October 2025 Updates That Matter to Your Business
Microsoft continues to enhance its cloud ecosystem with valuable feature rollouts every month. The October 2025 Microsoft 365 updates bring a range of improvements designed to boost collaboration, streamline administration, and advance AI integration across products. From Microsoft Teams and OneDrive to Copilot, Intune, and SharePoint, these changes offer both IT teams and end-users a more efficient and secure digital workspace.
In this blog, we break down the key highlights of the October update cycle, their business implications, and how they contribute to productivity, compliance, and collaboration.
Microsoft Teams: New Functionalities That Support Modern Collaboration
1. Audio-Only Recording
Users can now record just the audio during Teams meetings even when their cameras are on. This provides a more comfortable recording environment, especially for sessions where video capture isn’t necessary.
2. Image Search in Teams
You can now search images shared in chats and channels. Teams uses autosuggest to find images based on the sender or message content, while also showing the context of where they were shared.
3. App Support in Shared Channels
Shared Channels now support apps including bots, message extensions, and tabs, expanding how organizations collaborate across teams.
4. Search in Settings
Teams users can now quickly search for settings with a new search bar. This is a usability boost, reducing time spent hunting for specific configurations.
5. Full HD Video for Town Halls (Teams Premium)
Users with Teams Premium can now host town halls in 1080p video resolution for more polished, professional broadcasts. Admins can enable this via policy.
Microsoft 365 Apps: Visual Identity Refresh
Unified App Icons with Copilot Symbolism
Microsoft has rolled out a visual refresh for app icons such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. These new icons reflect a more unified design language centered around Copilot, Microsoft’s AI assistant, signaling deeper integration.
SharePoint & OneDrive: Empowering IT Admins and Users
1. Tenant Rename with No Site Limits
A much-awaited feature, tenant rename is now generally available without any restrictions on the number of sites. This is ideal for businesses undergoing rebranding, mergers, or consolidations.
2. OneDrive File Transfer Enhancements
Managing departing employees’ OneDrive content is now more efficient. Key features include:
• Redesigned notifications
• Better file filtering
• Bulk file transfers with sharing intact
• Consolidated collaborator alerts
These changes simplify offboarding workflows and reduce admin overhead.
Microsoft Intune: Better Control Over App Deployment
Policy-Based Removal of Default Store Apps
Using Intune, admins can now remove pre-installed Microsoft Store apps from Windows 11 Enterprise or Education systems using a simple policy toggle. This reduces device clutter and gives admins more control over the OS environment.
Microsoft Entra: Strengthening Authentication and Cloud Posture
1. Jailbreak and Root Detection in Authenticator
Coming in early 2026, Microsoft will block Microsoft Entra credentials on jailbroken or rooted iOS and Android devices to improve security posture. All such credentials will be automatically wiped.
2. Transfer Source of Authority (SOA) to the Cloud
Organizations can now move the user SOA from on-premises AD DS to the cloud. This supports Microsoft’s broader push toward a cloud-first identity architecture.
Microsoft Copilot: A Massive Step Forward in AI Integration
1. GPT-5 Becomes the Default Model
Microsoft 365 Copilot now runs on GPT-5, providing better reasoning, faster responses, and dynamic model routing. This upgrade significantly improves overall user experience.
2. Shared and Delegated Mailbox Access in Copilot
Users with access to shared mailboxes can now interact with Copilot using content from those inboxes. Similarly, delegated users can also use Copilot to reason over emails.
3. Copilot+ PCs and Native AI Experiences
Windows 11 is now integrating deeply with Copilot, including features like Copilot Voice, Copilot Vision, and Click to Do. These capabilities are rolling out via Copilot Labs and are optimized for Copilot+ PCs.
4. Session Persistence in Copilot Chat
Copilot chat sessions are now persistent. Users can navigate away from a conversation and return later with full context preserved, a major usability upgrade.
5. AI Video Generation in Create
Even users without a Copilot license can now access AI-powered video creation tools within the Create experience, democratizing video content generation.
6. Teams Channels in Context IQ Prompts
When writing Copilot prompts, users can now refer to specific Teams channels via Context IQ, further expanding contextual AI assistance.
Microsoft Admin Center: Security and Lifecycle Management
1. Windows 10 Reaches End of Support
October 2025 marks the final security update for Windows 10 version 22H2 and other legacy versions. Organizations should plan migration strategies to Windows 11 or enroll in the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program.
2. Defender for Office 365: Quarantine Enhancements
Admins now see quarantined messages listed by individual recipient, improving message tracking. Backend improvements also enhance durability and consistency of the quarantine system.
Why This Matters for Indian Businesses
Whether you’re running a consultancy, startup, school, or retail operation in India, these updates provide tools to operate smarter, safer, and more competitively. Features like Copilot with GPT-5, audio-only Teams recordings, and AI-driven file transfers aren’t just cosmetic improvements — they drive efficiency and empower lean teams to work smarter.
At KITSPL, we help businesses across India assess, deploy, and optimize Microsoft 365 updates as they roll out. From configuring Copilot to managing Intune policies or migrating to Windows 11, we offer consultation, licensing, and support every step of the way.
Final Thoughts
October 2025 was a milestone month for Microsoft 365. With sweeping changes across Teams, Copilot, SharePoint, and the admin suite, Microsoft continues to strengthen its position as the operating system for modern work. For Indian businesses looking to stay competitive and compliant, staying updated is not just an IT decision — it’s a strategic one.
Book a Free Consultation with KITSPL to understand how these updates can benefit your team and workflows.
