Update Policies & Policy Packages
Control when Teams updates roll out, bundle policies into packages for different user types, and assign policies to users and groups efficiently.
Managing updates and policies at scale
Imagine you manage a fleet of company cars.
Update policies are like deciding when each car gets a software update — do the test cars get it first (preview), then everyone else? You don’t want all 2,000 cars updating at once in case something breaks.
Policy packages are like pre-configured settings bundles — “Sales rep car” comes with GPS, hands-free calling, and a fuel card. “Executive car” comes with premium sound and a privacy screen. Instead of configuring each setting individually, you assign the right package to the right person.
Update policies
What update policies control
Update policies determine which Teams client features users see and when updates are applied:
| Setting | Options | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Show Teams preview features | Off / Users can opt in / On for Current Channel (Preview) / On for everyone | Controls Teams Public Preview availability |
Update policy strategy
| Feature | Who Gets It | Why | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public Preview (ring 1) | IT team, power users, early adopters | Test new features before org-wide rollout — catch issues early | Medium — preview features may have bugs |
| Current Channel (ring 2) | General population | Stable, GA features — the safe default | Low — production-ready features |
Scenario: Kofi's update strategy at Harbour University
Harbour University has 55,000 users with very different needs. Kofi creates a phased update strategy:
Ring 1 — Public Preview (50 users):
- IT team + student IT reps
- Update policy: Show preview features = On
- Purpose: catch issues before they hit 50,000 students
Ring 2 — Current Channel (55,000 users):
- Everyone else (students, faculty, admin staff)
- Update policy: default (Show preview features = Off)
- Purpose: stable experience for the masses
Kofi assigns Ring 1 via a security group. When a preview feature causes issues, only 50 users are affected — he reports to Microsoft and waits for the fix before it reaches production.
Policy packages
What’s in a policy package
A policy package bundles multiple Teams policies into one assignable unit:
| Policy Type | What It Controls | Example in Package |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting policy | Recording, transcription, lobby, screen sharing | Frontline: recording disabled |
| Messaging policy | GIFs, emoji, URL previews, editing/deletion | Education (student): GIFs disabled |
| Calling policy | Call forwarding, voicemail, delegation | Healthcare (clinical): call forwarding enabled |
| App setup policy | Pinned apps, which apps appear first | Frontline: Shifts and Tasks pinned |
| App permission policy | Which apps are allowed | Education: only Microsoft + approved apps |
| Teams policy | Team creation, discovery | Student: team creation disabled |
Built-in policy packages
Microsoft provides ready-made packages for common roles:
| Package | Target Users | Key Settings |
|---|---|---|
| Education (Teacher) | Teachers/professors | Meeting recording enabled, breakout rooms, GIFs allowed |
| Education (Student) | Students | Meeting recording by teachers only, GIFs disabled, team creation disabled |
| Frontline Worker | Shift-based workers | Shifts + Tasks pinned, simplified app list, calling enabled |
| Frontline Manager | Frontline supervisors | Full meeting capabilities, Shifts management, team creation enabled |
| Healthcare (Clinical Worker) | Nurses, doctors | Priority notifications, urgent messages, patient app pinned |
| Healthcare (Information Worker) | Hospital admin staff | Standard meeting features, no clinical apps |
| Small/Medium Business | General SMB users | Standard features, simplified experience |
Scenario: Kofi assigns policy packages at Harbour University
Harbour University uses Education policy packages:
- 50,000 students → Education (Student) package: GIFs disabled in class channels, can’t create teams, recording controlled by teachers
- 5,000 faculty → Education (Teacher) package: full meeting controls, breakout rooms, can create class teams
- 500 campus security → Frontline Worker package: Shifts app pinned, Walkie Talkie enabled, simplified app list
- 200 admin staff → Default (no package) with custom adjustments
Without policy packages, Kofi would need to assign 6 individual policies × 55,000 users = 330,000 policy assignments. With packages, it’s 4 group assignments.
Custom policy packages
If built-in packages don’t fit, admins can create custom packages. Note: each user targeted by a custom policy package requires a Teams Premium licence.
- Teams admin center → Policy packages → Add
- Name the package (e.g., “Harbour University — Research Staff”)
- Select one policy from each category (meeting, messaging, calling, app setup, app permission)
- Save and assign to users or groups
Policy assignment methods
| Method | Best For | How |
|---|---|---|
| Direct assignment | Individual users | Teams admin center → Users → select user → assign policy |
| Group assignment | Security groups, M365 groups | Teams admin center → Policy packages → assign to group |
| Batch assignment (PowerShell) | Large-scale, scripted | New-CsBatchPolicyAssignmentOperation cmdlet |
Exam tip: Group-based policy assignment uses group ranking — if a user is in multiple groups with different policies, the group with the lowest rank number (highest priority) wins. Direct user assignment always takes precedence over group assignment.
Policy precedence
- Direct user assignment (highest priority)
- Group assignment (lowest rank number wins)
- Org-wide default (lowest priority)
🎬 Video walkthrough
🎬 Video coming soon
Update Policies & Policy Packages — MS-700 Module 6
Update Policies & Policy Packages — MS-700 Module 6
~9 minFlashcards
Knowledge Check
Kofi needs to assign the Education (Student) policy package to 50,000 students at Harbour University. What is the MOST efficient assignment method?
A user at Harbour University is a member of two security groups. Group A (rank 1) has the Education (Teacher) meeting policy. Group B (rank 2) has the Education (Student) meeting policy. Which meeting policy applies?
Next up: Group Creation, Naming & Expiration — how to control who can create teams, enforce naming standards, and set expiration policies for stale teams.