What is Teams Chat
Chat is a feature of Microsoft Teams which allows you to have a conversation with a colleague or a group of colleagues at the same time. You can make audio calls or video calls to those colleagues.
This is how we will improve communication within each team as well as the entire company.
What will I use Teams Chat for?
You will use Teams Chat to send messages to colleagues or discussions with a group of colleagues or your whole department.
Instead of trying to find a time that everyone you need to meet with is available, you can schedule a quick discussion with all the members without leaving your desk. Whatever the reason for your meeting, with this quick discussion you can get to your decision faster and more effectively.
This will replace having to talk to your colleagues over WhatsApp.
How to start a conversation
To start a conversation, open Microsoft Teams.
- In the bar on the left, click Chat
- Your recent conversations will be displayed
- To start a new conversation, click New Chat
- Enter and select the people you want to talk to
- Optional: If you want to discuss a specific topic with a group of people, you can name the group
- Click the arrow on the right and enter a name for the group
- Start your conversation by typing in the box at the bottom and pressing enter
More exciting features
Here are a few exciting features available in Teams Chat.
How to pin a chat
To pin a conversation and have it at the top of the list, click More Options (the button with the 3 dots) and select Pin. Your conversation is now at the top of the list.
To unpin the same conversation, select More Options > Unpin
How to turn on notifications
To get notified when someone posts a message in a conversation, click More Options > Notify when available.
To turn notifications for specific conversation off, click More Options > Turn off notifications.
How to hide and delete messages
To hide a conversation, select More Options > Hide
The conversation will be hidden until someone posts a message in it.
To unhide a conversation, use Search and enter a word or phrase to find the conversation. Then click More Options > Unhide
How to pop out a chat
Popping out a conversation will create a new separate window to have a conversation. To do this, click More Options > Pop out chat. When you are done with the conversation, just close the window.
How to share your screen inside the chat
To share your screen in the conversation and show your colleague something on your computer, go to the controls in the top right corner and click Share.
Choose a window to share that specific program and its content or select Desktop to share everything on your screen.
The other participants in the conversation will receive a notification asking them to accept your screen share. Once they do, they'll be able to see your screen and continue the chat.
When you're done sharing, go to your meeting controls and select Stop sharing.
How to attach a file
To include a file or picture in a message, select Choose file beneath the message box. Then upload a file or picture from your computer or OneDrive.
In a chat conversation, select Choose file and choose a file or picture from your computer or OneDrive.
How to add more people to the conversation
To add more people to your group discussion, click Add People and enter and select the people you wish to add.
How to leave a group conversation
To leave a conversation, select More Options > Leave
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