💡 Our Technical Review in summary
- Microsoft is updating the default conversation view in Viva Engage communities to simplify how users browse content.
- The feed will shift from being organized by “recent activity” (replies/updates) to “recent posts” (newest threads first).
- This update introduces a “sticky” preference system that remembers a user’s chosen sort and filter settings across different communities.
- The rollout is scheduled to begin in February 2026 (updated from January 2026).
Impact
- Default View Change: The feature will be enabled by default. Communities will now default to the “All” feed sorted by “Recent posts” rather than activity-based sorting.
- Unread Indicators: Visibility of unread content is improving; unread indicators will now appear in both the “New” and “All” feeds, whereas they previously only existed in the “New” feed.
- User Preference Persistence: If a user manually changes their feed filter (New vs. All) or sort order (Recent posts vs. Recent activity), Viva Engage will remember and apply these settings across all communities the user visits.
- Fallback Logic: If a user prefers the “New” feed but a specific community has no new content, the system will temporarily display the “All” feed for that visit while maintaining “New” as the user’s saved preference for future interactions.
- User Experience: This change is designed to make community navigation more intuitive and predictable for all Viva Engage users.
Action Required
- No Technical Configuration: No administrative action is required to enable this feature as it is ON by default.
- Update Documentation: IT Admins should update internal training materials or help desk documentation to reflect the new default sorting behavior and the “sticky” preference feature.
- Communication: Inform Community Managers and power users about the change so they can guide their members on how to toggle back to “Recent activity” if they prefer the legacy triage flow.
- Monitor Roadmap: Reference Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 513275 for further updates regarding the deployment timeline.
Microsoft Official Update
Service: N/A
Category: stayInformed
Severity: normal
Updated January 27, 2026: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.
[Introduction:]
We’re introducing a simpler way to view conversations in Viva Engage communities, organized by recent posts rather than recent activity. This new view is designed to make it easier for users to follow discussions and will be available as an option, alongside the current system, for those who prefer sorting by recent activity and filtering to new conversations only.
This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 513275.
[When this will happen:]
General Availability (Worldwide): We will begin rolling out in February 2026 (previously January).
[How this will affect your organization:]
This change should align better with how people expect to browse and engage with content in their communities, while still preserving the triage flow for those who prefer it.
Who is affected: All Viva Engage users in your organization.
Current experience:
- Communities default to “new” and “recent activity” if there’s any new content (posts or replies).
- If there’s no new content, the feed falls back to “all.”
- Unread indicators on content only exist in the “new” feed.
New experience:
- The feature will be ON by default.
- Communities will default to “all” and “recent posts”:
- Unread indicators will exist in both the “new” and “all” feeds.
- A sticky user preference will be introduced:
- If someone changes the feed (new/all) or sort order (recent posts/recent activity), we will maintain that setting across their communities.
- If someone picks “new” and there’s no new content in the next community, we will fall back to “all” for that community visit, but “new” will remain the preference for that user.
[What you can do to prepare:]
No action is required.
[Compliance considerations:]
No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate
