Microsoft Teams Live Chat Is Ending: What to Do Next
Short answer
Microsoft ends Teams Live chat on October 5, 2026, hiding the website widget and cutting off messages to Teams. The simplest replacement is an AI chat assistant that hands visitors to your team inside Teams. JnRLTech's Pro plan does this for $197/month with no per-seat fees.
If your website chat sends visitors into Microsoft Teams, you're likely using Microsoft's built-in Teams Live chat. Microsoft stopped new setups on August 6, 2026, and support ends October 5, 2026. Here's what changes and the simplest way to keep answering visitors from Teams.
What changes on October 5
- The chat widget on your website is hidden, so visitors no longer see it. Messages from your website stop reaching Teams, and new conversations can't start. Your old chat history isn't deleted. It stays under your normal Microsoft 365 retention policies. Microsoft recommends removing the old widget script from your site.
That empty spot matters. Chat is where ready-to-buy visitors ask their last question. When the bubble disappears, most won't hunt for your phone number. They'll click the next business in their search results.
The replacement: AI chat that hands off to Teams
I built this for businesses that liked answering from Teams. An AI assistant trained only on your content answers routine questions 24/7. When a visitor asks for a person, the chat goes to your team in Teams.
- The visitor asks for a person, and everyone with the Live Handoff tab in Teams gets an alert on desktop, web, or phone. The first teammate to claim it replies in the same chat window and sees the whole AI conversation, so nobody repeats themselves. At 45 seconds, a waiting visitor gets a friendly "thanks for waiting" message. At 2 minutes, if nobody is free, you get an email with the visitor's name, email, phone, and full conversation.
Nothing slips through
Visitors give their email before a handoff starts, so every missed chat still reaches you with a way to follow up.
How it compares
| Feature | Teams Live chat | JnRLTech Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Works after October 5, 2026 | No, retired | Yes |
| Team members who can respond | Up to 25 | No limit, no per-seat fees |
| Microsoft 365 plans | Business Basic, Standard, Premium | Any organization using Teams |
Switching takes one call
We train the assistant on your website and FAQs, replace the old script with one line of code, connect Live Handoff through your own Microsoft Entra tenant, and test a real handoff before launch. It works on WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace, Wix, Webflow, or a custom site. Your team signs in with Microsoft single sign-on, and IT can review or revoke access anytime.
What it costs
Teams Live Handoff is part of the Pro plan: $197/month, or $1,896/year ($158/month). Try it free for 14 days. The one-time $300 setup fee is charged only if you keep it.
Setup fee waived on annual plans
Sign up for an annual Pro plan by October 31, 2026 and the $300 setup fee is waived.
Whether your Teams chat has already gone dark or you'd rather switch before it does, book a 20-minute Teams demo at jnrltech.com/contact. I'll show you the assistant answering from your own website and a live handoff into Teams.
Key takeaways
- Teams Live chat stops working October 5, 2026. Your chat history stays, but the website widget disappears. AI chat with live handoff keeps your team answering from Teams, with 24/7 coverage and no seat limit. If nobody is free, the visitor's details reach your inbox within 2 minutes.
Microsoft and Microsoft Teams are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. JnRLTech is not affiliated with or endorsed by Microsoft.