You know Microsoft Teams as the app you have been using for work or school, especially now in the new hybrid era, when work is done remotely, and many meetings are online. There is another version of Microsoft Teams which you might not be familiar with, and that is free to use. This product we know as Microsoft Teams (free), and it is available for all users for free.
Learn more about Microsoft Teams (free)
Get started with Microsoft Teams (free)
Getting started with Teams (free) is simple:
- On Windows 11, Teams (free) comes in-built with Windows, and you can just sign in with your Microsoft account to start using it.
- On Windows 10 or macOS, you might have (depending on your tenant policy) a link ‘Add personal account’ in the profile menu. Selecting that and signing in with your Microsoft account will get you started.
- On Android or iOS, you can start using Teams (free) by selecting ‘Add account’ from the hamburger menu and signing in with your Microsoft account.
If you are not yet a Teams user, you can download the Teams app with this link and then sign in with your Microsoft account to get started.
Windows 11 Chat with ’Open Teams’ in the top right corner
Features of Microsoft Teams (free)
The free version of Microsoft Teams has several features like meetings, calling, chat, calendar, and files, and on mobile you can use the new communities feature which soon will become available on desktop, too.
Teams (free) on desktop
The ‘Meetings’ feature in Teams (free) is like what you have been using in Teams for work or school. You can create instant meetings and share a meeting link for people to join, or you can schedule a meeting in your Teams calendar and invite people to it. Learn more about meetings in Teams (free)
You can make audio and video calls with your Teams (free) contacts just like you do on Teams for work or school. The only difference is that you cannot call phone numbers from Teams (free). Learn more about calling in Teams (free)
Chatting or instant messaging via Teams (free) is easy and you can share photos and videos with your contacts. You can even reach out to non-Teams users in your conversations by enabling them to connect through phone numbers, by sending an invite through SMS. Learn more about chat and messaging in Teams (free)
Teams (free) automatically connects to your Outlook calendar but you can switch to use your Google calendar if you prefer to use that instead. Learn more about calendar in Teams (free)
Communities in Teams let users connect in specific conversation threads, community events, file and photo sharing and more. Learn more about Communities in Teams (free)
Teams (free) on mobile
The free version of Teams lets you use it for free, but there are limits on certain functionalities. For example, free users can only enjoy 60-minute-long meetings, while those with premium subscriptions can go on for much longer. Learn more about subscriptions for Microsoft Teams (free)
How to send feedback and suggestions?
We are always happy to receive feedback and suggestions to make our product even better. To participate in our feedback program and help us in our endeavor, please follow the steps below:
- Report bugs and glitches by sending us relevant feedback using the in-app form. Please include diagnostic logs and screenshots which will help us to investigate your reported issue. Learn more how to send feedback or suggest a feature in Teams (free)
- If you have suggestions for new features or changes to the existing ones, you can vote and submit ideas on Microsoft Teams (free) Feedback Portal.
- You can always create a post here on the Microsoft Tech Community as well.
Microsoft
