Microsoft Teams has become a major component of Redmond’s productivity output. As a new cornerstone of Office 365, the workplace collaboration tool is slowly replacing Skype for Business. It may be surprising, then, to see Microsoft decide to remove Teams from one of its platforms.
The company has announced it is killing off the Microsoft Teams app on Windows 10 S. Starting from next month, the app will no longer be available on the pared down Windows 10 version.
Of course, this says much more about Windows 10 S than it does about Teams. Launched just over a year ago as a stripped-down Windows 10, the S version struggled from the start. It was supposed to be an education-focused version that offered a lighter Windows 10 experience.
Earlier this year, Microsoft ended Windows 10 S as an individual SKU. Instead, the company folded it into Windows 10 Pro as an optional boot. With all that in mind, it’s not surprising to see Microsoft Teams is departing the platform.
Microsoft explained the app will be removed next month:
“Effective November 29, 2018, you’ll no longer be able to use the Microsoft Teams for Windows 10 S (Preview) app, available from the Microsoft Store. We recommend that you use one of the Teams apps described below.”
Other Options
As Microsoft hints above, the removal of the dedicated app does not mean Teams will no longer be available on Windows 10 S. Users can access the service through the other apps the company describes. Those are the full Windows 10 client or the web version.
Microsoft Teams continues to go from strength to strength away from Windows 10 S. The app regularly scores new updates and features. Earlier this month, Microsoft announced a Confluence Cloud integration for the service.
