Microsoft Teams Together Mode: still digitally together in a classroom

With the closure of the schools, children will be sitting at home for a few more weeks. With the Microsoft Teams Together Mode you can create a virtual classroom. We show you how this works.

Create Microsoft Teams classroom with Together Mode

Now that primary and secondary education is (again) taking place completely digitally for a number of weeks, many schools are switching back to Microsoft Teams.

A lot has changed in Microsoft’s meeting app since the summer. One of the most important improvements is the ‘Together Mode’, a new function that allows you to create a digital classroom in which students get a virtual chair to sit on.

As a result, teachers see the participants sitting in the classroom on their screen and classmates can see each other in that way. A big improvement over the standard meeting mode where not everyone is in the picture.

Setting up Together Mode: this is how you create a digital classroom

Fortunately, setting this mode is not that difficult. If you follow the steps below, you will be talking to your classmates or students in this new view after a minute.

Pay attention: the classroom mode of Microsoft Teams is only available from five and up to 50 participants. Otherwise, the option will not appear.

Step 1: make sure the option is activated

1. Click on your avatar in the top right corner of your screen;
2. Click on settings;
3. Go to ‘General’ and make sure the box for ‘Enable new meeting experience’ is checked.

Step 2: activate ‘Together Mode’ in your meeting

1. Start a meeting with 5 people or more;
2. Click on the three dots in the bar where you can also mute your microphone;
3. Click on ‘Together Mode’;
4. The conversation will now be transferred automatically, this may take a while.

Do you want to go back to normal view? Then click on the three dots again and select ‘Gallery’.

Microsoft uses Machine Learning to make Together Mode work. The app recognizes a participant and cuts him or her out, so that this cut-out can be placed in a digital school desk. As a result, you can no longer see the backgrounds, which will ensure less distraction.

Get the most out of Microsoft Teams with our beginner’s guide

Microsoft’s meeting app has a number of useful features that focus specifically on education. Also check out our Microsoft Teams beginner’s guide to get off to a flying start.