Bug - New Teams - You cannot send messages to this bot

[romeroej-inch]

When you have a BotFramework published Bot services Teams Bot and you are using the "new teams"

Chat box gets disabled with message: "You cannot send messages to this bot"

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams/quot-you-cannot-send-messages-to-this-bot-quot-chat-with-bot/m-p/3952378

[sayali-MSFT]

@romeroej-inch - Thanks for reporting your issue. We will check this at our end and will get back to you.

[sayali-MSFT]

@romeroej-inch -We are trying to reproduce the scenario but have not been able to do so; it is working fine from our end. Could you please try like below provided gif? Also, could you please share the code so that we can try it from our end.

You have Microsoft Teams version 23285.3604.2469.4152. You've got the latest version. It was last updated on 27/10/2023. The client version is 49/23101227707.

https://help.tikit.ai/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/unblock-helpbot-app.gif

[romeroej-inch]

hi there.

i have the following version:

You have Microsoft Teams version 23272.2707.2453.769. You've got the latest version. It was last updated on 10/27/2023. The client version is 49/23092912308.

My bot is not a full "bot" its BotService Chat :

Im guessing trying to reproduce it might be a more difficult. You can find all the details on this link :

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams/quot-you-cannot-send-messages-to-this-bot-quot-chat-with-bot/m-p/3952378

The easiest way to reproduce is:

On Azure create a Bot Services Deployment.

Use the link in BotServices Channel to attach to teams:

Now you can "chat" with the bot services as it was a regular user on IOS/Android/Win (with legacy client). But as soon as you try it with new Teams you get.

It might be a security flag thats being checked on new teams. But there are not many config options more on Bot Services.

[sayali-MSFT]

@romeroej-inch -Thank you for providing the information. We will try to reproduce the bug, and if it occurs, we will raise it accordingly and let you know.

[axen2u]

Happened to my organization as well. Does anything need to be done on the office365 admin side? @sayali-MSFT By using what type of a bot that you're trying to reproduce this issue? Is it a PowerApps Bot or a Bot framework one? I am facing this issue with Bots that have been built using the MS Bot framework.

[sayali-MSFT]

@axen2u, @romeroej-inch -We are currently investigating this with our internal team. If it is indeed a bug, we will raise it accordingly and keep you updated.

[sayali-MSFT]

@axen2u, @romeroej-inch -We have raised bug for the same. We will inform you once we get any update.

[decoy123]

We also have experienced this bug. Please fix this.

[sayali-MSFT]

Hope you are doing well!! Just wanted to inform you that engineering team is working on this issue, and we are tracking it closely. Once we get any update on it, we will inform you accordingly.

[gykung]

@sayali-MSFT @decoy123 @axen2u @romeroej-inch I am sorry to disturb, has there been any progress on this issue? I've also tried the following but it does not work (https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/microsoft-teams/quot-you-cannot-send-messages-to-this-bot-quot-chat-with-bot/m-p/3952378).

The bot continues to work on Teams on iOS. On New Teams on Windows, I am able to click and send suggested replies to the bot, even though the text input remains greyed out ('You cannot send messages to this bot').

[sayali-MSFT]

@gykung - Sorry for the delay. Engineering team working on this issue. Currently we don’t have ETA or Update on this thread. We will let you know once we have any updates on it.

Thanks.

[KIRANKUMAR886]

Please verify if the publisher is authenticated. If not, please follow these steps:

1. Navigate to portal.azure.com.
2. Go to Home.
3. Access App registrations.
4. Select the Azure Bot name.
5. Look for the following message:

"Starting November 9th, 2020, end users will no longer be able to grant consent to newly registered multitenant apps without verified publishers. Add MPN ID to verify publisher"

To resolve this, add the MPN ID to authenticate and verify the publisher.

[gykung]

@KIRANKUMAR886 i think it is a different issue

[bbagaria]

Have been facing the same issue with old teams app, web app as well as new teams app. I am on current channel.

The bot works fine on phone app.

The bot is not sideloaded or published to the org but is being used via the teams channel link from azure portal.

Workaround: On the desktop app, right click on the bot (via the …. at the context menu) and click ‘Mark as unread’ . That would allow users to send messages to the bot through the desktop app for sometime. This "time frame" depends upon where the user clicks on the teams app on desktop. If user clicks at minimum of 3-4 group chats (not 1:1 or teams group) then the bot box is disabled again with the same message.

Support feedback: Its working as designed. Allow custom app load on teams and load the team app. This is not going to work for us as this is not a teams app but a azure bot using teams channel.

My Feedback: Such a major feature which was working earlier should not just be switched off one fine day without any intimation (if its working as designed) & with no information to support teams either. Took me hours and days just to explain the issue with support team. If it's a bug then it should be a sev-1 issue.

[sayali-MSFT]

Sorry for delay in response!! We are actively checking the status of bug with engineering team and let you know the updates, if we have any.

[axen2u]

@sayali-MSFT @romeroej-inch @bbagaria @decoy123 This bug can be resolved by uploading manifest.json file to your organization as a custom app.

[moricube]

We are also facing this bug :( Users on the new Teams version see "You cannot send messages to this bot". I hope you fix it soon!

[marcuzy]

We’re experiencing the same for our customers. They can’t use our product properly because of the bug.

[sayali-MSFT]

Could you please confirm, are sideloading enabled in your tenant?

If not, then this is the default behavior.

[axen2u]

@sayali-MSFT By sideloading I was able to overcome this.

[gykung]

@sayali-MSFT By sideloading I was able to overcome this.

@axen2u @sayali-MSFT May I ask what do I need to ask my administrator to do? I am not the MS Teams administrator.

For reference again, my bot is made using the SDK https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bot-service/bot-service-quickstart-registration?view=azure-bot-service-4.0&tabs=userassigned

[axen2u]

@gykung Even though you're not an administrator you can submit your app via the teams app. Go to manage apps in teams then use submit custom app to your organization. create a zip that only contains the required two icons and manifest.json. Replace ID with your Microsoft app id in manifest.json file. As the ID use the ID in your Azure bot service. You can find detailed steps and templates by following this link. Then ask your admins to approve that app via 365 teams admin center with required policies.

[gykung]

@axen2u @sayali-MSFT I have been using my bot based on "Test your bot in Teams": https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bot-service/channel-connect-teams?view=azure-bot-service-4.0#test-your-bot-in-teams The bot has been and continues running without issues on the Teams Classic and iOS Teams. According to the #test-your-bot-in-teams link above, manifest upload is only needed if I want to "Publish your bot in Teams".

May I ask if there is a change in the way this is handled, should the documentation be updated, or is it a bug in the New Teams on Windows?

I do not have an option to upload the manifest, the App Studio is not available to me (or could've been disabled by my admin -- screenshot below).

@decoy123 @romeroej-inch @marcuzy @moricube @bbagaria are you also running your bots from a locally hosted SDK Python code-->ngrok--->MS Teams. And then letting the user accessing it via the https part of the "embed code" from Azure portal? Have your problems been resolved?

[decoy123]

Bot is no longer available in Teams Classic.

@gykung Yes, we are using from that link. It has not been resolved yet.

[axen2u]

@gykung Click on upload an app then upload the .zip file.

[ChetanSharma-msft]

Hello Everyone, This behavior is by design in New Teams Client.

To interact with bot via azure portal, you need to have side loading of apps enabled in the tenant. For classic Teams also, same behavior will be implemented but we don't have exact ETA to share.

Reference docs: Enable custom Teams apps and turn on custom app uploading: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/platform/concepts/build-and-test/prepare-your-o365-tenant#enable-custom-teams-apps-and-turn-on-custom-app-uploading

Upload your app in Teams: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/platform/concepts/deploy-and-publish/apps-upload

Thanks!!

[gykung]

@ChetanSharma-msft I would like the chatbot to be available to all users in my organisation. If I upload it as "Upload a customized app", will everyone in my organisation be able to see it? Or should I upload the manifest under "Submit an app to your org"?

[gykung]

Ok, done, and resolved. I've uploaded it via ""Submit an app to your org"" so that it is accessible to everyone in the org. I suggest that the following documentation to be updated: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/bot-service/channel-connect-teams?view=azure-bot-service-4.0#test-your-bot-in-teams

[sayali-MSFT]

@gykung -Thanks for providing the feedback, we will check this and update the document accordingly.

[sayali-MSFT]

@Everyone-Could you please confirm your issue is resolved. Shall we close this issue??

[marcuzy]

Could you please confirm, are sideloading enabled in your tenant?

Our app is published to Microsoft Teams Apps Store and our customers are complaining about "You cannot send messages to this bot" after upgrade to new desktop msteams version. They install our bot from the store, they don't upload .zip. Is "sideloading" still required??

[sayali-MSFT]

@marcuzy -We will check this internally and let you know the update.

[Jackys0x12]

Is there any progress on this issue? Since 4 of December 2023 all our chatbots hosted in our tenant, registered on a .onmicrosoft.com and not on a custom domain aren't working anymore. the users get the message "you cannot send the messages to this bot".

[sayali-MSFT]

@Jackys0x12 - Sorry for delay in response!! We are actively checking the update with engineering team and let you know once we have any.

[Abinjosejames90]

Hello Sayali, I am facing the same issue in my client organization as well. Few of the apps were working till last week But it stopped working all of a sudden. I have seen your recommendation to enable sideloading of custom apps. We have enabled the custom app upload for selected users only due to security concerns. When those users try to upload, it throws an error: "something went wrong." While connecting with the bot with the apps which are already installed, we are getting the error:"You cannot send message to this bot". I have seen a techcommunity post stating enabling custom app upload for all users fixed this issue. Could you please confirm if it's required to fix this. Please help.

Regards, Abin

[TomHartogs]

To confirm, is it correct that all bot setups in Teams need to be setup through a Teams App from now on? We have multiple customers connected to our chatbots by connecting through the MSTeams Bot Embed Code (Bot services -> Channels -> "Get bot embeded codes"). However, they have all reported to receive the disabled message mentioned above. Every customer uses their own specific bot, therefore we can not create a single Teams app in the store. Would this mean that we would have to create a Teams app for each customer and have them upload/side-load these apps manually? Or is there another way for customers to simply chat to the bot like before with the help of the embedded link?

It's very worrying that breaking changes like this are made without any warning. We have actively paying customers that can no longer fully use our product because of these changes.

[sayali-MSFT]

@Abinjosejames90, @TomHartogs -We will confirm with engineering team for above ask and let you know the update.

[ChetanSharma-msft]

Could you please confirm, are sideloading enabled in your tenant?

Our app is published to Microsoft Teams Apps Store and our customers are complaining about "You cannot send messages to this bot" after upgrade to new desktop msteams version. They install our bot from the store, they don't upload .zip. Is "sideloading" still required??

If app is already published to the store, side-loading is not required as user's can directly install it from the store itself.

[ChetanSharma-msft]

Hello Sayali, I am facing the same issue in my client organization as well. Few of the apps were working till last week But it stopped working all of a sudden. I have seen your recommendation to enable sideloading of custom apps. We have enabled the custom app upload for selected users only due to security concerns. When those users try to upload, it throws an error: "something went wrong." While connecting with the bot with the apps which are already installed, we are getting the error:"You cannot send message to this bot". I have seen a techcommunity post stating enabling custom app upload for all users fixed this issue. Could you please confirm if it's required to fix this. Please help.

Regards, Abin

For user to be able to interact with bot via azure portal, we need to have side loading of apps enabled in the tenant.

[johnbelarmino1]

Hello all, I just wanted to follow up on this to see if there are any updates? Unfortunately enabling custom apps through the Team Admins Center is not possible as our Cyber team would probably not allow that. The chatbot we have developed is very specific to our department and is not ready for the entire company to use just yet hence we would use the direct MS Teams link provided in the portal.

[siva9046]

@sayali-MSFT Shall we get the tentative time/date for the solution?

[sayali-MSFT]

@siva9046 - We do not have exact ETA for this, we will let you know once we get any update from engineering team.

[marcuzy]

Could you please confirm, are sideloading enabled in your tenant?

Our app is published to Microsoft Teams Apps Store and our customers are complaining about "You cannot send messages to this bot" after upgrade to new desktop msteams version. They install our bot from the store, they don't upload .zip. Is "sideloading" still required??

If app is already published to the store, side-loading is not required as user's can directly install it from the store itself.

Thank you for your response, but the issue still exists for us 🤔 Some of our users see "You cannot send messages to this bot"

[ChetanSharma-msft]

Hello Everyone, This behavior is by design in New Teams Client.

To interact with bot via azure portal, you need to have side loading of apps enabled in the tenant. For classic Teams also, same behavior will be implemented but we don't have exact ETA to share.

Reference docs: Enable custom Teams apps and turn on custom app uploading: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/platform/concepts/build-and-test/prepare-your-o365-tenant#enable-custom-teams-apps-and-turn-on-custom-app-uploading

Upload your app in Teams: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/platform/concepts/deploy-and-publish/apps-upload

Thanks!!

Hello Everyone - Sorry for delay in response. Engineering team has fixed the issue in T1 (Classic Team) but it is not publicly released. We will let you know once it is done but we don't have exact ETA to share.

[ehrnst]

This is a confirmed bug in new Teams? I ask because there's some confusion in this thread if its a bug or not

[dan415]

Will this be expected behaviour in new teams and only fixed in Classic Teams? Any updates on this?

[ChetanSharma-msft]

Hello Everyone, This behavior is by design in New Teams Client.

To interact with bot via azure portal, you need to have side loading of apps enabled in the tenant. For classic Teams also, same behavior will be implemented but we don't have exact ETA to share.

Reference docs: Enable custom Teams apps and turn on custom app uploading: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/platform/concepts/build-and-test/prepare-your-o365-tenant#enable-custom-teams-apps-and-turn-on-custom-app-uploading

Upload your app in Teams: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/platform/concepts/deploy-and-publish/apps-upload

Thanks!!

Hello Everyone, FYI - Whatever the way it is working in New Teams, Same behavior is implemented in classic teams client as well.

[Vaibhav-MSFT]

Hello everyone, We have tested the bot sample both in New Teams and classic as well and we are experiencing the same behaviour.

[Aurimas-TheDev]

Hello, experencing same issue. When will this be fixed?

[Vaibhav-MSFT]

Hi @Aurimas-TheDev could you please check if you have side loading of apps enabled in the tenant. Reference docs: Enable custom Teams apps and turn on custom app uploading: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/platform/concepts/build-and-test/prepare-your-o365-tenant#enable-custom-teams-apps-and-turn-on-custom-app-uploading

Upload your app in Teams: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/platform/concepts/deploy-and-publish/apps-upload

Still if you are facing issues please let us know. Thanks!!