Microsoft Teams Will Hide QR Codes from External Senders to Fight Phishing

Microsoft Teams is getting a new security layer for QR codes shared in messages. The planned security feature will hide QR-code images from external users by default. The company says Teams will obscure images containing QR codes when they come from external senders. Users will need to reveal the image before they can view or scan its contents.

Teams to soon add security layer to combat QR code phishing

The move is designed to reduce phishing and fraud risks. QR codes can send users to malicious websites without making the destination obvious at first glance. That extra tap may give users a moment to think before scanning something received from outside their organization.

The protection is currently listed as in development, with rollout expected to start in October 2026. As spotted by Neowin, this feature is listed in the now renamed “AI at Work Roadmap” portal under Roadmap ID 570439. Not to forget, Microsoft has also started rolling out new security control to give organizations more control over which bots can access Teams meetings.

The security feature is currently listed for Teams on Android, iOS, Windows desktop, and Mac. Microsoft lists both General Availability and Targeted Release as release phases. At a time when QR-code phishing continues to target users across messaging platforms, Microsoft appears to be taking a more cautious approach.

For organizations dealing with frequent external conversations, the feature could become a useful safety barrier without removing QR-code functionality entirely.