M365 Changelog: Changes coming to the default new Yammer setting April 22, 2021

MC244317 – Updated April 22, 2021: Microsoft has updated the rollout timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

Microsoft is pleased to announce the next phase of the new Yammer experience. In September 2020 (MC222345), they released an opt-in toggle for new Yammer for all users. 

With this upcoming change, admins that have chosen the Enable the new Yammer as opt-in setting will have the new Yammer experience set as the default for all Yammer users. If your tenant is already in new Yammer as default or Enable the new Yammer for all users with no opt-out option, nothing will change for you or your users.

Key points

• Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 70689 
• Timing: mid-April through late May
• Roll-out: tenant level
• Control type: user control and admin control 
• Action: review and assess

How this will affect your organization

In tenants that have chosen the Enable the new Yammer as an opt-in setting, users will now migrate to the new Yammer experience by default. They will be welcomed to the new experience the next time they access Yammer on the web. By default, users will see a toggle to opt out of the new Yammer if they want to return to the classic experience.

What you need to do to prepare

Review the changes and assess the impact on your organization. You can use a trial tenant to test the experience without changing your existing Yammer network.

Global Admins and Yammer Verified Network admins of current networks can control how their organization rolls out the new Yammer experience under the ‘New Yammer’ tab in Yammer Admin settings.

Choose between these options:

1. Enable the new Yammer for all users with an opt-out option (default)
2. Enable the new Yammer for all users with no opt-out option 

You can move back and forth between these settings at any time. The existing Enable the new Yammer opt-in option will be removed from the Yammer Admin Settings.

You might consider updating your training and documentation as well as sending out change communications within your organization as appropriate.

Learn more

• Bring new Yammer to your organization
• Yammer Adoption Resources

Since the last phase of the Yammer roll-out, Microsoft added this functionality based on your feedback:  

• Diverse reactions 
• Enhanced community insights 
• Question and answer insights 
• Ability to “mute” communities at admin and user levels. 
• Advanced eDiscovery: supporting linked content from OneDrive and SharePoint Online (modern attachments) 
• Admin capability to turn off live events commenting and Q&A. 
• New immersive experience for live events. 
• Optional 10-year audit log retention add-on 
• Azure AD B2B guest support in Yammer (Public Preview)