Microsoft Teams Update Integrates Chats and Channels: Here’s What’s Changed

Microsoft’s redesigned Teams experience centralizes chats and channels, enhancing message management with filters, Favorites, and mobile-friendly tools.

Microsoft has unveiled a major update to Teams, centralizing chats, channels, and meetings in a single interface to support faster, more organized workplace communication. The redesign, scheduled to launch in public preview this November, aims to simplify interactions within the platform and help users stay on top of various threads with minimal interruption—a change Microsoft sees as essential for the fast pace of today’s hybrid, AI-powered workplace.

All Conversations Unified Under “Chat”

The new Teams layout brings a unified “Chat” view that merges direct messages, channels, and meeting updates in one place, allowing users to manage discussions without the need to switch tabs. This approach consolidates activity into one interactive feed, designed to reduce friction when shifting between team conversations and personal messages. A self-guided onboarding feature will allow users to configure settings based on individual preferences, with options to keep chats and channels separate or merge them for a seamless experience.
 

Filtering Options to Prioritize Information Flow

Teams now includes new filters designed to streamline message management, a crucial addition for users dealing with high message volumes. Filters such as “Unread,” “Chat,” “Channels,” and “Meetings” let users home in on the conversations that matter most without sifting through unrelated threads. With one click, the “Unread” filter collates all unread messages, making it easy to catch up on essential updates. Each filter functions as a targeted view, helping users prioritize their workflow by seeing only the messages they need.
 
Microsoft Teams 2024 Update Filters official

Focused Navigation with @Mentions and Favorites

Another feature, @mentions, provides a focused list of messages tagged for individual users. Rather than manually scrolling through various chats, users can access mentions in one place, which helps ensure important notifications aren’t missed. In addition to @mentions, a revamped Favorites section allows users to pin key chats and channels. Customizable sections, supporting up to 50 items per section, let users organize conversations by project, topic, or priority, reducing the visual clutter often associated with high-traffic channels.
 
Microsoft Teams 2024 Update mentioned view official

Cross-Device Accessibility and On-the-Go Customization

Anticipating diverse work settings, Microsoft designed this update to be compatible across desktops, iOS, and Android devices, making it easier for mobile users to stay connected. Options like viewing conversations by recent or unread messages are accessible on mobile, keeping workflows efficient outside the office. The new “Go To” shortcut (Ctrl+G on PC, Cmd+G on Mac) lets users navigate to frequently accessed conversations, while a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl+N or Cmd+N) simplifies the process of starting new messages, especially useful for teams managing multiple projects.
 
Microsoft Teams 2024 Update goto command official

Options for Personalization and Flexible Layouts

Understanding that each user has unique needs, Microsoft has added controls to allow for individual customization within Teams. The redesigned platform provides options to view chats and channels in either a combined or separated format, with toggle options for message previews and list displays.
 
Microsoft Teams 2024 Update customization official

In response to the increased demand for real-time communication tools, Microsoft also lets users adjust how channels are displayed, with options to view all channels in a single list rather than expanded groups, making it easier to follow high-priority channels at a glance.

Advanced Features with AI Integration

Beyond structural changes, the new chat and channels setup integrates recent AI-powered tools from Microsoft’s broader suite, including intelligent meeting recaps that automate note-taking and custom code blocks for developer collaboration. These additions demonstrate Microsoft’s aim to balance simplicity with advanced capabilities that support complex workflows in hybrid teams.

Threaded Conversations Coming in 2025

To improve message organization further, Microsoft announced it will begin testing threaded conversations within Teams channels later this year. Threaded conversations allow users to respond to specific messages within a channel, making it easier to track discussions around individual topics in active workspaces. Microsoft plans to expand this feature’s availability in early 2025, with a full rollout expected by mid-year.

Last Updated on November 7, 2024 2:18 pm CET

SourceMicrosoft
Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus Kasanmascheff
Markus has been covering the tech industry for more than 15 years. He is holding a Master´s degree in International Economics and is the founder and managing editor of Winbuzzer.com.

Recent News

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest
0 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
We would love to hear your opinion! Please comment below.x
()
x