Microsoft Teams Adds Name Pronunciation to Profile Cards

Mispronouncing a colleague’s name can be awkward, but Microsoft Teams is making it easier to get it right with its new Name Pronunciation feature. This new tool allows users to record and share the correct pronunciation of their names on profile cards.

With just one click, Microsoft Teams users can listen to how their colleagues’ names are pronounced. This feature is especially helpful in diverse workplaces where some names may be unfamiliar or tricky to pronounce correctly.

“This new feature helps promote diversity by giving working colleagues relevant information about each other. Names are a crucial part of a person’s identity. The incorrect pronunciation of a person’s name can lead to anxiety and offense in some cases. Correctly pronouncing a person’s name helps to create an inclusive environment,” Microsoft explained.

How to Add Name Pronunciation in Microsoft Teams

In Microsoft Teams, users can record and share the pronunciation of their name by following these steps:

• Click the profile photo in the upper right corner of the screen and then select the name to open the profile card.
• Select the microphone icon on the profile card to begin recording the pronunciation of the name. Make sure that each word is pronounced distinctly so that the listener can understand easily.
• Finally, save the recording.

After recording their name pronunciation, users’ colleagues can easily listen to it by clicking the speaker icon on their profile card. Microsoft Teams stores these recordings in each user’s mailbox, keeping them available until the user decides to delete them.

The Name Pronunciation feature is currently available in preview for all users on the Microsoft Teams desktop app (Windows and macOS) and the web client. However, Microsoft plans to disable this feature by default, and it will be up to the IT admins to enable it through Microsoft Graph.