Microsoft is retiring Teams’ Together Mode, the pandemic-era setting that used AI to place participants in a shared virtual room. The Together Mode toggle is set to disappear from the Teams view menu as Together-specific options like scenes and seat assignment
Microsoft is moving to retire Teams’ Together Mode, the feature launched during the pandemic to mimic the look of a group sitting together in one conference room—even when everyone was really dialing in from home.
Together Mode relied on AI to crop and place participants’ heads and shoulders into a shared virtual space with others in the meeting.. It was meant to make calls feel more like in-person collaboration, while also limiting some visual distractions.. At the same time. the gimmicks could be hard to miss. from tapping co-workers on the shoulder to sending virtual high fives.
The retirement is rolling out gradually. As the changes land, the Together Mode toggle will disappear from the view menu. Together-specific features won’t stick around either, including scenes and seat assignments.
Microsoft says one reason for the switch is to reduce fragmentation across the various platforms where Teams runs.. It also points to a streamlined Teams experience with fewer options, less clicking, and less confusion.. In the company’s view, removing Together Mode will free attention to focus on improving video quality, stability, and performance.
The through-line is clear in Microsoft’s own explanation: the Together Mode toggle and its supporting features like scenes and seat assignments are being removed at the same time Microsoft is steering users toward fewer options. less confusion. and less platform fragmentation—while directing effort toward better video quality. stability. and performance.
Microsoft Teams Together Mode video quality stability performance AI virtual meetings interface changes