Microsoft Teams is a powerful collaboration tool that enables seamless communication across organizations. While chat may seem straightforward, the message bar in Teams offers a variety of features that enhance messaging, improve clarity, and boost productivity. Whether you're sending a quick update or formatting a detailed message, understanding these tools can help you make the most of Teams.
Exploring the Message Bar in Teams
When you open a chat or channel in Teams, the message bar is where you type your messages. But beyond just text, it offers several features that make communication more effective. Here’s a breakdown of what you can do:
Teams Message Bar1. Rich Text Formatting ("A" Icon)
The "A" (Format) button expands the message bar, allowing you to:
- Apply bold, italics, underline, and strikethrough for emphasis.
- Adjust font size, color, and highlight for clarity.
- Create ordered and unordered lists for structured communication.
- Insert quotes and code snippets for technical discussions.
2. @Mentions for Attention
Using @ followed by a name notifies a specific person in a chat or channel, ensuring they don’t miss important messages. In channels, you can also mention:
- @team – The name of the team: Notifies everyone in the team.
- @channel – The name of the channel: Alerts everyone following the channel.
- @everyone - Alerts everyone in a chat.
3. Attach Files (Paperclip Icon)
Teams makes it easy to share files directly in chat. You can:
- Upload files from OneDrive or your local device.
- Drag and drop files into the message bar.
- Collaborate in real time on Office documents.
Find the paperclip icon, by clicking on the '+' icon.
4. Emojis, GIFs, and Stickers
Enhance engagement with:
- 😀 Emojis – Express emotions quickly.
- 🎭 GIFs – Add fun or emphasize messages.
- 🖼️ Stickers & Memes – Create customized visuals.
5. Inline Reactions
Instead of replying, hover over a message and use quick reactions like 👍❤️😂 to acknowledge messages instantly.
hovering over message in teams, gives quick reactions6. Loop Components
For interactive collaboration, Loop Components allow you to create:
- Live task lists
- Shared tables
- Real-time checklists
These stay editable by everyone in the chat, keeping information updated.
7. Urgent & Important Messages (! Icon)
Teams lets you mark messages as:
- Important (Red exclamation mark) – Highlights key messages.
- Urgent (Red bell) – Sends repeated notifications to ensure visibility.
- Navigate to the '+' for Action and Apps
- Click on the "Set delivery options"
- Select which delivery options you would like Delivery options
8. Meeting Scheduling (Calendar Icon)
If a conversation needs a deeper discussion, use the Schedule a Meeting button to book a Teams meeting instantly. First click on the '+' icon and find the 'Schedule meeting' option.
Schedule a meeting feature, within the Action and Apps
9. Schedule a Message
If there is a need to send a message later, perhaps during normal working hours or as a reminder to a teammate at a certain time, schedule a message for the best date and time up to a week in the future.
Schedule a message highlighted in the Actions and more section on teams10. Immersive Reader (Three Dots Menu)
This accessibility feature reads messages aloud and adjusts text size for better readability.
- Hover over a message
- Click on the three dots menu that appears
- If not enabled yet, hover over More Actions
- Click on Immersive Reader
- The messages will appear in new screen
- click on "ESC" button to exit
11. Copilot AI Assistance (accessible with a subscription)
For organizations with a Copilot license, Microsoft Teams now includes AI-powered assistance directly in chat. With Copilot, you can:
- Summarize long chat threads to quickly catch up on conversations.
- Draft messages with AI suggestions to improve clarity and tone.
- Extract action items from discussions to ensure follow-ups aren’t missed.
- Ask for insights about ongoing conversations, making it easier to stay informed.
Copilot in Teams is a premium feature, available only to organizations subscribed to Microsoft’s AI-enabled subscribed plans/licenses. It’s a game-changer for productivity, reducing manual effort in message drafting and task tracking.
Conclusion
The message bar in Microsoft Teams is more than just a text box—it’s a productivity powerhouse. Whether you're formatting messages, sharing files, collaborating with Loop, or leveraging AI with Copilot, knowing these features can enhance your communication experience.
💬 What’s your favorite Teams messaging feature? Let us know in the comments!
