[What and Why:]
Adds support for alternate text on OneDrive/SharePoint-hosted images shared in Microsoft Teams, improving accessibility for users who rely on screen reader functionality.
[Rollout Schedule:]
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in early December 2026 and expect to complete by mid-December 2026.
[Impact on Your Organization:]
Who is affected:
- Microsoft 365 users who share or receive image attachments stored in OneDrive and SharePoint through Microsoft Teams.
Platforms/Services:
- Microsoft Teams (Windows, Mac, and web)
What will happen:
- Users can add alt text to an image attachment while composing a message, and can add or update the description later by editing their sent message.
- Screen readers can announce the saved description when users encounter the image in the Teams message.
- The description is associated with the image in that Teams message; it does not modify the original image file in OneDrive or SharePoint.
[Action Required/Recommendations:]
No admin action is required. You may want to:
- Notify help desk staff and end users about the change.
- Update your organization's accessibility guidance to encourage concise, meaningful descriptions when sharing images in Microsoft Teams.
[Compliance considerations:]
No compliance considerations identified. Review as appropriate for your organization.