Microsoft blocks new Teams application on outdated Windows 10 and 11 versions

Microsoft has issued a new notification via the Admin Center informing users about the impending changes regarding the new Teams client compatibility with older versions of Windows 10 and 11. Soon, the Teams application will begin prompting users to update their operating systems to continue receiving support, and in a few months, it will become non-operational.

The company has provided the following rationale:

The Teams desktop client must operate on a supported OS version to ensure users benefit from the latest updates, features, performance improvements, security enhancements, and service compatibility. Versions that are significantly out of date will become incompatible with the service, resulting in the Desktop client being blocked until an OS update is performed.

Beginning October 15, 2024, the new Teams desktop client will display a banner prompting users to upgrade from unsupported operating systems to a newer version. This notification will impact users running Windows 10 version 21H2 and earlier, Windows 10 and 11 LTSC (excluding Modern Lifecycle), and macOS 11. Users on macOS 12 will receive the update prompt one month later.

While Teams will function on unsupported operating systems, this will not last indefinitely. Specifically, Teams will stop functioning on Windows 10 21H2 and older versions on January 15, 2025. For Windows 10 and 11 LTSC, this will occur on August 15, 2025. Regarding macOS, the new Teams client will cease operations on macOS 11 on November 15, 2024, and on macOS 12 on March 15, 2025.

Attempting to launch the new Teams on unsupported operating systems will redirect users to a blocking page that requires an update, featuring a link to a support page with further details. For complete system requirements for the new Teams, you can refer to the official documentation here.

Microsoft advises IT administrators to establish a “regular OS update cadence”in order to prevent service disruptions. Additional information regarding the upcoming changes in Teams compatibility is available in MC898394 on the Admin Center.

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