Microsoft Teams: Explore the New Chat and Channels Experience 

We are buzzing about the latest updates to Microsoft Teams, and we couldn’t wait to share them with you! These new features promise to transform the way we collaborate, making it easier and more intuitive to stay connected. To help you get started, we’ve put together this guide to walk you through the exciting changes in the new Chat and Channels experience. 

The new chat and channels setup in Microsoft Teams brings all your conversations—chats, teams, and channels—into one cohesive view. This update makes it easier than ever to stay organised, offering personalised layouts to suit your preferences. Begin by deciding how you'd like to manage your chats and channels. 

Decide Your Layout 

You can choose to keep all your chats, teams, and channels together in one streamlined view. 

Alternatively, you can opt to separate Chats and Teams into distinct tabs, offering a more traditional layout. 

To adjust your layout: 

1. Click More options 
2. Select Customise view from the menu at the top of your chat list. 

Manage Channels Independently 

Channels no longer need to reside strictly within teams. You can display channels individually, focusing only on the names without their team associations. To separate channels from teams: 

1. In the Channels section, click More options
2. Select List options > Channels only. 
3. Choose Most recent to sort channels by the latest activity. 

Stay on Top of Conversations 

The revamped experience simplifies conversation management by combining chats, teams, and channels into a single interface. 

In the Combined View, conversations are categorised into three key sections: 

• Favourites: Your most important chats and channels, handpicked for quick access. 
• Chats: Displays your recent private conversations, sorted by activity. 
• Teams and Channels: Groups your channels, organised under their respective teams. 

If you prefer the Separate View, you’ll find similar sections divided between Chats and Teams, each with its own favourites section 

Customise with Personal Sections 

Take control of your workspace by creating custom sections for added organisation. These sections allow you to group related chats, channels, and conversations under specific topics or projects: 

1. Click New items at the top of your chat or channels list. 
2. Choose New section and name it according to your needs. 
3. Drag relevant chats or channels into the section to keep them together. 

See More Context with Previews 

Want additional details at a glance? Turn on message previews and display team names for a richer viewing experience: 

1. Select Settings and more
2. Navigate to Settings > Chat and Channels. 
3. Toggle on Show message previews for chats and enable Show team names for channels. 

This feature allows you to view key details without opening every message or channel. 

Filter Conversations to Prioritise 

Managing a busy workspace? Use filters to focus on what matters most. Available options include: 

• Unread messages 
• Chats 
• Channels 
• Meeting chats 
• Unmuted conversations 

Click a filter to narrow your view, and deselect it to return to the full list. 

Tip: Use the Unread filter to clear activity notifications more quickly. 

Quickly Access Mentions and Tags 

Never miss an important update. The @mention view gathers all mentions across chats, channels, and meetings into a single, convenient list. 

You can also easily access your Discover feed and any tag mentions to ensure you stay updated on relevant discussions. 

By integrating these powerful tools, the new chat and channels experience in Microsoft Teams allows you to customise your workspace, improve organisation, and focus on what matters most. Take control of your collaboration today 

Want to know how we can help you maximise Microsoft Teams, contact us today.