Add option to have non-threaded channels
I'd like the capability when I add a new channel to make it non-threaded. Threaded conversations are great for some channel topics, but other more casual channels get too cluttered with multiple threads. I'd prefer to have the flexibility to decide which format I want when I create the channel.

This request is still being considered by the feature team but a final decision has not yet been made. I’m still awaiting more details.
-Warren
137 comments
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Ville Kivinen commented
Absolutely despise the forced threading, and I can't believe this thread has been open since 2016 (and 'under review' since '18?!). Come on MS! Please prioritize a feature so many of your users have been asking for SO LONG! All of your competitors seem to have figured this out years ago.
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Kyle McNally commented
At the very least, let Admins move new conversations to reply's. User's don't quite get threading...
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Matthew Broderick commented
Any update on this?
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Daniel commented
Any update on this?
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Richard B commented
From what i can see, this is now mostly possible by going into the Channel Settings and turn on Channel Moderation. By default only moderators can create NEW posts, and as long as you have it set so that all other members can reply, they should only be able to reply to the one thread without being able to create new posts/threads.
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Pedro Henrique Monteiro Torres commented
First Suggested in 2016, no changes yet?
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Seairth Jacobs commented
Alternatively, make this a per-user option. Either way, please add _something_.
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Nick K commented
It would be really nice to allow the user to toggle in an existing channel between threaded view (what exists today), and unthreaded (showing each message as it comes in, stacked chronologically). You could use a color indicator to delineate which original context/thread each message originally belongs to.
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Moe commented
I think this would be a beneficial option as well.
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Steven Rasschaert commented
Just build threads as is done in Slack ;-) cause a focussed conversation with a small set of people is handy, but should be chosen PER message. And not per channel. But anyway, it would already be awesome if the option is there per channel. Talking about competition: Google Chat already released the option ;-) come on MS !
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Rob Whittemore commented
Any more details on this?
My team has taken to using just an open chat for this - a constant stream of discussion that jumps around a bit. It's VERY VERY awkward in a teams channel.
We understand how the threaded conversations are useful but I don't understand why we can't toggle it on or off for a specific channel. Because of this we rarely use the actual "Teams" feature of teams, and Teams is about as useful for us as an IRC chatroom or something. We only use it because of forced adoption across our corporation and would prefer to be using Slack or even Discord for an easier to use messaging platform.
This doesn't seem to be a unique perspective especially among other software engineers who are forced into using Teams. Please consider this!
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Gerry Hernandez commented
Forced-threading effectively makes Teams absolutely worthless for chatting in an open channel. Please implement this.
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Shane Spoor commented
+1. Threads don't really make sense for some cases, e.g. general conversation channels where you don't need to focus on a specific topic in each post.
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John commented
Please add an option on create to allow a channel to be single threaded, threads are not conducive to conversation flow that covers many topics. Navigation between threads is also annoying.
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Clif Godfrey commented
I think threads are good.. but embedded in the overall chat. Likely just need to rethink this slightly. Either that or make it where you can link a chat to a Team or something like that.
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Devin McCubbins commented
This is one of my biggest grips in comparing Teams to Slack.. the channel chat is very clunky by comparison and being forced into Post only discussion has alot to do with it.. At least making this an option would be very excellent.
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Jackson Wages commented
Guess I'll add to the 6 pages of people asking for this... please?
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Ярослав Наконечников commented
Hello, @Warren!
are you still in ms? -
Richard D commented
Would love an update on this from MS team - last update July 2018 :(
We have fast conversation channels and general team and office chat where threaded conversations are not required. At the moment it also looks really really messy and takes up lots and lots of space because everyone just uses the 'start conversation' area rather than replying. Trying to get users to change, wont happen.
For this reason we are still using Slack as well as Teams and it's unlikely we'll move completely to teams partly due to this. -
Dennis B commented
yes, this is also a major issue for us. The problem is people end up having private chat sessions because everything gets scrambled by the reply's so it makes it impossible to follow conversations. We're being forced to use teams by corporate overlords, so had to move off of discord. Quite a setback.