<p>Microsoft is preparing a significant shift in how private channels function within Teams, aiming to enhance scalability, improve compliance handling, and simplify administration for growing organizations. As more companies rely on private channels for secure, focused communication, Microsoft is redesigning the underlying infrastructure to better support enterprise needs.</p>
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<p>Currently, each private channel is tied to its mailbox, but that’s about to change. In the coming months, Microsoft will transition private channels to use a group mailbox model, which is the same foundation already used by shared channels. This change may be happening behind the scenes, but its impact will be very real. Teams will soon be able to host up to 1,000 private channels instead of the current 30, and each channel will support up to 5,000 members, a major increase from the existing 250-user cap. Meeting scheduling will also be enabled inside private channels, and compliance enforcement will shift from individual mailboxes to the group level, streamlining governance for IT teams.</p>
<p>This update addresses a long-standing request from organizations seeking more flexible and manageable private spaces within Teams. Managing compliance at scale under the old system was cumbersome, especially when dealing with dozens of individually configured mailboxes. The move to group-based compliance reduces complexity and offers a clearer path for applying organizational policies.</p>
<p>Microsoft has shared guidance for IT administrators to prepare ahead of the infrastructure migration, which begins in late September 2025 and is expected to conclude by the end of the year. Admins should ensure that group-level compliance settings are in place before the transition, since future private channel data will follow the policies applied to the team’s group mailbox. While existing mailbox-based policies will still function, all new private channel content will be managed through the new system. Additional recommendations and configuration details are available through Microsoft Purview documentation.</p>
<p>The rollout will be gradual, and Microsoft has assured users that the transition won’t disrupt access to content or communication within private channels. Mailboxes will shift in the background with no expected downtime. For organizations depending on private channels for critical collaboration, the change promises more room to grow and far less administrative overhead.</p>