading the Windows Autopilot service to enhance device preparation, reporting, and user experience. Here’s what’s new:
Key Features:
- Combined Profiles for Device Preparation: Streamline the device setup process with integrated profiles, simplifying configuration and deployment.
- Revised Reporting: Improved reporting capabilities provide better insights and tracking of device preparation and deployment statuses.
- Enhanced End-User Experience: Upgrades aimed at making the setup process smoother and more intuitive for end users.
Benefits:
- Simplified Deployment: Integrated profiles reduce complexity, making device preparation more efficient.
- Better Insights: Enhanced reporting tools give IT admins a clearer view of deployment progress and issues.
- Improved User Experience: Users benefit from a more seamless and straightforward setup process, reducing the time and effort required to get devices up and running.
Full Announcement: Windows deployment with the next generation of Windows Autopilot | Microsoft Intune Blog
Timeline:
- General Availability (GA): Now available.
These upgrades to Windows Autopilot will significantly improve device deployment processes, providing a more efficient, insightful, and user-friendly experience.
3. Win32 App Supersedence
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Intune now includes the Win32 app supersedence feature, allowing IT administrators to manage app updates and replacements more efficiently.
Key Features:
- Supersedence Relationships: After adding a Win32 app to Intune, you can create supersedence relationships to update or replace existing Win32 apps.
- Version Updates: Easily update older versions of a Win32 app with newer versions.
- App Replacement: Replace an existing Win32 app with a different one, streamlining app management and deployment.
Benefits:
- Efficient App Management: Simplifies the process of managing and deploying app updates and replacements.
- Improved Control: Provides IT admins with greater control over the app lifecycle, ensuring users always have the latest versions.
- Streamlined Updates: Reduces the complexity of updating and replacing apps, enhancing productivity and minimizing disruptions.
More Info: Add Win32 app supersedence – Microsoft Intune | Microsoft Learn
Timeline:
- General Availability (GA): Now available.
4. Windows Update Distribution Report
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Intune now offers a Windows update distribution report, providing clear and accessible information on the quality updates installed across your devices.
Key Features:
- Detailed Reporting: The new report shows which quality updates are running on which devices, helping you track and manage update compliance.
- Easy Access: Navigate to Reports > Windows updates > Windows Update Distribution Report to access the new feature.
Benefits:
- Improved Compliance: Easily monitor and ensure that devices are up to date with the latest quality updates.
- Enhanced Management: Provides IT administrators with a clear overview of update distribution, making it easier to manage and troubleshoot update-related issues.
- User-Friendly: The report is designed to be easy to read, helping you quickly understand the update status of your device fleet.
Timeline:
- General Availability (GA): Now available.
1. Team Copilot
How this will affect your organization
Team Copilot extends the capabilities of Copilot beyond personal assistance, enabling it to function as an integral team member. This enhancement allows Copilot to actively participate and contribute to team projects, making collaboration more efficient and productive.
Key Features:
- Active Participation: Copilot can now take on tasks and responsibilities assigned by team members, aiding in productivity, collaboration, and creativity.
- Integrated Tools: Available across multiple platforms where teams collaborate, including Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Loop, Microsoft Planner, and more.
- User Control: Teams maintain control over Copilot, directing its involvement to enhance team performance.
Benefits:
- Increased Productivity: Automate routine tasks and free up team members to focus on more strategic work.
- Enhanced Collaboration: With Copilot contributing to team efforts, collaboration becomes more seamless and efficient.
- Creative Boost: Encourage innovative thinking by having Copilot handle time-consuming tasks, allowing the team to concentrate on creative solutions.
Full Announcement: New agent capabilities in Microsoft Copilot unlock business value | Microsoft 365 Blog
Timeline:
- Expected Rollout: Later 2024
2. Agents: New Custom Copilots that Automate Business Processes
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft is introducing new capabilities in Microsoft Copilot Studio to build custom copilots, or agents, that can independently automate business processes. These custom agents are designed to increase efficiency and unlock new value across various business operations.
Key Features:
- Process Automation: Automate long-running business processes, reducing manual effort and increasing productivity.
- Reasoning Abilities: Agents can reason over actions and user inputs to make informed decisions.
- Contextual Memory: Leverage memory to incorporate context, improving the relevance and accuracy of actions.
- Adaptive Learning: Agents learn from user feedback, continually improving their performance and effectiveness.
- Exception Handling: Record exception requests and ask for help when needed, ensuring that complex or unusual situations are managed appropriately.
Benefits:
- Enhanced Efficiency: Automate repetitive and time-consuming tasks, allowing employees to focus on higher-value activities.
- Improved Decision Making: With reasoning capabilities and contextual understanding, agents can support better decision-making processes.
- Scalability: Custom agents can be tailored to specific business needs, providing scalable solutions across different processes and departments.
- Continuous Improvement: Adaptive learning ensures that agents become more efficient and effective over time.
Full Announcement: New agent capabilities in Microsoft Copilot unlock business value | Microsoft 365 Blog
Timeline:
- Expected Rollout: Later 2024
3. Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 Experiences Available in Classic Outlook for Windows and New Outlook
How this will affect your organization
The Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 chat experience is being introduced to classic Outlook for Windows. Here’s what you need to know:
Key Features:
- Copilot Integration: Users with a Copilot for Microsoft 365 license will see the Copilot icon on the left app bar in classic Outlook for Windows, enabling them to chat with Copilot directly within Outlook.
- Graph-Grounded Responses: Microsoft Copilot in Outlook will leverage the Microsoft Graph to respond based on information and documents stored within your organization’s Microsoft cloud, providing relevant and contextual responses.
- Wide Application: This rollout applies to both the new Outlook for Windows and Outlook on the web.
Benefits:
- Enhanced Productivity: Users can interact with Copilot to get quick answers, insights, and assistance based on organizational data, enhancing their productivity.
- Contextual Assistance: Copilot’s ability to access and utilize information from the Microsoft cloud ensures that responses are grounded in the specific context of your organization.
- Seamless Integration: Having Copilot available directly within Outlook simplifies workflow by providing assistance without needing to switch between different applications.
Timeline:
- Old Outlook: Rollout will begin in mid-June 2024 to the Current Channel and is expected to finish by late June 2024.
- New Outlook: Rollout will begin in early May 2024 and is expected to complete by mid-May 2024.
4. Microsoft Copilot Dashboard in Viva Insights to Become Available with Copilot for Microsoft 365
How this will affect your organization
The Microsoft Copilot Dashboard is set to become available to all Copilot for Microsoft 365 customers, providing valuable insights and analytics to enhance productivity and collaboration. This new feature will be included at no additional cost and will not require a separate Viva or Viva Insights license.
Key Features:
- Inclusive Access: The Copilot Dashboard will be available to all Copilot for Microsoft 365 customers without requiring a Viva or Viva Insights license.
- Productivity Insights: Gain access to valuable insights and analytics to help improve productivity and collaboration within your organization.
Benefits:
- Cost-Effective: Access to the Copilot Dashboard is included with your Copilot for Microsoft 365 subscription, providing additional value without extra costs.
- Enhanced Productivity: Utilize the insights provided by the dashboard to make informed decisions and improve workflow efficiency.
- Easy Access: The dashboard will be seamlessly integrated, making it easy for users to access and benefit from its features.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in early July 2024 and is expected to be completed by late September 2024.
5. Copilot Assisted Hours Update in Microsoft Copilot Dashboard
How this will affect your organization
An update is being rolled out for the Copilot assisted hours feature in the Microsoft Copilot Dashboard. This update will provide customers with a Viva or Viva Insights subscription with detailed insights into how employees' actions in Copilot contribute to the company's total Copilot assisted hours.
Key Features:
- Detailed Breakdown: The Copilot Dashboard will now include a breakdown of employees’ actions in Copilot that contribute to the total Copilot assisted hours.
- Enhanced Visibility: Customers will have the ability to view underlying details of Copilot assisted hours, providing deeper insights into productivity and usage patterns.
- No Metric Change: The existing metric calculation for Copilot assisted hours remains unchanged.
Benefits:
- Increased Transparency: Gain a clearer understanding of how Copilot is being used within your organization and its impact on productivity.
- Actionable Insights: Use detailed breakdowns to identify opportunities for improving efficiency and making informed decisions about Copilot usage.
- Enhanced Reporting: Provides richer data for organizations with Viva or Viva Insights subscriptions, aiding in better management and optimization of resources.
Timeline:
- The rollout will begin in early May 2024 and is expected to complete by mid-May 2024.
6. Use Draft with Copilot in Microsoft Word Based on Text, List, or Table Selections
How this will affect your organization
The new "Draft with Copilot" feature in Microsoft Word enhances user experience by enabling content generation directly from selected text, lists, or tables using Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365. This interactive experience aims to streamline content creation and improve productivity.
Key Features:
- Interactive Content Generation: Users can select text, lists, or tables and use the on-canvas Copilot menu to generate new content.
- Enhanced Productivity: Simplifies the drafting process, making it easier to create comprehensive documents quickly.
Benefits:
- Improved Efficiency: Reduces the time spent on drafting and editing documents.
- Seamless Integration: Offers an interactive and intuitive experience directly within Microsoft Word.
Timeline:
- Web: Late April 2024
- Win32 and Mac: Early June 2024
- iPad: Early July 2024
- Complete Rollout: Expected by early August 2024
7. Shifts Plugin in Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365
How this will affect your organization
Microsoft Teams users can now utilize the Shifts plugin within Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 to access information about open shifts, assigned shifts, and scheduled time off for their teams.
Key Features:
- Shift Information: Quickly view and manage team shifts, including open shifts and scheduled time off.
- Integrated Experience: Access shift details directly within Microsoft Teams, enhancing the overall workflow.
Benefits:
- Streamlined Scheduling: Simplifies the process of managing and viewing team schedules.
- Enhanced Team Management: Provides a clear overview of team availability and shift assignments.
Timeline:
- Rollout: Early June 2024
- Completion: Expected by late June 2024
For more information, see Manage Plugins for Copilot in Integrated Apps.
If you want to know more about Microsoft 365 feel free to contact me:
Contact me via,
Mail: tycho.loke@peoplerock.nl
Phone: +31 6 39 41 36 65
LinkedIn: Tycho Löke