Is Teams Watching Your Wi-Fi? Microsoft Preps Feature to Auto-Update Your In-Office Location

Microsoft Teams might soon be giving your boss a quiet heads-up every time you walk into the office. The video conferencing and collaboration app is reportedly testing a new feature that automatically updates your in-office status based on your Wi-Fi connection.

Until now, Teams users could work from the office without the app tracking their exact location. But that may soon change. According to reports, Microsoft is developing a new system that detects when your device connects to the company’s internal Wi-Fi network and then marks you as “in office” on Teams.

This feature is already sparking privacy debates. The idea, according to Microsoft, is to help colleagues easily check whether someone is working remotely or on-site, reducing confusion around hybrid work schedules. However, critics worry it could blur the line between convenience and surveillance, especially if employees no longer have the option to stay “untracked” within their office premises.

The company is reportedly preparing for a global rollout in December 2025, with availability planned for both Windows and macOS versions of Teams. Once rolled out, Teams will automatically update your status to reflect the building or location where you’re working as soon as you connect to the office network. The detected location will remain visible during your working hours and will reset after your day ends.

How It Works

While Microsoft has not given any details yet on how the entire system will work, the company’s previous documentation described this feature as part of its “Places” experience - a workplace management tool designed to help organisations navigate flexible work setups.

The system can identify when a user connects to office Wi-Fi or desk peripherals, such as docking stations, to infer their location. The level of detail depends on how an organisation configures its internal “Places” settings and whether employees consent to share their work and building locations.

This update comes as tech firms, including Microsoft itself, push for employees to spend more time in the office. The company already requires staff who live within 50 miles of an office to work on-site three days a week. The new update could be seen by many as a part of the company’s push to have more employees in the office by constantly being watched over. 

Read More: Why Is Australia Suing Microsoft? The Full Copilot Controversy Explained in 10 Points