Table of Contents
Summary
- Annotations can be made by presenters on a shared application window in Microsoft Teams, allowing for focused collaboration without sharing the whole desktop.
- Participants on Windows, macOS, and mobile devices can view and contribute to these annotations.
- The feature is enabled by default and requires no configuration from administrators.
- Presenters must use the Microsoft Teams desktop app on Windows for this functionality.
- Existing annotation storage and access behaviors from Microsoft Whiteboard are maintained.
Admin Impact: Low
User Impact: Medium
Release Start: 15 Mar 2026
Release End: 31 Mar 2026
Services: Teams
Category: Stay informed
Tags: Feature Update, User Adoption
History
2/18/2026 Item Added to Message Center
Microsoft Message
Introduction
We’re introducing Annotations on Single Window Sharing for Windows in Microsoft Teams meetings, based on customer feedback requesting more focused and privacy‑preserving collaboration. Presenters can now annotate directly on a shared application window without sharing their entire desktop.
This message is associated with Roadmap ID 555239.
When this will happen
- Targeted Release: Rollout begins early March 2026 and is expected to complete by mid-March 2026.
- General Availability: Rollout begins mid-March 2026 and is expected to complete by late March 2026.
How this affects your organization
Who is affected:
- Users who present content in Microsoft Teams meetings on Windows
- Meeting participants on Windows, macOS, and mobile devices
What will happen:
- Presenters can share a single application window instead of their full screen.
- Annotations can be started from the presenter toolbar during window sharing.
- Participants can view and contribute to annotations.
- The feature is enabled by default and requires no admin configuration.
- Existing Teams and Microsoft Whiteboard behaviors for annotation storage and access are respected.
- There is no change to background app visibility—notifications and unrelated windows remain private.
What you can do to prepare
- No action is required. The feature will be available automatically as it reaches your tenant.
- Consider notifying helpdesk and end users about the new annotation capability during window sharing.
- Ensure presenters use the Microsoft Teams desktop app on Windows and are on a supported version.
- Review existing internal guidance or training materials related to Teams screen sharing and update as needed.
Additional information:
- Annotations are initiated by the presenter during single window sharing.
- Annotation content follows existing Microsoft Whiteboard storage and retention behavior.
- Presenter support is currently limited to Windows.
Compliance considerations
No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.