- Microsoft’s Teams URL-scanning tool is now available in public preview
- Generally available from November, it will be enabled by default
- Senders and receivers will receive warning messages
Microsoft is now rolling out URL monitoring across Teams to help stamp out malicious links on the platform, by automatically alerting users when private or group messages contain dodgy links.
The company says this covers things like spam, phishing or malware, and it should be with us formally by November.
The feature was first disclosed in a roadmap entry in August 2025, under the heading ‘Malicious URL Protection for Teams Chat and Channels.”
Teams will scan URLs for dodgy intent
The roadmap entry reads: “Microsoft Teams can now detect and warn users on malicious URLs sent in Teams chat and channels, increasing protection against malware attacks.”
Tracked under ID 499893, it has now been released as a public preview across Android, desktop, iOS and web instances of Teams, with general availability slated for November.
Senders will see a warning if they share a harmful URL, with details or generic warnings and the option to edit or delete messages. End users will see clear warnings before interacting.
The feature works by scanning all URLs against Microsoft’s threat intelligence databases and works across both internal and external messages.
Users can opt in via the Admin Center under Messaging settings during the public preview stage. The feature will be enabled by default once generally available. Admins can still disable it from the Admin Center or by using PowerShell.
Full details of the logistics are available via a dedicated support page.
With an estimated 320m+ monthly active users, Microsoft is always applying updates to the Teams experience to ensure hybrid workers remain engaged. Roadmap entries relating to this piece of software alone total 72 in development and 98 in their roll-out stage, including numerous Copilot additions to boost efficiency.
