[Action required] Teams application update needed to enable Explicit Recording Consent feature on Teams Phone Devices

Microsoft Teams Phone Devices will require app version 1449/1.0.94.2025443703 to enable Explicit Recording Consent for 1:1 VoIP calls starting January 2026. Administrators must update devices before enabling this policy, which prompts participants for consent before recording or transcription begins.

[Introduction]

To enhance transparency and user control, Microsoft Teams Phone Devices is expanding the Explicit Recording Consent feature to include 1:1 Teams VoIP calls. This feature will become generally available in January 2026. It ensures participants must provide explicit consent before their media (audio only) is included in any recording or transcription initiated by another user. This change supports privacy compliance and aligns with customer feedback requesting more granular consent controls.

The minimum application version required for this feature is 1449/1.0.94.2025443703. If the policy is enabled and the app version is below this minimum, users will be unable to provide consent, resulting in their audio being disabled once recording or transcription starts in 1:1 VoIP calls. We recommend enabling this feature only after all Teams Phone Device endpoints have been updated to 1449/1.0.94.2025443703.

[When this will happen:]

• General Availability (Worldwide, GCC): Begins mid-January 2026, completes late January 2026.
• General Availability (GCC High, DoD): Begins mid-February 2026, completes late February 2026.

[How this affects your organization:]

Who is affected:

• Microsoft Teams administrators managing calling policies.
• Users participating in 1:1 Teams VoIP calls where recording or transcription is initiated.
• Note: Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) endpoints will be auto-consented. Explicit consent support for PSTN will be included in a future release.

What will happen:

• This feature applies to Teams Certified Phone Devices.
• By default, Explicit Recording Consent is OFF and must be enabled by administrators using a policy.
• When enabled:
  • Users initiating recording or transcription in 1:1 calls will trigger a consent prompt for the other VoIP participant.
  • Until consent is granted, the participant’s audio will be disabled and excluded from the recording.
  • PSTN users are not impacted as they will be auto-consented.

• Administrators can apply this policy tenant-wide or to specific users.

[What you can do to prepare:]

• Update Microsoft Teams Phone Devices to 1449/1.0.94.2025443703 before enabling the policy.
• Update training materials to reflect that Explicit Recording Consent now applies to 1:1 calls (PSTN and Teams VoIP).
• Inform users that consent is required before recording or transcription can begin in 1:1 calls.
• Administrators can manage this feature via PowerShell or the Microsoft Teams admin center.

PowerShell commands:

Set-CsTeamsCallingPolicy -Identity Global -ExplicitRecordingConsent "Enabled"
Set-CsTeamsCallingPolicy -Identity Global -ExplicitRecordingConsent "Disabled"

Learn more:

• Set-CsTeamsCallingPolicy documentation
• Manage Teams recording policies for meetings and events

[Compliance considerations:]

No compliance considerations identified; review as appropriate for your organization.