Microsoft Teams Unites Chat and Channels in New Slack-Like UI

Microsoft Teams is getting a redesigned UI that brings chat and channels together for the first time, offering an experience similar to Slack

Published: Oct 28, 2024

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Key Takeaways:

  • Microsoft Teams will soon combine chats, teams, and channels into a single, simplified interface to enhance workflow and streamline user experience.
  • New features like the @mentions view, custom filters, and controls allow users to organize, prioritize, and access important messages with ease.
  • The new Microsoft Teams’ chat and channels experience will roll out in public preview next month.

Microsoft announced today a new chat and channels experience coming to its Teams collaboration platform. The company is also introducing a new @mentions view as well as new filters and controls, and more.

Microsoft Teams gets chat and channels in a single view

The new chat and channels experience is designed to help customers enhance collaboration and simplify the user experience. A guided onboarding process will help users navigate the new layout and tailor it to their specific needs. Users will also be able to choose to keep the chat messages and channels separate during the onboarding process, with the option to adjust this preference later.

“We’ve redesigned the chat and channels experience to simplify your digital workspace by bringing chats, teams, and channels into one place under Chat. This integrates both chat and channels into your critical workflows, making it easier to access, triage and organize your conversations,” said Jeff Teper, President, Collab apps and Platform.

Microsoft Teams Enhances Collaboration with New Chat and Channels Experience
Chats and Microsoft Teams channels in a single view (Image Credit: Microsoft)

@mentions view

In Microsoft Teams, the new @mentions view will offer quick access to all messages where a user is mentioned across chats, channels, and meetings, making it easy to spot and respond to important messages needing their attention. Users will be able to reply to these messages directly on the side pane.

Microsoft Teams Enhances Collaboration with New Chat and Channels Experience
@mentions view (Image Credit: Microsoft)

Furthermore, Microsoft Teams will add new filters to help users sort and view messages based on criteria like unread messages in chats or channels. The Copilot meeting recap feature will also allow users to catch up on meeting chats asynchronously.

Favorites and custom sections coming to Microsoft Teams chat and channels list

Microsoft will add new custom and favorite sections in the chat and channels list. Custom sections will allow users to organize conversations by project or topic, bringing related chats, channels, and meetings together in one place. The favorites section will consolidate all previously pinned chats and channels for easier access.

Lastly, Microsoft Teams will add new controls that allow users to choose between a combined or separate view for chats and channels. This feature will also enable users to see message previews and timestamps.

Threaded conversations coming to Microsoft Teams by mid-2025

Microsoft will begin rolling out this new chat and channels experience in public preview to its Microsoft Teams desktop, Android, and iOS apps. The company also plans to start testing threaded conversations with commercial customers this quarter, with general availability anticipated by mid-2025.

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