What you need to know
- Microsoft Teams has several new features that improve chatting, calling, and holding meetings.
- The new features are part of the September 2019 update for Microsoft Teams
- You can now make calls through Microsoft Teams on Chrome.
Microsoft Teams has several new features that are rolling out as part of a September 2019 update. The features focus on improving chatting, calling, and holding meetings. Many of the features were tested by Insiders over the Summer, but are rolling out to the general public now. Microsoft outlines all of the new changes in a blog post.
Users can now post a single text message to several channels using "channel cross posting." The feature streamlines your workflow by preventing you from having to copy and paste the same message to several channels. Edits to the message extend across all versions of the message, so corrections don't need to be copied and pasted. Users can also filter chats by user or keyword or search a specific team or channel by name. Lastly for chatting, users can mute conversations to stay focused.
Calling on Microsoft Teams gains support for "secondary ringer" with this update. This feature makes it so users can still hear a call ringing when they're using plugged in headphones. Cloud voicemail has also been improved. Users can transfer calls directly to Cloud Voicemail, and users can configure call answer rules, greeting language, and the greeting for when a user is outside of the office. Microsoft Teams also gained "reverse number look up" that helps users see a PTSN Caller's name based on Azure Active Directory Data. Microsoft Teams users can also use the Chrome browser to make calls.
Meetings are now easier to start thanks to the ability to start a meeting immediately. The "meet now" feature lets users skip the invitation process and jump right into a meeting. Users can also customize meetings by pinning attendees within a personal view. Microsoft Teams also has a light-weight meeting join experience that works with Internet Explorer, Safari, and Firefox.
Microsoft Teams allows you to collaborate with colleagues, upload files, send messages, and chat through video. It integrates with Office 365 and several other cloud services.
