Microsoft Teams – Chat, Call, & Share Video all in One Place

Microsoft Teams is a private commercial communication platform created by Microsoft that is part of the Microsoft 365 product line.

Teamscompetes primarily with Slack, a comparable service that provides workspace chat and videoconferencing, file storage, and application integration.

Teams is replacing Microsoft’s current business communications and collaboration tools, such as Skype for Business and Microsoft Classroom.

As many meetings transitioned to a virtual environment during the COVID-19 pandemic, Teams and other applications such as Zoom and Google Meet gained popularity.

What is Microsoft Teams?

Microsoft Teams is a cloud-based team collaboration solution that is included in the Microsoft 365 and Office 365 suites of apps.

Microsoft Teams’ key functions include business messaging, calling, video meetings, and file sharing. Teams can be used by businesses of various sizes.

Teams is Microsoft’s primary cloud-based unified communications (UC) platform, competing with Slack, Cisco Webex, and Google Workspace. Teams, as a business communications platform, allows local and distant workers to collaborate on material in real and near-real time across several devices, including laptops and mobile devices. Microsoft Teams works with other Microsoft corporate applications such as Exchange, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.

Microsoft Teams is especially useful for remote collaboration because it connects and communicates scattered teams of workers.

The COVID-19 pandemic pushed enterprises all around the world to heavily rely on Microsoft Teams – as well as other collaboration software – as a communications platform for remote work.

Microsoft Teams is typically used across whole enterprises, rather than just inside certain firm units. Teams could, in certain situations, replace email for internal company communication among employees.

Microsoft Teams key features

Microsoft Teams serves as the focal point for team collaboration in Microsoft 365 and Office 365. The platform has numerous elements to assist employee teams in communicating and collaborating. The following are some of the important features:

• Messaging and Chat. Teams is a chat-based collaborative workspace with group and individual messaging, as well as threaded and persistent chats. A group or one-on-one chat can be upgraded to a voice or video call. Teams messages, like other messaging systems, can include emoticons and GIFs (Graphics Interchange Format).
• Calling. For voice calling, Teams offers cloud-based telephony.

Users can make voice over IP (VoIP) calls between Teams clients using the Teams app. Users of the Microsoft Phone System and Calling Plan can access the public switched telephone network to make, receive, and transfer calls to and from landlines and mobile phones (PSTN). Microsoft also offers Direct Routing, which allows customers to connect an existing PBX or Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunk to Teams. Audio conferencing, Enhanced 911 (E911) compatibility, voicemail, and a variety of other enterprise-grade calling services are also available with Teams.

• Video meetings. Users can hold virtual meetings in addition to audio-only calls. People used video conferencing to communicate remotely during the COVID-19 epidemic and work-from-home (WFH) directives. Customized virtual backdrops, meeting recording, transcription, whiteboarding, and breakout rooms are just a few of the important video conferencing tools available from Teams.

Microsoft Teams’ whiteboarding functionality can enable users interact on visual elements.

• Screen sharing.

This older but vital functionality is ubiquitous in team collaboration software.

Screen sharing, as the name implies, allows users to share their desktop screens, including files, in real time during Teams conversations or video meetings.

• Calendar. Teams, like Microsoft Outlook email, includes extensive calendaring to help users keep track of their workweek, meetings, and other daily obligations.

The calendars in Outlook and Teams are tightly connected.

• File sharing. Remote teams can use this document management functionality to save, distribute, and update files within Teams.

Within Teams, users can collaborate on the same document in real time.

• Webinars. Microsoft Teams can host interactive meetings and webinars with up to 1,000 participants.

Live reactions and host moderation tools to disable participants’ conversation, audio, and video are among the features. In a view-only broadcast, a team webinar can accommodate 10,000 individuals. To handle the increased number of remote workers during the pandemic, larger broadcasts of 20,000 persons are available till the end of 2021. That figure will fall to 10,000 by 2022. Attendee reports also show who attended the webinar and how long they stayed.

• External collaboration. Microsoft Teams’ guest access functionality allows users to invite people from outside their businesses to join internal channels for messaging, meetings, and file sharing. This competency aids in the management of business-to-business (B2B) projects. Teams Connect is another external collaboration feature that will be generally accessible in 2021, allowing different companies to communicate, meet, and edit documents in a shared workspace in Teams.

Because Teams is cloud-based software, Microsoft can regularly and swiftly upgrade the platform’s functionality.

As a result, Microsoft Teams features are always changing.

An future feature of Microsoft Teams is the ability to automatically alter video layouts.

Basic Microsoft Teams Terminology

The user interface (UI) of Microsoft Teams is similar to that of other team collaboration software, featuring a ribbon of workflow icons on the left-hand side of the desktop screen, as well as a list of teams.

The chat cooperation occurs in the center of the desktop screen.

To designate specific sections of the user interface, most team collaboration tools employ comparable language.

The following terms are used in Team terminology:

• Teams. Teams are groups of people that work together and collaborate on tasks.
• Channels. Users can build channels inside each team to organize their interactions by topic, such as news articles, monthly reports, or more humorous talk.

Users have meetings, have conversations, and collaborate on files within channels.

Public or private channels can exist.

Each channel can have a couple of users or thousands of people.

• Tabs. Tabs at the top of each channel provide access to files, programs, and services.

Posts for messages sent and Files for documents shared within the channel are two examples of frequent tab names.

• Mentions. Mentions allow users to message and inform other users.

Mentions are made by using the @ sign followed by the person’s name.

Individual users can also @mention entire teams and channels.

• Feeds. The activity feed summarizes messages, responses, mentions, and other activity within team channels.

Unread messages, mentions, and other categories, as well as the user’s personal activity, can be filtered in the activity feed.

• Threads. A thread is formed by a sequence of messages.

When responding to a message, users should choose Reply instead of starting a new conversation and thread.

As coworkers converse, threads can grow fairly long.

Users can plan phone and video sessions within threads, allowing for more contextual conversation.

Microsoft Teams Integrations

Microsoft Teams connects with numerous other Microsoft 365 and Office 365 applications, including Excel, OneDrive, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Word.

Teams also interfaces with tools outside the Microsoft domain, such as Box, Cisco Webex Meetings, and Zoom, to boost office efficiency. Microsoft Teams App Studio allows developers and enterprises to create custom apps for Teams.

Microsoft Teams integrates with physical components in addition to software. While Teams video conversations are available on desktops and laptops, Microsoft has collaborated with video conferencing gear suppliers such as Crestron, Logitech, and Poly to connect Teams with their products.

Microsoft Teams is available on Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows devices and platforms. It is also compatible with the web browsers Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Microsoft Edge. However, Firefox and Safari do not completely support several of the Teams calling and meeting functions.

Microsoft Teams Pricing Plans

Microsoft Teams is offered for free, however it is not part of Microsoft’s corporate application package.

Paid editions of Teams have more features and interactions with other Microsoft programs.

There are several commercial and enterprise plans available.

For plans that incorporate Teams, Microsoft utilizes the brand names Microsoft 365 and Office 365.

Microsoft’s products are aimed towards a variety of industry sectors.

Notably, Teams is aimed for healthcare, frontline personnel, and education.

Microsoft 365 Government G3 and G5 plans, as well as one-month free trials, add-on services, and nonprofit pricing, are also available.

The following table lists the premium plans that include Microsoft Teams:

Microsoft Teams is available in a variety of Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscription options.

The higher-priced plans will have more features than the lower-priced plans. The Office 365 E3 plan, for example, offers greater storage and can support more meeting attendees than the Microsoft 365 Business Basic plan, which costs $5 per user per month.

Furthermore, more expensive plans will have certain calling options. However, those capabilities are only offered as add-on services in lower-cost plans. Depending on the pricing plan, some security and compliance capabilities will also be included or offered as add-on services. More extensive security features will be available in more premium options.

How secure is Microsoft Teams?

Microsoft Teams has various security features, such as two-factor authentication (2FA), single sign-on (SSO), and data encryption in transit and at rest.

Workflows for teams can also benefit from the security capabilities of other linked Microsoft products, such as SharePoint encryption.

According to Microsoft, the vendor does not have access to the submitted content of clients.

Customer data remains under the control of the customer, and Microsoft does not monitor content or teams for reasons unrelated to the service.

The following security features are included in Microsoft Teams:

• Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), Microsoft’s optional cloud-based service, allows organizations to determine whether content in Teams is malicious and block access to that content.
• Private channels within teams keep conversations private among specific users and isolated from the larger, overall team.

The channel can only be accessed by the owners or members of the private channel. Private channels are useful when specific users require a secure environment to discuss sensitive information, such as finances.

• End-to-end encryption (E2EE) for one-to-one ad hoc VoIP calls is a new security option for businesses that conduct important online communications.

IT departments will have control over who can utilize E2EE in the enterprise. This capability will be available in preview to commercial customers in the first half of 2021.

• Safe Links, which will be available in March 2021, helps to safeguard organizations from harmful websites when users click links in Office programs.
• Meeting controls, such as the ability to mute video and invite only attendees, are future improvements that should improve meeting administration. Disable video allows a meeting organizer to disable the video of a single attendee or all attendees. If participants were not invited directly to the meeting, an invite-only feature will lead them to the meeting lobby.

The security features, like the rest of the Microsoft Teams features, are always growing as the vendor updates the platform on a regular basis.

Download and install Microsoft Teams on my PC

Check to see if Microsoft Teams is already installed on your Windows PC before downloading and installing it.

Select Microsoft Teams from the Start menu.

If you already have Teams installed, you’re good to go!

Otherwise, go with the procedures below.

Microsoft Teams is also available for download.

1. Access Microsoft 365.

Log in with your Microsoft 365 email address and password.

2. Click the menu button and then select Teams.

When Teams loads, click the settings menu in the upper-right corner and then click Download the desktop app.

Save the downloaded file and execute it.

3. Enter your Microsoft 365 email address and password to log in.

You now have Teams installed on your computer!

How To Use Microsoft Teams (Step-by-Step Guide)

Using a remote communication solution, such as Microsoft Teams, ensures that your team remains connected even if they are thousands of miles apart.

However, if you are unfamiliar with the tool, this can be difficult.

Don’t worry if this is the situation for you!

To utilize Teams correctly, simply follow this simple step-by-step guide.

We’ll go over the actions you’ll need to take on desktop and mobile platforms:

1. Getting Started with Microsoft Teams
2. Creating Teams and Channels
3. Setting Up Video Conferencing
4. Scheduling Meetings

How To Get Started With Microsoft Teams

Here’s a step-by-step walkthrough to get you started with Microsoft Teams:

1. Create an Account: Sign Up for Teams

For desktop

• Navigate to the Microsoft Teams website and select the profile icon in the upper-right corner of the screen.
• On the “Sign in” screen, click the “Create one!” link to create a new account.
• In the “Create account” page, type in your email address (ideally a work email address) and press the “Next” button.
• Follow the on-screen directions to create a password and enter your information on the subsequent screens.

After entering all of your information and verifying your email, go to the Microsoft Teams webpage to start using the Teams online app.

For mobile

Download the app and follow the same processes as previously to create a Microsoft account on your mobile device.

2. Download Microsoft Teams App

For desktop

• Return to the Microsoft Teams web page and click on “Download Teams” at the top of your screen to download the Microsoft Teams desktop app.
• Depending on your system, click the “Download for desktop” button to navigate to the download URL for Mac OS or Windows.
• This link will be labeled “Download Teams.”
• To continue with your download, click here.
• To install Microsoft Teams, open the downloaded file and follow the instructions.

For mobile

• Get the Microsoft Teams app from the iOS App Store or the Google Play Store for Android.
• After installing the program, launch it and sign in to your Microsoft account to begin using Microsoft Teams.

How To Create Teams And Channels

A Team in Microsoft Teams is a collection of people who collaborate together, typically the entire enterprise.

Meanwhile, Channels are separate dialogues that can be assigned to a department, project, or even a task.

The following are the steps for creating teams and channels in Microsoft Teams:

1. Create a team

For desktop

1. Launch the Microsoft Teams app and select “Join or create a team” from the bottom of the Teams sidebar on the left.
2. On the newly shown screen, click the “Create team” button.
3. On the next screen, you can select:

• Create a team from the ground up.
• Create a new Office 365 group or team from an existing one.

If your team previously used Office 365 before signing up for Teams, you may have existing groups that may be imported using the “Create from…” option.

Otherwise, select “Create a team from scratch.”

4. Determine who will be on the Team.

Choose based on how you want your platform to be organized:

• Private: Choose this option if the team should only have a few members.
• Public: Ideal for teams with fluctuating membership.
• Org-Wide: This option is great if you want to host your entire organization as one “team” on the platform and use channels to split departments.

5. Once you’ve decided on the type of team you want to form, you must name it.

Select a suitable team name, such as “Marketing” or “Social Media,” and then click the “Create” option at the bottom right.

6. Your new team will now display in the Teams app’s left sidebar (“Marketing” in the screenshot below).

To add team members, click the three dots next to the team name and then select “Add member.”

7. Enter the names of the members you’d want to add.

If these are “guests,” such as external users from outside your organization, you can instead grant them guest access via their email address.

For mobile devices

• Launch the Microsoft Teams application.
• At the bottom of the screen, tap the “Teams” symbol, followed by the “two persons and a plus sign” icon in the upper right. You should be sent to the Manage teams page.
• To begin, give your new team a name, a description, and privacy settings.

After you’ve formed the team, hit the three-dot icon and select “Add members.”

To add your team members, enter their names.

To add groups of people/multiple persons at the same time, utilize the desktop or browser app.

2. Create a channel

For desktop

Now that you’ve established a team, it’s time to add channels.

Microsoft Teams automatically generates a generic channel for all team members.

To add more channels, follow the instructions below:

1. Click on the three dots next to the Team in which you want to create a new channel, then select “Add channel.”
2. In the resulting pop-up box, you can:
   • Choose a channel name.
   • Include a channel description.
   • Modify the privacy settings to give access to all team members or just a few.

When you’re finished with these options, click the “Add” button to create the channel.

For mobile devices

1. Click the Teams symbol at the bottom of the mobile app.
2. For the team you wish to add to the channel, tap the three dots (“More options” icon).

Then, select “Manage options.”

3. To begin building a new channel, click “Add +.” If you want, give the channel a name and a description.
4. Simply tap “Done” to create a regular channel.

To create a private channel, press “Privacy,” then “Private,” and finally “Done.”

5. If you selected to create a private channel, the “add members” screen will appear immediately. You can either add members at this stage or skip it and add them later.

How To Set Up Video Conferencing in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams makes video conferencing a breeze.

Here’s how to go about it:

For desktop

1. Launch the Microsoft Teams app and navigate to the team/channel with which you wish to arrange a video conference.

Under the compose box, click the small camera icon.

2. You can add a subject to the video call if you wish.

Then, to begin, click the “Meet now” option.

3. In the video call page that appears, use the toolbar to turn on/off your camera and microphone, as well as share your screen with everyone who joins the call.

For mobile devices

2. Launch the Microsoft Teams mobile app and navigate to the chat with which you wish to begin a video call.
3. Tap “Video call” in the selected chat to begin video calling.

Participants can respond via desktop or mobile devices.

You may simply hold online meetings and chats with your team members now that you know how to set up video calls!

How to Schedule Meetings

It’s advisable to plan ahead of time for critical meetings that require everyone’s presence.

People can clear their schedules for the meeting and connect it with their calendars this way.

Here’s how to set up meetings in Microsoft Teams:

For desktop

1. Click the “Schedule a Meeting” (calendar icon) button to the right of the compose box.
2. On the left pane, navigate to “Calendar” and click on “New meeting,” which is placed at the top right.
3. After you’ve chosen a time range from the calendar, a form will appear to assist you.
4. Give the meeting a title, invite attendees, and provide any further information. The Scheduling Assistant can assist you in determining everyone’s availability.
5. Click “Save” to finish the process. An invitation will be delivered to each participant’s Outlook mailbox!

For Mobile devices

1. Open the app’s Calendar and navigate to “Schedule a meeting” on the top-right.
2. Select “Add participants” to invite everyone you require.
3. Determine the meeting’s start and end times. Also, include a description.
4. Click “Done” to complete the scheduling of your Teams meeting!

How to Share Screen on Microsoft Teams

In a meeting, you can show your desktop, a single app, a whiteboard, or a presentation in Microsoft Teams.

1. Select Share material and decide whether or not to share your computer sounds.
2. Choose what you want to share: o Screen displays everything on your screen.

• With PowerPoint Live, you may share a PowerPoint presentation.
• Microsoft Whiteboard and Freehand by Invision allow you to share a whiteboard on which members can collaborate on sketches.
• Window allows you to share an open window, such as a specific app.

3. When you select something you wish to share, a red border appears around it.

Any notifications that may arrive will not be seen by meeting attendees.

4. To stop revealing your screen, select Stop sharing.

FAQs

Can I download Microsoft Teams for free?

Who is qualified for the free Microsoft Teams version?

Anyone with a corporate or personal email address can sign up for Teams right now.

People who do not already have a premium Microsoft 365 commercial subscription will be able to use Teams for free.

Can I download Microsoft Teams on my laptop?

Check to see if Microsoft Teams is already installed on your Windows PC before downloading and installing it.

Select Microsoft Teams from the Start menu.

If you already have Teams installed, you’re good to go!

How do I use Microsoft Teams online?

Teams can be found online at https://teams.microsoft.com.

To utilize Teams, you must have a Microsoft 365 account and a Microsoft 365 Business or Enterprise license plan.

Is Microsoft Teams for Mac free?

A free corporate collaboration tool.

Microsoft Teams is a free collaboration and video conferencing application that you can install on your Mac. Users can manage files, integrate third-party apps, and communicate with others via chat, video calls, and voice conversations with the all-in-one solution.

Is the Microsoft Teams app free?

Microsoft Teams is intended for use by everyone. Start for free, upgrade to Teams Essentials, or add Teams to Microsoft 365.

Microsoft teams breakout rooms – Can Microsoft teams do breakout rooms?

Open the meeting invite on your Teams calendar. Select Assign participants from the Breakout rooms menu. Select Manually and then Next. Select the people you want to see in a room by checking the boxes next to their names.

Microsoft Teams phone, can you use it?

The Teams app, which is available for iPhones, iPads, and Android smartphones, allows you to set up or join a video or audio conversation, communicate with people, and share files. If you don’t already have the Teams app on your phone or tablet, you can get it from the App Store for an iPhone or iPad or Google Play for an Android device.

Conclusion

Simply said, Microsoft Teams is conceptually comparable to the popular collaboration program Slack, but with a lot more bells and whistles.

Furthermore, Microsoft Teams is free with Microsoft365 and Office365.

Businesses should adopt Microsoft Teams because it is incredibly user-friendly and may facilitate collaboration among remote users or across a large organization. Microsoft Teams can help with projects, productions, and other business features.