Update on Teams Chat Retention Protocol – New Effective Date and Key Information

In response to community feedback, the implementation of the new 30-day retention policy for individual Microsoft Teams chat messages has been postponed. The updated effective date is September 30, 2024. 

Key Details: 

• Retention Protocol: Once live, all one-on-one and group chats will be automatically deleted after 30 days. Those on the 7-day retention policy will not be affected. 

• Saving Important Chats: To save important messages, hover over the chat, click the three-dot icon, and select “Share to Outlook” to create a copy for yourself or a colleague. 

• Files and Links: Files and documents shared in one-on-one chats will remain accessible via the Files tab in the chat. 

• Teams Channels: Messages within Teams Channels are not affected by this retention policy. To create a new Team, email need.team@utoronto.ca. Refer to the Teams & Channels guide. 

• Meeting Chats: Chats from meetings held in Teams Channels will not be impacted. Learn how to create a meeting within a channel. 

Next Steps: 

We recommend avoiding the storage of important information in Teams chats and using SharePoint, OneDrive, or system documentation for long-term storage. 

For more information or assistance, please contact our support team.