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Microsoft is retiring the Teams Live chat website widget, which sent customer messages from an organization’s website to its Teams support team. Starting October 5, 2026, the service is no longer supported and widget messages are no longer relayed to Teams. This does not mean ordinary one-to-one, group, or meeting chats in Teams are being shut down.
What is changing with Teams Live chat?
Teams Live chat is a customer-facing website widget: a visitor starts a conversation on an organization’s website, and the message is routed to the organization’s support team in Teams. Microsoft’s retirement notice applies to that widget service, not to Teams chat as a whole. See Microsoft’s Teams Live chat guidance.
Microsoft says new customers could no longer set up the feature starting August 6, 2026. From October 5, 2026, it is no longer supported, and incoming chats from the widget are no longer relayed to Teams. An embedded widget left on a website is hidden after retirement; visitors cannot use it to start new conversations, escalations, or interactions.
Which Teams chats are affected?
The affected path is specifically website visitor → Teams Live chat widget → organization’s Teams support team. The retirement notice does not announce the shutdown of ordinary Teams conversations or meeting chat.
#1 Best Overall
- SUPPORT WORK FROM ANYWHERE WITH SYNC: Whether employees are in the office, at home, or somewhere else, Sync device management software helps everyone stay connected by letting you ensure their Logitech video collaboration personal devices are being used and up to date.
- Open workspaces are great for collaboration, but not so great when the noise around you makes it hard to concentrate. Active noise cancellation substantially reduces unwanted ambient sound, so you can get focused and stay focused.
- Great for Music and Talking with immersive sound for listening to music and a noise-canceling mic that ensures that your voice is heard on the other end of a call—not the noise around you.
- On ear controls to adjust volume, start/end calls, and invoke Teams. Plus button controls for power, active noise cancellation (ANC), wireless Bluetooth pairing, and mute on/off or use the flip-to-mute mic feature.
- Certified for Microsoft Teams ensures it’s easy to pick-up or answer Teams meetings, calls, messages, and notifications with a single press to the Teams button. Or apply a longer touch to invoke Cortana voice skills.
- One-to-one and group chats: These are separate Teams functions. Microsoft continues to document how to start an ordinary chat in Teams: Start a chat in Microsoft Teams.
- Meeting chat: Microsoft documents chat before, during, and after meetings in many circumstances. Access can depend on meeting settings and type, RSVP, and whether someone is invited, external, anonymous, forwarded, or removed. The retirement notice does not say meeting chat is ending. See Chat in a Teams meeting.
What administrators should do before October 5, 2026
- Find and remove the website widget. Check websites where your organization embedded Teams Live chat. Microsoft says to locate the HTML
<script>tag withid="chatbot"and remove it before October 5. - Notify the support team. Tell staff who receive customer conversations through the widget that message relay is ending, and arrange another way to handle incoming requests.
- Check data-retention needs. Microsoft says the retirement itself will not delete previously created customer data. Existing Teams channels and associated List data remain subject to the Microsoft 365 retention and lifecycle policies for your tenant. Review those policies and export information that you need to preserve independently.
- Evaluate a replacement workflow. Identify the website, routing, escalation, handoff, integration, and retention requirements your support operation needs. Microsoft names alternatives, but its retirement notice does not promise a one-to-one migration or feature equivalence.
What alternatives does Microsoft name?
Microsoft points organizations with customer-support, customer-engagement, or contact-center needs to Dynamics 365 Contact Center with Live Chat and Microsoft Copilot Studio Contact Center AI solutions. Treat these as options to evaluate, not as guaranteed drop-in replacements.
Compare each option against your organization’s requirements: website conversation needs, agent routing and handoff, integration with existing support processes, data-retention requirements, and licensing and implementation capacity. Confirm current capabilities and licensing directly with Microsoft or your Microsoft representative; the retirement notice does not provide a detailed comparison or tenant-specific licensing guidance.
Rank #2
- Digital Stereo Sound: Fine-tuned drivers provide enhanced digital audio for music, calls, meetings and more
- Rotating Noise Canceling Mic: Minimizes unwanted background noise for clear conversations; the rotating boom arm can be tucked out of the way when you’re not using it
- Handy In-line Controls: Simple in-line controls on the headset cable let you adjust the volume or mute calls without disruption
- Plug-and-Play USB Computer Headset: Simply plug the USB-A connector into your computer and you’re ready to talk or listen without the need to install software
- Padded Comfort: Comfortable headphones with adjustable headband features swivel-mounted, leatherette ear cushions for hours of comfort and is easy to clean
What happens to existing customer data?
Microsoft says previously created customer data will not be deleted because of the retirement. That does not mean it will be available indefinitely: continued access to existing Teams channels and associated List data follows the Microsoft 365 retention and lifecycle policies that apply to the tenant. Check those policies and make any needed independent exports before relying on continued access.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Comfortable on-ear design with lightweight, padded earcups for all-day wear.
- Background noise-reducing microphone.
- High-quality stereo speakers optimized for voice.
- Mute control with status light. Easily see, at a glance, whether you can be heard or not.
- Convenient call controls, including mute, volume, and the Teams button, are in-line and easy to reach.
Rank #4
- Microsoft Teams Certified & UC Optimized: Ensure crystal-clear communication with Microsoft Teams Open Office certification and UC platform compatibility, perfect for hybrid workspaces and virtual meetings. Use of USB-A receiver required for all Microsoft Teams functionality.
- Bluetooth 5.3 & Multipoint Technology: Seamlessly switch between two devices with dual Bluetooth connections or use the USB-A receiver for plug-and-play convenience
- Advanced Noise Cancellation: Three-mic noise suppression technology blocks distractions, delivering unmatched audio clarity for professional calls or casual gaming
- Ergonomic & Lightweight Design: At only 140g, the headset features adjustable memory foam earcups and a flexible headband for extended comfort during long workdays or gaming sessions
- Unmatched Battery Life: Stay powered with up to 31 hours of talk time or 60 hours of music playback on a single charge, ensuring productivity and entertainment without interruptions
Rank #3
- CRYSTAL-CLEAR CALLS: Hear and be heard clearly with advanced noise-canceling microphones for seamless communication.
- LIGHTWEIGHT COMFORT: Experience all-day comfort with its lightweight design and foam or leatherette ear cushions that won't weigh you down during long meetings or calls.
- EFFORTLESS SETUP: Simply plug into your laptop via USB-A or USB-C for instant use, plus easy call and volume controls for smooth call management.
- ONLINE MEETINGS THAT JUST WORK: Works with all leading online meeting platforms and certified for Microsoft Teams.
- SOLID SOUND: Powerful 28mm speakers deliver richer sound for a better audio experience.
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