Start Microsoft Teams Desktop App multiple times

[Remo Stalder]

Hey there

Sometimes it would be advantageous, if the microsoft teams desktop app could be started multiple times.

Example 1: If you have data in a word that you want to move step by step from a document XY to a document XZ its best to have two teams windows. otherwise you have to copy content from document XY, close it and then you can open document XZ.

Example 2: I have set up my own teams and I am also a guest from a team from another company. I can easily switch between the instances, but sometimes it would be cool if I could have multiple teams windows to have my overview in seconds without a lot of switching.

Is there something planned to do that? My workaround is to start teams as a desktop app and via web app.

Greetings remo

[#2]

You can use the method described here: https://www.allabout365.com/2017/09/multiple-teams-accounts/

[#3]

Nice! Thank you

[#4]

I really wish MSFT would build multi-window & multi-login functionality directly into the client.  Lack of this has been a big issue for our users.

[#5]

Hi @Alex Carlock

Microsoft are actively working on multi-window

https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/16926739-multi-window-for-chat...

And multiple Teams Accounts simultaneously

https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/17750851-i-want-to-use-multipl...

Hope that answers your question!

Best, Chris

[#6]

@Christopher Hoard 

"multiple Teams Accounts simultaneously" - has been on the worklist for more than 2 years but little progress has been shown. As it seems that it is crucial to adoption - this is 2019 where many people work in many "teams" at the same time - two questions:

1) what is the latest update

and

2) when will the feature be released so that potential users can be converted to real users?

[#7]

@Alex Carlock I support that.

Should be not so difficult to develop, normally excluding or including multi-instance support is only some lines code in Microsoft development frameworks.

[#8]

Hi @KrisMes

Still working on it. Latest update Feb 17th.

Thanks to those of you who participated in the session with our user research team. We are continuing to work on this important feature, and will update you as we get closer to completing. ~ Alex

Only workarounds at present is the link Vasil outlined above or
https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/suggestions/17750851-i-want-to-use-multipl...

At present the only workarounds is the link Vasil gave above or multiple browsers.

I agree, it's frustrating and we need to see some more progress soon.

Best, Chris

[#9]

Agree - Teams seems to have been built from a mobile first perspective (I'm sure there was a more technical reason) but all the great functionality is hampered by the fact that it reduces multi-tasking on the desktop where it should help improve productivity ...

[#10]

This has been promised since 2016!! @Alex Carlock 

[#11]

+1

[#12]

on Mac you can easily launch the app multiple times, running the `/Applications/Microsoft Teams.app/Contents/MacOS/Teams` binary with different users. Should work similarly on Windows, so it's just about creating some fake OS users.

[#13]

@Vasil Michev 

That is so hacky. Intall nodejs just to get a new app window??

Even exchange has a "new main window".

This is seriously missing from team.

[#14]

Hi, How can i do this? Tryed su username open -n /application.....  with an error: cannot execute binary files.   Thank you!

@develoop 

[#15]

@Remo Stalder 

I was able to run two instances of the Teams desktop application using different windows accounts.

The highlevel steps for Windows 10 are:

1. Open Computer Management panel -> Local Users and Groups -> Users. Create new local user account to run the teams application

2. Login as the newly created user. Open teams application (you will need go to the teams download site and download the app from there). 

3. Login to the teams application under the profile you need. Make sure it loaded and runs without issues. Make sure you have teams shortcut created on the desktop.

4. Sign out of the windows account, sign back in to your main account

5. Open windows explorer, navigate to c:\users\<name of the new user>\desktop. Click Continue when asked to get access to the folder. Copy the teams shortcut from the folder to your desktop (or wherever you like it to be easily available). Rename it to differentiate from the default teams app.

6. Right-click the shortcut, select Properties. Change Target: to be 

C:\Windows\System32\runas.exe /profile /user:<your new user login name> "Update.exe --processStart \"Teams.exe\""

Pay attention to the quotes and backslashes above.

Click Ok.

Now you can use the shortcut to launch the another instance of the teams app. Before the app is started it will display console with the password prompt for the account you created to run the copy of the application. The teams app will ask you to login on the first run.

When running multiple teams apps the default app may shut down when closed to the tray. So you better just collapse them to taskbar as opposed to closing.

You can configure different Themes for the apps to better tell them one from another.