Microsoft Teams continues to break new ground with its latest enhancement: the ability for apps to flourish within Shared Channels. As of mid-October 2025, Teams users will experience a profound enhancement in collaborative potential, thanks to the integration of bots, tabs, and message extensions in these channels. This change is a response to user feedback requesting smoother, more flexible app integration across various collaborative spaces within Microsoft Teams.

Key Features and Deployment Timeline

Enhancements in Shared Channels

Incorporating apps into Shared Channels brings a host of new opportunities for collaboration. Users can now enjoy a seamless app experience similar to other channel types within Teams. This expansion promotes a more consistent experience across Microsoft collaboration spaces and ensures developers’ efforts pay off across all platforms.

Roadmap ID and Supported Platforms

This significant upgrade is linked with Roadmap ID 505791. The support extends to Teams across Windows, Mac, web, iOS, and Android devices.

Deployment Phases

• Targeted Release: Initiates mid-October 2025, completing by late October.
• General Availability: Kicks off in early November 2025 and concludes by late November.

Organizational Impact and Benefits

Who Benefits?

This enhancement directly affects:

• All Teams users engaging in Shared Channels.
• Administrators overseeing Teams application policies.
• Developers tasked with maintaining Teams apps.

What’s New?

With the roll-out, expect the following modifications:

• Broad app availability in Shared Channels, enabled by default.
• Governance options allowing channel owners to oversee who can add apps.
• New regulations ensuring explicit app additions to Shared Channels for app availability and usage.
• A revamped channel setting to manage app additions.

Custom Experiences and External Collaboration

Users will benefit from external collaboration via Teams Connect, given admin settings allow such interactions. Developers should ensure apps are updated for Shared Channel compatibility to leverage these new opportunities.

Preparing for the Change

For Administrators

Administrators should:

• Review and adjust Teams app policies to accommodate Shared Channel support.
• Brief helpdesk teams on forthcoming changes.
• Update any internal documentation reflecting these updates.
• Verify app governance policies align with organizational needs.

For Developers

Developers need to adapt by:

• Updating app manifests to include supportsChannelFeatures: tier1.
• Utilizing channel-specific APIs for membership, storage, and permissions.
• Revisiting Resource-Specific Consent (RSC) permissions if necessary.
• Testing apps in Shared Channels with various user roles to ensure full functionality.

Compliance and Governance Considerations

With this expanded functionality, administrators maintain control over app availability through adaptive policies and settings. Apps added to Teams do not default into Shared and Private Channels, allowing channel owners active governance in app management.

Moreover, the compliance potential is significant. By enabling inter-tenant communications through apps, the updated Teams Channel setup advances both internal and cross-organizational collaboration—emphasizing Microsoft’s dedication to a connected, inclusive workspace.

For more details on privacy and governance, refer to the Privacy Statement.

Stay tuned for further documentation and updates as we approach full rollout. Ensure your organization is ready to harness the power of this Microsoft Teams evolution.

Team on the move—innovation awaits!