Teams Chat - copy/paste

The issue you are reporting is a feature change deployed by Microsoft.

Affected services: Microsoft Teams

Status: Service degradation

Issue type: Advisory

Start time: Aug 28, 2024, 3:31 PM EDT

More info

This change in behavior removed metadata such as timestamps, sender name, and reactions for text copied within the Microsoft Teams desktop and web clients. We recommend alternative methods for capturing metadata: the Forward feature for message transfer between chats and the Teams Export API for conversation extraction. These tools are more robust and prevent manipulation of message content.

Scope of impact

Any user copying messages in the Microsoft Teams desktop and web clients may experience this intentional change to declutter the content of pasted messages.

Root cause

A by-design change in behavior reduced the noise of messages copied from Microsoft Teams by removing metadata, such as timestamps, the sender’s name, and reactions, in the text that is pasted.

Current status

Aug 28, 2024, 5:19 PM EDT

In response to feedback that most users prefer to copy and paste messages without extra clutter, a recent service update purposefully streamlined the experience of copying messages in Microsoft Teams by removing metadata, such as timestamps, the sender’s name, and reactions, in the text that's pasted. We implemented this change in lower deployment rings, and feedback during this period gave us confidence that most users prefer this cleaner experience without the need for additional options. Therefore, we won’t be reverting this change in behavior. This message is intended to provide information regarding the context of the service improvement and ensure that users and admins are aware that this simplification of the copy functionality was intentional. This message will remain active for a week to ensure users and admins can review this information before the communication is closed.

Next update by:

Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 5:30 PM EDT

Is there any way to restore the old functionality (copying the msgs AND the names and timestamp)? I can't believe there were users who did not like this feature. Why can't MS give users two options, "old" and "new"?

Bring back the option please, for those of us using it for documentation in ticketing systems.

This is totally unacceptable. I cannot believe that there is not much demand for the old setting. I have spoken to many users and IT Tech and majority are at a loss why this facility has been taken away and want it back.

MS must reconsider this change and bring back the cut/paste the old way. Maybe they can make the name/date optional; let the people choose.

The message is loud and clear - WE WANT IT BACK.

Please bring back the old behaviour, what is the use of copying a converstation if you cant see who said what?