Is it possible to restrict Copy Link in Microsoft Meetings?

Introduction

Microsoft Teams is a powerful platform for collaboration, but securing meetings, especially those involving sensitive information, is a priority for many organizations. One common concern is whether it’s possible to restrict the "Copy Link" feature in Microsoft Teams meetings to prevent unauthorized sharing of meeting links. This article explores the feasibility of restricting the "Copy Link" functionality, available workarounds, and best practices for enhancing meeting security.

Understanding the "Copy Link" Feature in Microsoft Teams/ Outtook

The "Copy Link" feature in Microsoft Teams allows users to quickly share a meeting link with others, enabling easy access to scheduled meetings. This functionality is convenient for inviting participants but can pose a security risk if the link is shared with unauthorized individuals. For example, in educational settings or corporate environments, unintended sharing of meeting links can lead to disruptions or data leaks.

As of August 2025, Microsoft Teams does not offer a direct setting to disable the "Copy Link" button entirely for attendees or organizers during a meeting. However, there are several configuration options and best practices that can mitigate the risks associated with link sharing.

Current Limitations on Restricting "Copy Link"

Microsoft meetings can be scheduled by Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Outlook.

By default, we can restrict forwarding the Meeting to anyone by unticking the “Allow forwarding”.

But when we schedule a meeting still the attendees can copy link and share to outside or other users.

Microsoft does not provide a native option to disable the “copy link” button in Teams or Outlook meeting invites. This includes both the “Copy Link” option in the Teams interface and the auto-generated links in Outlook. Even with Sensitivity Labels and custom permissions (View Only), unable to fully restrict. It also only disabling Microsoft Teams interface not Outlook.

Note: You can create a Sensitivity Label as “Confidential – Restricted” and assign View only permission.

To check how Sensitivity Labels are created, check my article : Sensitivity Labels in Microsoft 365

Why sensitivity labels permissions only working in Teams but not in Outlook?

1. In Teams after applying Sensitivity label to the meeting (copy link disabled)

2. In Outlook after applying Sensitivity label to the meeting  (copy link enabled)

While the “Copy Link” functionality appears disabled in Microsoft Teams, it remains active in Outlook, even when sensitivity labels with custom permissions are applied. This discrepancy stems from how sensitivity labels and meeting policies are enforced across platforms.

Platform Differences

• Microsoft Teams: Sensitivity labels can enforce restrictions such as disabling the “Copy Link” button, preventing chat copying, and controlling lobby access.
• Outlook: The “Copy Link” button in Outlook is part of the meeting invite metadata and is not governed by the same enforcement mechanisms. Even when a sensitivity label is applied, Outlook does not currently support disabling the “Copy Link” button entirely.

Outlook-Specific Behavior

Even with sensitivity labels configured to restrict sharing, Outlook continues to display the “Copy Link” option because:

• The Outlook client does not enforce label-based restrictions on UI elements like buttons.
• The Teams Meeting Add-in for Outlook automatically inserts the meeting link unless disabled manually

While full restriction of the “Copy Link” button in Outlook is not currently supported, here are some practical steps you can consider:

Recommended Workarounds

While disabling the button itself isn’t possible, there are two effective workarounds to help restrict access to meetings even if the link is shared:

1. Set Permissions on Who Can Join the Meeting

You can configure Teams meeting options to control who can bypass the lobby and who can join directly.

Steps

1. Schedule a meeting in Teams.
2. Click on Meeting Options.
3. Set “Who can bypass the lobby?” to “People I invite”.
4. Set “Who can present?” to “Only me” (optional).
5. Save the settings.

This ensures only explicitly invited users can join directly, even if the link is shared.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/anonymous-users-in-meetings#control-who-can-bypass-the-meeting-lobby

2. Disable Anonymous Join

You can prevent users who are not signed in or authenticated from joining meetings.

Steps

1. Go to the Microsoft Teams Admin Center.
2. Navigate to Meetings > Meeting Policies.
3. Select or create a policy.
4. Set “Allow anonymous users to join meetings” to Off.
5. Assign the policy to relevant users.

This blocks external or unauthenticated users from joining via shared links.

Microsoft Documentation – Manage anonymous participant access

 

Additional Security Measures

To further secure Teams meetings:

• Turn Off Chat: Disable meeting chat entirely for sensitive meetings using a meeting template or sensitivity label. This prevents sharing sensitive information via chat.
• Restrict Copy/Paste in Chat: With Teams Premium, enable the “Turn off copying or forwarding of meeting chat” option to prevent participants from copying chat messages, captions, or transcripts.
• Lock the Meeting: After all expected participants have joined, lock the meeting to prevent late joiners. This can be done via More actions > Lock meeting during the meeting.
• Use End-to-End Encryption: For highly sensitive meetings, enable end-to-end encryption (up to 200 participants) to protect content.
• Monitor Attendees: Regularly check the participant list during meetings to ensure only authorized individuals are present.

Conclusion

While the “Copy Link” functionality appears disabled in Microsoft Teams, it remains active in Outlook. So there is no any permenant solution to fully restrict copy link button as of August 2025.