Some Microsoft Teams features will move to new Premium edition

Microsoft is putting some Teams features behind a bigger paywall. Microsoft Teams Premium launches in February.

Microsoft is moving some Microsoft Teams features over to its more costly Premium edition. Microsoft Teams Premium has been available as a 30-day trial since last month and will soon have exclusive access to features like live translated captions, custom Together Mode scenes, and virtual appointment options.

The Register spotted that Microsoft revealed the changes in a licensing guide update late last month. Microsoft admits “some Teams features will move from Teams licenses to [a] Teams Premium license” once the Premium edition launches fully in February. Microsoft will keep the features inside the regular Microsoft Teams offering for 30 days once Premium launches, though. Here’s the full list of features affected:

• Live translated captions
• Timeline markers in Teams meeting recordings for when a user leaves or joins a meeting
• Custom organization Together Mode scenes
• Virtual appointments: SMS notifications
• Virtual appointments: organizational analytics in the Teams admin center
• Virtual appointments: scheduled queue view

“After the 30-day grace period, users will lose access to features previously available in Teams without the Teams Premium add-on, unless the admin purchases and assigns Teams Premium licenses for their users,” explains Microsoft in its licensing update.

Microsoft Teams Premium includes AI-powered smart features like live translations, custom meeting branding, and advanced meeting protections. The add-on will include an option for businesses to protect sensitive content with watermarks and labels during meetings or restrict users from recording meetings and copying text from the meeting chat.

Microsoft launched a 30-day trial for Teams Premium last month and is planning to make the add-on available for all users in early February. Microsoft Teams Premium is expected to be priced at $10 per user per month, and Microsoft says it will reveal full pricing once Premium is available next month.