Don't worry; Microsoft won't delete your free Teams organization

Microsoft Teams Android Install Store
Microsoft Teams Android Install Store (Image credit: Future)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft accidentally sent an email stating some Teams organizations would be deleted.
  • A Tech Community post explains that this is not the case and why they were sent in error.
  • The issue stems from a method that deletes unused Teams Free organizations.

Microsoft's Sam Cosby explains what occurred in a Tech Community post. The problem stems from a new method implemented by Microsoft that deletes Teams free organizations that go unused over a 90-day period. A bug caused emails to go out to organizations that had been active.

The bug has since been fixed, so organizations shouldn't see any notifications about deletion unless they're completely inactive. Only organizations that don't have any sign-ins for 90 days will be deleted.

In an FAQ on the Tech Community post, Microsoft clarifies the state of Teams free organizations:

Will Teams Free still delete in the next few weeks?No, as long as Teams has been in use in the past 90 days. While there are articles out there that have shown Teams Free Admins how to view their license 'duration', it's been confirmed that once the fix goes live that any Teams Free orgs impacted with the above email will be 'extended' automatically and won't have to worry about any data loss.

While completely inactive Teams free organizations will still be deleted, you shouldn't have anything to worry about if your organization is active.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.