Published: May 17, 2022
Microsoft continues to bring its popular apps to the Windows 10 and Windows 11 Microsoft Store. The Redmond giant has announced that Microsoft Teams is finally available on the Microsoft Store, and this should make it more convenient for Windows users to download and install the collaboration tool (via Thurrott.com).
The Microsoft Store listing indicates that this new version of Teams is available for both Windows 10 and 11 PCs, but its functionality is slightly different on both platforms. On Windows 11, this new store version of the app only supports work and school because the latest operating system comes with a built-in Teams chat client for consumers. However, the Microsoft Teams app allows Windows 10 users to log in with their work, school, or personal accounts.
“Whether you’re working with teammates on a project or planning a weekend activity with loved ones, Microsoft Teams helps bring people together so that they can get things done. It’s the only app that has chats, meetings, files, tasks, and calendars in one place—so you can easily connect with people and bring plans to life. Work with teammates via secure meetings, document collaboration, and built-in cloud storage,” the company explained on the Microsoft Store.
It is important to note that some of the biggest Microsoft apps such as Edge, Teams, Visual Studio, and Visual Studio Code are now available on the Microsoft Store. However, this isn’t the first time that the Teams desktop app landed on the Microsoft Store. The firm released Microsoft Teams on the store back in 2018, but it was exclusively available for people using Windows 10 in S mode. The reason is that Windows 10 S users were unable to install applications outside of the Microsoft Store. Microsoft eventually removed the app from the Store.
Overall, this new Microsoft Teams app is similar to the one that currently is available for download via the Web. Microsoft has been working on a new “Teams 2.0” client which is expected to replace the existing Electron-based desktop application. It’s expected to bring big performance improvements for Windows users, but it’s not clear when the company plans to make it generally available for everyone.