diff --git a/changelog.d/12200.removal b/changelog.d/12200.removal
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..312c7ae32597
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/12200.removal
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+The groups/communities feature in Synapse has been deprecated.
diff --git a/docs/upgrade.md b/docs/upgrade.md
index 95005962dc49..f9ac605e7b29 100644
--- a/docs/upgrade.md
+++ b/docs/upgrade.md
@@ -85,6 +85,20 @@ process, for example:
     dpkg -i matrix-synapse-py3_1.3.0+stretch1_amd64.deb
     ```
 
+# Upgrading to v1.56.0
+
+## Groups/communities feature has been deprecated
+
+The non-standard groups/communities feature in Synapse has been deprecated and will
+be disabled by default in Synapse v1.58.0.
+
+You can test disabling it by adding the following to your homeserver configuration:
+
+```yaml
+experimental_features:
+  groups_enabled: false
+```
+
 # Upgrading to v1.55.0
 
 ## `synctl` script has been moved
diff --git a/synapse/app/generic_worker.py b/synapse/app/generic_worker.py
index a10a63b06c7e..b6f510ed3058 100644
--- a/synapse/app/generic_worker.py
+++ b/synapse/app/generic_worker.py
@@ -322,7 +322,8 @@ def _listen_http(self, listener_config: ListenerConfig) -> None:
 
                     presence.register_servlets(self, resource)
 
-                    groups.register_servlets(self, resource)
+                    if self.config.experimental.groups_enabled:
+                        groups.register_servlets(self, resource)
 
                     resources.update({CLIENT_API_PREFIX: resource})
 
diff --git a/synapse/config/experimental.py b/synapse/config/experimental.py
index 41338b39df21..064db4487c85 100644
--- a/synapse/config/experimental.py
+++ b/synapse/config/experimental.py
@@ -74,3 +74,6 @@ def read_config(self, config: JsonDict, **kwargs):
 
         # MSC3720 (Account status endpoint)
         self.msc3720_enabled: bool = experimental.get("msc3720_enabled", False)
+
+        # The deprecated groups feature.
+        self.groups_enabled: bool = experimental.get("groups_enabled", True)
diff --git a/synapse/federation/transport/server/__init__.py b/synapse/federation/transport/server/__init__.py
index 67a634790712..71b2f90eb920 100644
--- a/synapse/federation/transport/server/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/federation/transport/server/__init__.py
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ async def on_GET(
         return 200, {"sub": user_id}
 
 
-DEFAULT_SERVLET_GROUPS: Dict[str, Iterable[Type[BaseFederationServlet]]] = {
+SERVLET_GROUPS: Dict[str, Iterable[Type[BaseFederationServlet]]] = {
     "federation": FEDERATION_SERVLET_CLASSES,
     "room_list": (PublicRoomList,),
     "group_server": GROUP_SERVER_SERVLET_CLASSES,
@@ -298,6 +298,10 @@ async def on_GET(
     "openid": (OpenIdUserInfo,),
 }
 
+DEFAULT_SERVLET_GROUPS = ("federation", "room_list", "openid")
+
+GROUP_SERVLET_GROUPS = ("group_server", "group_local", "group_attestation")
+
 
 def register_servlets(
     hs: "HomeServer",
@@ -320,16 +324,19 @@ def register_servlets(
             Defaults to ``DEFAULT_SERVLET_GROUPS``.
     """
     if not servlet_groups:
-        servlet_groups = DEFAULT_SERVLET_GROUPS.keys()
+        servlet_groups = DEFAULT_SERVLET_GROUPS
+        # Only allow the groups servlets if the deprecated groups feature is enabled.
+        if hs.config.experimental.groups_enabled:
+            servlet_groups = servlet_groups + GROUP_SERVLET_GROUPS
 
     for servlet_group in servlet_groups:
         # Skip unknown servlet groups.
-        if servlet_group not in DEFAULT_SERVLET_GROUPS:
+        if servlet_group not in SERVLET_GROUPS:
             raise RuntimeError(
                 f"Attempting to register unknown federation servlet: '{servlet_group}'"
             )
 
-        for servletclass in DEFAULT_SERVLET_GROUPS[servlet_group]:
+        for servletclass in SERVLET_GROUPS[servlet_group]:
             # Only allow the `/timestamp_to_event` servlet if msc3030 is enabled
             if (
                 servletclass == FederationTimestampLookupServlet
diff --git a/synapse/rest/__init__.py b/synapse/rest/__init__.py
index cebdeecb8127..762808a5717b 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/__init__.py
@@ -118,7 +118,8 @@ def register_servlets(client_resource: HttpServer, hs: "HomeServer") -> None:
         thirdparty.register_servlets(hs, client_resource)
         sendtodevice.register_servlets(hs, client_resource)
         user_directory.register_servlets(hs, client_resource)
-        groups.register_servlets(hs, client_resource)
+        if hs.config.experimental.groups_enabled:
+            groups.register_servlets(hs, client_resource)
         room_upgrade_rest_servlet.register_servlets(hs, client_resource)
         room_batch.register_servlets(hs, client_resource)
         capabilities.register_servlets(hs, client_resource)
diff --git a/synapse/rest/admin/__init__.py b/synapse/rest/admin/__init__.py
index 6de302f81352..cb4d55c89d78 100644
--- a/synapse/rest/admin/__init__.py
+++ b/synapse/rest/admin/__init__.py
@@ -293,7 +293,8 @@ def register_servlets_for_client_rest_resource(
     ResetPasswordRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
     SearchUsersRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
     UserRegisterServlet(hs).register(http_server)
-    DeleteGroupAdminRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
+    if hs.config.experimental.groups_enabled:
+        DeleteGroupAdminRestServlet(hs).register(http_server)
     AccountValidityRenewServlet(hs).register(http_server)
 
     # Load the media repo ones if we're using them. Otherwise load the servlets which