Microsoft has announced that its unified Teams app for personal and work accounts is now generally available.
The new app combines the two previously separate Teams apps – one for work or education, the other for personal use – into one platform that Microsoft says can be easily switched between. The new app, which has been in testing for nearly a year, is now available for Windows and Mac users.
Amit Fulay, Vice President of Product at Microsoftwrote in the announcement blog:
Microsoft Teams has changed the way we connect and collaborate at work and in our lives. Until now, there were two Teams apps on Windows 11 – one for work or education and another for personal use. We’re excited to announce that the unified Teams app is available today on Windows 11, Windows 10, and Mac. This update brings work, personal, and education accounts into a single Teams app.”
The new Teams desktop app, which supports all account types, is now available and complements Microsoft’s mobile apps for Android and Apple. If a user already has Teams on their desktop, the app will update automatically.
Further details on the functionality of the new app
To manage or access multiple accounts in Microsoft Teams, users can click their profile picture in the top right of the app. This allows users to open work, personal, and education accounts in separate, side-by-side windows within the same Teams application.
Microsoft recognizes that many users manage multiple Teams accounts. Fulay said the company has streamlined the process so that users can easily select their preferred account when joining a Teams meeting. Additionally, users can join as a guest without having to sign in.
All users, whether on Windows 10 or Mac, can now connect and collaborate with anyone, anytime, for free, by signing up with a personal email address. They can schedule free meetings and invite participants with a simple join link. In addition, users can create a community to bring their group together. Microsoft cites a fantasy football league as an example. This community exists in a shared space that includes calls, chats, file sharing, and more.
Microsoft adds a central hub for Teams channels and chats
In other Teams news this week: Microsoft will add a central hub for Teams channels and chats in October.
The new hub, titled “See all your teams and channels,” is designed to give users a comprehensive view of all their teams. Users can select channels directly from a single homepage, increasing productivity and streamlining collaboration.
Earlier this month, The Verge reported that Microsoft is internally testing a new version of Teams that integrates both text chat and channels into a unified interface, but it remains unclear whether the central hub feature mentioned in the 365 blog is the same one being tested.
The rollout of the central hub for desktop Teams platforms begins in October.
