Microsoft Teams to get efficiency mode on PCs with limited resources

Microsoft Teams to get efficiency mode on PCs with limited resources By Sergiu Gatlan April 22, 2026 08:24 AM 0 Microsoft is preparing to roll out a new Efficiency Mode for Microsoft Teams for systems with limited CPU and memory resources to improve app responsiveness. As the company explained in a Tuesday message center update (MC1287373), this new performance-optimized experience will be enabled by default on eligible devices and will also improve meeting quality by adjusting resource usage based on device capabilities. When enabled, the video resolution sent from the user's camera will be dynamically adjusted in meetings, and the Teams app will launch without a pre-selected chat, showing a static image in the message pane instead. This change will begin rolling out to Teams for Windows and Mac desktops in early May 2026 and is expected to finish by mid-May. Teams users can opt out by going to Settings > General and toggling on the "Never use efficiency mode" option. "Microsoft Teams will roll out Efficiency Mode in May 2026 for hardware-constrained devices, improving responsiveness by adjusting video resolution and app behavior," Microsoft said. "Enabled by default with an indicator, users can opt out via settings. No action is required unless customization or communication is needed." Incoming security improvements Microsoft is also working to introduce a new tool starting in June that allows users to report suspicious external users, and a new Security Detection Report in the Teams admin center that will surface all messaging security detections (including impersonation attempts, malicious URLs, and weaponizable file types). "This enhancement helps organizations respond faster to phishing, impersonation, and other external threats while leveraging end-user signals as an additional layer of protection," it noted in a new Microsoft 365 Roadmap entry added on Friday. "Admins can review detection activity in one place and export detailed data to support investigation and response. This capability helps consolidate security signals for Teams messaging scenarios," Microsoft added. Teams will also automatically tag third-party bots in lobbies starting next month, allowing organizers to control whether those bots can join meetings. Since the start of the year, it has also introduced a call reporting feature that helps flag potential scams or phishing attempts, as well as a new fraud-protection feature for calls that warns users about external callers impersonating trusted organizations in social-engineering attacks. 99% of What Mythos Found Is Still Unpatched. AI chained four zero-days into one exploit that bypassed both renderer and OS sandboxes. A wave of new exploits is coming. At the Autonomous Validation Summit (May 12 & 14), see how autonomous, context-rich validation finds what's exploitable, proves controls hold, and closes the remediation loop. Claim Your Spot Related Articles: Microsoft pulls service update causing Teams launch failures New KB5085516 emergency update fixes Microsoft account sign-in Microsoft: March Windows updates break Teams, OneDrive sign-ins Microsoft Teams will tag third-party bots trying to join meetings Microsoft traces Universal Print issues to Graph API code change