(Updated) New policy setting to require explicit consent for recording and transcription in Teams 1:1 calls

Updated March 20, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.

[Introduction]

To enhance transparency and user control, Microsoft Teams is expanding the Explicit Recording Consent feature to include 1:1 Teams calls. This update ensures that participants must provide explicit consent before their media (audio, video, and content sharing) is included in any recording or transcription initiated by another user. This change supports privacy compliance and aligns with customer feedback requesting more granular consent controls.

This message is associated with Roadmap ID 503295.

[When this will happen:]

• Targeted Release: Begins early January 2026 (previously early December 2025), completes mid-January 2026 (previously mid-December 2025).
• General Availability (Worldwide, GCC): Begins mid-January 2026 (previously mid-December 2025), completes late April 2026 (previously late January).
• General Availability (GCC High): Begins early February 2026 (previously late January), completes late April 2026 (previously mid-February).
• General Availability (DoD): Begins mid-February 2026 (previously late January), completes late April 2026 (previously late February).

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• Microsoft Teams administrators managing calling policies.
• Users participating in 1:1 Teams VoIP calls where recording or transcription is initiated.
• Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) endpoints will be auto consented. Explicit consent support for PSTN will be included in a future release.

What will happen:

• This feature applies to Microsoft Teams desktop apps on Windows and macOS.
• By default, Explicit Recording Consent is OFF and must be enabled by administrators.
• When enabled:
  • Users initiating recording or transcription in 1:1 calls will trigger a consent prompt for the other VoIP participant.
  • Until consent is granted, the participant’s audio, video, and screen/content sharing will be disabled, and as a result, excluded from the recording.
  • PSTN users will be auto-consented. Learn more at Manage Teams recording policies | Auto consent endpoints and platforms
• Administrators can apply this policy tenant-wide or to specific users.

[What you can do to prepare:]

• Update training materials to reflect that Explicit Recording Consent now applies to 1:1 calls (PSTN and Teams VoIP).
• Inform users that consent is required before recording or transcription can begin in 1:1 calls.
• Administrators can manage this feature via PowerShell or the Microsoft Teams admin center.

PowerShell commands:

Set-CsTeamsCallingPolicy -Identity Global -ExplicitRecordingConsent "Enabled"
Set-CsTeamsCallingPolicy -Identity Global -ExplicitRecordingConsent "Disabled"

Learn more: Set-CsTeamsCallingPolicy documentation

[Compliance considerations:]

Compliance Area	Explanation
Audit Logging	Consent data is captured in audit logs. Refer to Audit log activities in Microsoft Purview.