Teams machine-wide installer vs user installs

[Atreus21]

Hi folks,

Awhile back I was informed in the post below that Zoom machine-wide installers incorporate all user-based installs  so that patching will work normally.

https://patchmypc.com/forum/index.php?topic=7151.msg17460#msg17460

I wanted to know if the same mechanism is in play for Teams.  We have an awful lot of user-based installs for Teams and wanted to know if deploying the machine-wide installer would fix that.

[JustAnotherUser]

No. It won't. Not yet, anyway. You need to build an app that searches for the machine wide installer, uninstalls it, then clears out the app folders for all users %appdata%/local/microsoft/teams, then installs new teams. I know you said that you have mostly user installs, the easy way to nuke them is just nuking those folders. I can share some code if you'd like, I used PSADT.

Note that you will need to coincide this with changing your enterprise tenant default to new teams.

You CAN coexist them and then change default and then remove as well, just know that once the new flavor is there all the old flavors will stop updating and sit there vulnerable forever---well, assuming you change your default.

[DanERM]

No. It won't. Not yet, anyway. You need to build an app that searches for the machine wide installer, uninstalls it, then clears out the app folders for all users %appdata%/local/microsoft/teams, then installs new teams. I know you said that you have mostly user installs, the easy way to nuke them is just nuking those folders. I can share some code if you'd like, I used PSADT.

Note that you will need to coincide this with changing your enterprise tenant default to new teams.

You CAN coexist them and then change default and then remove as well, just know that once the new flavor is there all the old flavors will stop updating and sit there vulnerable forever---well, assuming you change your default.

Hello, I'd be interested in seeing that code if you're still willing to share. Thanks

[JustAnotherUser]

Dan I'm super sorry that I missed your request. Did you get sorted out?

[Noahenett]

Hi folks,

Awhile back I was informed in the post below that Zoom machine-wide installers incorporate all user-based installs  so that patching will work normally.

https://patchmypc.com/forum/index.php?topic=7151.msg17460#msg17460 snow road

I wanted to know if the same mechanism is in play for Teams.  We have an awful lot of user-based installs for Teams and wanted to know if deploying the machine-wide installer would fix that.

I also look forward to the answer

[PS_Alex]

I also look forward to the answer

Hello!

If you have not yet upgraded your devices to the new Teams, now is a great time to do it. Teams Classic is out of support since July 1st, 2024 and becomes unavailable starting July 1st, 2025. See End of availability for classic Teams client.

The new Teams is an Appx/Msix application and does not have multiple copies of itself in every user profile - so it's easier to have your devices patched. It also self-updates from OfficeCDN. But the self-update only occurs when the new Teams is launched -- meaning that on a device not used that much, there is less opportunity for Teams to be executed, thus less opportunity to self-update. Still, see Bulk upgrade to the new Microsoft Teams client for instructions to mass-deploy the new Teams.

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That being said: there was a registry value you could set to allow Teams Classic to update from the binaries hosted by the machine-wide installer. See AllowMSIOverride if you are still having users running Teams Classic and you keep deploying the Teams Machine-Wide Installer.

Keep in mind, though, that Teams Classic updates itself when the user launches it. The AllowMSIOverride registry value has no impact on that behavior. Meaning that even if you set the value on your devices, Teams Classic will only be updated when (1) a user logs on the device, and (2) launches Teams Classic. And since your users are to move forward to the new Teams, Teams Classic wil be launched less and less...