Microsoft Teams | Enhanced privacy and improved stability for live captions and transcripts

Updated October 30, 2025: We have corrected the timeline to reflect the actual rollout dates. Thank you. 

Introduction

To enhance privacy and improve meeting reliability, we’re updating how live captions and real-time text (RTT) behave in Microsoft Teams meetings. These updates ensure that captions are more secure when transcription is off and improve the stability of caption display across devices and scenarios.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 499616.

When this will happen

• Targeted Release: Began September 1, 2025, completes by September 17, 2025 (previously September 15).
• General Availability:
  • Worldwide, GCC, GCC High: October 1-17, 2025 (previously September 15–29).
  • DoD: October 21-28, 2025 (previously September 25–October 3).

How this affects your organization

• When transcription is off, captions will now display only the last five minutes of dialogue, enhancing privacy by limiting visible history.
• When transcription is on, captions will show the full meeting conversation from the time transcription starts until the transcription ends.

• A previous issue where repositioning captions could cause text loss has been resolved. Captions will now remain intact when moved.
• These improvements also apply to real-time text (RTT), ensuring a consistent and reliable experience across both features.
• This update applies to Microsoft Teams on desktop and Mac platforms.

These changes will roll out automatically and do not require admin configuration. What you can do to prepare

• Inform users about the new five-minute limit for captions when transcription is off.
• Update internal training materials and documentation for users who rely on live captions or RTT.
• No admin action is required to enable this feature.

Learn more:

• Use live captions in Microsoft Teams meetings | Microsoft Support
• View live transcription in Microsoft Teams meetings | Microsoft Support

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.