Working with Microsoft Teams

Teams is a service from Microsoft to help people collaborate online. Through the program, users can chat, video call, share files or collaborate on a document. With these options, Microsoft focuses on (employees of) companies, but there are also options for private use.

To use Teams you need to install an app. This can be done on a computer as well as on a smartphone or tablet. But there is a big difference in options. The app for the computer is completely aimed at companies. You can really only really take advantage of this if you have an account with a company that uses the program. If you receive an invitation from someone, you can always participate in a conversation via the computer.

The app for smartphone and tablet, on the other hand, can be used by anyone with a free Microsoft account. Users of the (free) consumer version are allowed to have one-on-one conversations for up to 24 hours, but group conversations have a time limit of one hour and a maximum of 100 participants. You have to pay for more options.

Do you only want to use Microsoft Teams for video calling? Then it is advisable to first look at other options. Microsoft itself also recommends other ways to stay in touch with friends and family. Read more about the different services in our article ‘Video calling: apps and possibilities’.

For the computer, in this article, we’ll only discuss joining an invitation-based conversation. Have you received an email invitation to a Teams meeting? First make sure that the app has been downloaded.

• Go to the Microsoft’s website.
• click on Download Teams.
• click on Open file.
• The app will be installed.

Received an invitation to join a meeting through Teams? Then you can also participate in the conversation without an account. Simply via the app on the computer.

• Open the email with the invitation.
• Click on the link in the email.
• The Teams app opens.
• Enter your name, if not already done automatically.
• Click on the purple button Join now.

As we mentioned before, anyone with a free Microsoft account can use Teams on a smartphone or tablet. Not yet in possession of a Microsoft account? First get started with the article ‘Create a Microsoft account’.

You also need the Microsoft Teams app. It is available for Android devices in the Play Store and for iPhone and iPad in the App Store. Need help downloading an app? Then read the tip ‘Download an app from the Play Store (Android)’ or the tip ‘Download an app from the App Store’.

Sign in to the app with a Microsoft account.

• Open the app teams.
• Tap on Enter your email, phone number or Skype address.
• Enter the email address.
• Tap on To register.
• Tap on password and type the password.
• Tap on To register.
• You must add a mobile phone number. Tap on phone number and type your phone number.
• Tap on Next one.
• A code arrives at the phone number. View the code in the messaging app and remember it.
• Tap on Code, enter the code and tap Next one.
• Tap on Allow to allow Teams to send messages.
• Tap on OK to give Teams access to the microphone.
• Tap on Get on.
• Tap again Get on.
• Tap on OK to give Teams access to the contacts.

In order to chat or make (video) calls with people, you must first invite them. They must also use Teams.

• Tap the three lines at the top left .
• Tap on Invite friends.
• Tap the way you want to send the invitation.
• Send the message in the usual way in the chosen app.

The app contains the Chat function. This allows you to send messages to acquaintances.

• Tap at the bottom of the screen chat.
• Tap the pencil square icon at the top right .
• Start typing the first letters of the contact. Suggestions appear on the screen. Tap a suggestion.
• Is this person not yet a contact in Teams? Then tap Send invitation.
• Does the contact already use Teams? Then you can send a message right away. To do that, tap Type a message and type the message.
• Tap the paper airplane icon .

The Teams app offers the option of both video calling and video calling.

• Tap at the bottom of the screen More.
• Tap on To call to action.
• Tap the phone call icon at the top right .
• Start typing the first letters of the contact. Suggestions appear on the screen.
• To make a video call, tap a camera icon . Do you want to call without a picture? Then tap the phone call icon .