Can Planner be configured to send Notifications when Task Chat updated?

Dear @Ralph Bonatz,

Good day, and I appreciate the clear explanation of your concern.   

Microsoft has recently introduced a refreshed Planner experience. In this update, the former Comments feature has been replaced by Task chat. While Task chat enables a more conversational, chat-style thread and supports @mentions, its notification behavior differs from the legacy Comments experience. 

Below is a clear breakdown of your questions and the available options: 

• Can Planner be configured to send notifications when Task chat is updated? 

Currently, Planner sends Task chat notifications only when you are @mentioned, helping ensure alerts stay relevant and easy to act on. 
General updates do not trigger notifications, which encourages more intentional communication when attention is truly needed. 

• Can the legacy Comments feature be reactivated? 

In the updated Planner experience, Task chat replaces the legacy Comments feature for basic plans. While switching back to the old Comments interface is not supported, any existing comments remain accessible through a link in Outlook, allowing you to review past discussions easily. 

Here are some workarounds you can consider: 

Option 1: Use @mentions in Task chat for status updates 

• When posting a status update in Task chat, explicitly @mention the person who needs to take the next action, such as the assignee, reviewer, or task owner. 

• If multiple people need to be notified, include all relevant @mentions in the same message. 
• Continue using Task chat as the single place for task-related updates to keep context centralized. 

Mentioned users receive both Teams and email notifications, ensuring important updates are not missed. 

Option 2: Share task status updates in a Teams channel for broader visibility 

This option works well when updates must be visible to a wider group, not just task participants. 

• Post task status updates in a designated Teams channel used for status tracking. 
• Include a link to the corresponding Planner task in each post for easy navigation. 
• In Teams, enable notifications for that channel or turn on notifications for specific status threads. 

Team members can opt in to channel or thread notifications and receive updates as replies are added. 

This article provides further guidance on the topic: Manage channel notifications in Microsoft Teams - Microsoft Support 

Additional information is available in the following resource: Introducing a refreshed design, task chat, and more in Microsoft Planner | Microsoft Community Hub 

If you are an IT administrator, you can review detailed information about this update in the Microsoft 365 admin center: Message center - Microsoft 365 admin center 

I completely understand how these changes in Planner can feel disruptive. It’s not just about aesthetics; these differences can genuinely affect how smoothly you work and navigate your day. 

I’m really sorry, I know this isn’t the outcome you were hoping for. As a forum moderator, I hope you understand that I don’t have the ability to modify or escalate product issues directly. However, I strongly recommend submitting your feedback through the Planner · Community. This is the most effective way to ensure your voice reaches the product team and can be considered for future improvements.  

Once you've submitted your feedback, feel free to share the link here in the comments. I’ll be happy to upvote it to help bring more visibility. If you prefer, I can also submit this great idea on your behalf. Just let me know, and I’ll post it for you and share the link once it’s published. I’m here to help ensure your feedback gets the attention it deserves. 

Additionally, as other users have raised similar concerns and may not be aware of where to share their feedback, I hope this response helps clarify the situation and suggests a potential next step. Highlighting this information can make it more visible to others in the community who may be facing the same issue, making it easier for them to find guidance and contribute their feedback as well. 

Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern. 

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