What is the lowest cost TEAMs plan can I purchase that will allow me to be assigned as a breakout room manager?

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What is the lowest cost TEAMs plan can I purchase that will allow me to be assigned as a breakout room manager?

Lisa R 20

I need to upgrade from my free TEAMs plan to a business plan so that I can be assigned a breakout room manager. The Microsoft page that compares plans indicates that breakout rooms are available for the Microsoft Business Basic Plan (see: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/compare-microsoft-teams-business-options?activetab=pivot:primaryr1), but that plan also states that it is available only for "Web and mobile apps only." However, I've read the following: "You cannot be assigned as the breakout room manager if you are using Microsoft Teams Business Basic on the web, because breakout room creation and management is only supported on the desktop versions of Teams (Windows and Mac). Attendees can join breakout rooms from the web, but the ability to manage them is limited to the desktop client." So, this brings me back to my question, can I manage breakout rooms if I have the Basic Plan.

Thanks

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Answer 1

Vivian-HT 8,690 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Dear @Lisa R,Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

In this case, since your goal is to manage breakout room, the Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan is not effectively and suitable. While the Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan includes breakout rooms as a feature, it only provides access through web and mobile apps. Breakout room creation and management require the desktop client/desktop app (Windows or Mac).

- To see Breakout rooms in your meeting controls, you must be a meeting organizer of a scheduled private meeting, a Meet Now meeting, a scheduled channel meeting, or a channel Meet Now meeting. Additionally, you need to join the meeting from a supported Teams client for Windows or macOS.

- If users use Linux, web, iOS, iPadOS, Android (including Chromebook), PSTN, and VDI clients, these options are currently enabled only for breakout room attendees, which means participants joining from these clients can be moved to breakout rooms but cannot manage breakout rooms.

This means that if you’re on Business Basic, you can join breakout rooms from the web, but you cannot be assigned as a breakout room manager because that functionality is limited to the desktop app. For reference: Breakout rooms troubleshooting guide in Microsoft Teams

To manage breakout rooms effectively, you’ll need a plan that includes the desktop version of Teams. The Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan is the lowest-cost option that meets this requirement. It provides: Full desktop versions of Teams and Office apps, as well as ability to create and manage breakout rooms as an organizer or appointed manager

Business Basic: $6/user/month > Web & mobile only; breakout room management not supported
Business Standard: $12.50/user/month > Desktop apps included breakout room management supported

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Vivian-HT 8,690 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-27T06:02:13.5+00:00

Dear @Lisa R,

Good day and I hope you're doing well. I just wanted to check in and see if there is any update from you

If you're still facing any problems, please feel free to share more details about the current error or steps you're stuck on. I’ll be happy to assist further.

Looking forward to your update.
Lisa R 20 Reputation points

2025-11-27T12:44:53.5666667+00:00

@ Vivian-HT Thanks for your earlier response. I was hoping for a different answer, but you seem to have confirmed what I had been reading.

Maybe you can answer another question for me. I had read somewhere that people who have only the free plan cannot be moved into a breakout room, but I know that I was moved into breakout rooms during a TEAMs meeting and I only have the free plan currently. Do you have any thoughts on that? Thanks.
Vivian-HT 8,690 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-11-30T00:36:38.6066667+00:00
Dear @Lisa R,

Thank you for your question and for sharing your experience. There’s some confusion around this topic, so let me clarify.

According to my research, participants using the free version of Microsoft Teams can join breakout rooms without signing in (e.g., via browser in incognito/private mode). For reference: https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/idea/3119927b-3de2-ef11-b542-6045bdb6843f

However, there are some limitations:

Breakout room management is not supported for free accounts. Only organizers or assigned managers using paid plans with the desktop client can create and manage breakout rooms.

Joining breakout rooms: Free users can join breakout rooms as participants, but they cannot be pre-assigned or managed in the same way as paid users. In some cases, they may need to join as guests or rely on automatic assignment by the organizer.

This distinction often causes confusion because the ability to join is different from the ability to manage. Your experience of being moved into a breakout room likely happened because the meeting organizer used automatic assignment or you joined as a guest.

I hope this information is helpful. Thank you for your patience and your understanding.

If you have any questions or if I misunderstand anything, please feel free to reach out.

I'm looking forward for your reply.
Lisa R 20 Reputation points

2025-12-01T13:38:50.9966667+00:00

Very helpful thanks very much.
Vivian-HT 8,690 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-12-01T23:27:28.5466667+00:00

Dear @Lisa R,

Thank you for your update

Answer 2

To manage breakout rooms in Microsoft Teams, you need a plan that supports the desktop version of Teams, as breakout room management is not available on the web version. The Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan does allow for breakout room participation, but as you noted, it is limited to web and mobile apps only. Therefore, if you want to be assigned as a breakout room manager, you would need to upgrade to a plan that supports the desktop application, such as Microsoft 365 Business Standard or higher.

In summary, the lowest cost plan that allows you to manage breakout rooms is not the Business Basic plan, but rather the Microsoft 365 Business Standard plan, which supports desktop usage for breakout room management.

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What is the lowest cost TEAMs plan can I purchase that will allow me to be assigned as a breakout room manager?

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