Microsoft Teams to let admins automatically block external bots in meetings

Previously, Teams identified bots and labeled them in the lobby but left the final decision to meeting organizers. The new update prevents external bots from entering in the first place, giving organizations more control over security and reducing risks from unwanted participants, the report said.

The policy is disabled by default, so Microsoft will not ban third-party bots across the board. Admins can enable it for users or groups, which TechRadar described as a major improvement over earlier bot protections introduced two months ago.

Any external bot detected in a meeting will be blocked from entering, which means legitimate tools such as AI meeting assistants, transcription tools and recording add-ons could also be blocked. TechRadar noted that is why the feature is switched off by default.

The report cited Meera Ajam, who wrote in a June post: "Bots have begun joining meetings that participants never intended them to attend," hinting at a shift to hybrid participants.

Further admin controls, including allow lists for approved bots and audit logs, are set to come to the productivity suite. The latest update is rolling out now, with general availability expected by late September.