Microsoft has announced licensing updates that simplify access to advanced collaboration, workplace coordination, and large-scale communication features across Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Places. These changes take effect April 1, 2026.
Expanded Access to Microsoft Places (Included in More Licenses)
End-user functionality in Microsoft Places will now be available to users with licenses that include calendar access in Outlook and Teams, including:
- Microsoft 365 E3, E5
- Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium
- Outlook 365 E1, E3, E5
- Exchange Online
- Various Teams and Office 365 licenses
Newly Included Capabilities:
- Places Finder – Enhanced room booking with floorplans, images, and space attributes
- New Event Calendaring Experience – Smarter meeting room discovery
- Places Explorer – Map-based space reservations and workplace visibility
- This enables organizations to scale modern workplace coordination without requiring additional licensing upgrades.
Teams Shared Space License (Renamed & Expanded)
The former Teams Shared Devices license is now the Teams Shared Space license, expanding administrative control over shared environments.
New Capabilities:
- Manage up to four desks per license
- Desk booking management
- Space analytics and utilization reports
- Third-party API integrations
- Enhanced admin control of shared assets
Available starting April 1, 2026.
Advanced Town Hall & Webinar Features Now Included in Teams Enterprise
All Teams Enterprise users will gain access to premium town hall and webinar features previously limited to Teams Premium.
Included Capabilities:
- Streaming chat for large events
- Reactions interactivity
- Real-time event insights
- Branded meeting themes and email customization
- Enterprise Content Delivery Network (eCDN)
- Immersive 3D event environments
Event Capacity Updates:
- Host up to 3,000 attendees (full-featured experience)
- View-only streaming up to 10,000 attendees
- New attendee pack add-ons available for scaling events up to 100,000 participants
Important Note on Teams Premium
Teams Premium will continue to offer exclusive features such as:
- Advanced meeting protection
- Intelligent recap
- Advanced collaboration tools
- Teams Phone Queues app
- Enhanced Bookings and virtual appointment capabilities
What This Means for Organizations
These licensing updates make enterprise-grade workplace coordination and large-scale communication tools more accessible—reducing friction, improving collaboration, and simplifying licensing decisions.
Organizations can now deliver smarter hybrid workplace experiences and scalable virtual events without additional premium licensing barriers.