Microsoft is reportedly working on a new Teams feature that could automatically notify colleagues when you arrive at the office. The upcoming update will detect when your device connects to the company’s internal Wi-Fi network and then mark you as “in office” on Teams.
So far, Teams users have been able to work from the office without the app tracking their specific location, but that may soon change. The new feature is designed to update your location automatically, showing whether you are working remotely or on-site. Microsoft says the goal is to make hybrid work coordination easier and help team members know who is available in person.
However, the feature is already drawing criticism from those who see it as an invasion of privacy. Many argue that it could blur the boundaries between workplace convenience and employee monitoring, especially if there is no clear option to remain untracked within office spaces.
The rollout of this feature is reportedly planned for December 2025 and will be available for both Windows and macOS versions of Teams. Once active, Teams will automatically switch your status to reflect your office location when your device connects to the workplace network. This detected location will stay visible during your work hours and reset at the end of the day.
Although Microsoft has not shared full technical details, earlier documentation described the feature as part of its “Places” experience, a workplace management system that supports hybrid setups. The system can identify a user’s location based on office Wi-Fi connections or linked peripherals such as docking stations. The amount of location detail shared will depend on how each organisation configures its “Places” settings and whether employees consent to sharing that data.
This development arrives as tech companies continue encouraging employees to return to physical offices. Microsoft already asks workers living within 50 miles of a company site to work in-office three days a week. The new Teams feature may be viewed as another step in the company’s broader effort to reinforce its in-office presence through automated location tracking.
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