Microsoft Teams to Add Location Tracking, Sparking Privacy Concerns

• New feature will auto-detect when staff are in office via Wi-Fi.
• Rollout to begin in December 2025, feature off by default.
• Critics fear it could fuel workplace surveillance worries.

Microsoft Teams is set to launch a new location-tracking feature that can automatically tell when employees are in the office. The update, expected to roll out in December 2025, has sparked a debate about privacy and digital monitoring at work.

According to a Microsoft 365 Roadmap update, Teams will soon detect when users connect to their organisation’s Wi-Fi network and automatically update their work location. This means colleagues and managers can see if someone is working from the office, without manual check-ins.

Microsoft said the feature aims to make hybrid work smoother by reducing confusion about where team members are working from. It also clarified that the tool will be turned off by default, and employees will need to opt in. Only system administrators, known as tenant admins, can enable it for an organisation.

The feature will be available on both Windows and macOS devices. Microsoft insists it’s meant to 'improve transparency' within teams, not to monitor employees.

However, privacy experts and worker advocates are raising red flags. They warn that even optional tracking could create a culture of surveillance and reduce trust between employers and staff. Many workers, especially those used to flexible remote work, worry this could mark a step back in digital workplace freedom.

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As companies continue balancing productivity with privacy in hybrid work models, Microsoft’s latest update highlights the growing tension between convenience and control.