Microsoft Teams Public Preview Users Get Access to New Chat and Channels Features

Microsoft Teams Revamps Chat and Channels Experience

In a bid to enhance user productivity, Microsoft has recently launched a redesigned chat and channels experience within Microsoft Teams. This significant update aims to consolidate various communication components into a single location, allowing users to engage in conversations more fluidly without the constant need to switch between different sections.

Seamless Integration for Enhanced User Workflows

The new unified experience is currently accessible to customers participating in the Microsoft Teams Public Preview, available on both desktop and mobile platforms. Users now have the option to either continue using the previous separated views for chats and channels or adopt this innovative integrated layout.

Streamlined Message Management

This latest iteration of Teams incorporates a variety of filters to simplify message organization. Users can quickly navigate through options such as:

• Unread: View all unread conversations across chats, channels, and meetings in one consolidated place.
• Chat: Manage direct messaging interactions easily.
• Channels: Access specific channel discussions effortlessly.
• Meetings: Keep track of upcoming and past meetings.
• Muted: View all conversations that have been muted.

Efficient @Mention Feature

The updated @mention functionality aggregates all messages directed at users into an interactive list. This feature significantly reduces the time spent searching for relevant messages, allowing users to view all @mentions with just a single click.

Customization with Favorites and Sections

The new “Favorites”section in the navigation bar showcases pinned chats and channels from prior versions of Teams. Moreover, the capability to create custom sections enables users to organize discussions from various sources—such as chats, channels, meetings, and Teams bots—into a singular, coherent view.

Simplified Posting Options

Another user-friendly enhancement is the ability to create chat or channel posts from within the same interface, reducing the need to first navigate to a specific channel. This streamlines the user experience even further, facilitating more efficient communication.

New Guest Invitation Features

Beyond the chat enhancements, those using the public preview of Microsoft Teams can now invite external guests to participate in Mesh events. Guests who hold Mesh licenses, such as Teams Premium, can join these virtual gatherings directly from their computers. Notably, participants will be able to see reactions and raised hands from attendees in various rooms during multi-room Mesh events. Microsoft is also working on enabling anonymous guest access or zoning into events via the Mesh app on Meta Quest.

Explore Further

To gain more insights into these enhancements, you can watch the detailed presentation

.

For additional information about the new features in Microsoft Teams, check out the full article on
Neowin.