Teams desktop and mobile app vs browser app

[Deleted]

Hi guys,

I am new to teams and I just wanted to know if there are differences in Teams client and Teams Web-client. Differences keeping in mind both mobile app and desktop app. Are there any features which is available only on browser and not on app and vice-versa? 

Thank you in advance.

Regards,

Nithish

[#2]

HI @Deleted,

Do you mean the difference between running the Teams app and Teams within a browser?

Yes they are very different. Just an example: the developer preview is available within the browser but not within the app. Also things like video calls are not available on the Windows Mobile App, there it is available within the desktop app.

Then the mobile apps  have very much reduced functionality

[#3 · Accepted solution]

This is how Microsoft describes the web client and limitations:

The web client (https://teams.microsoft.com) is a full, functional client that can be used from a variety of browsers. At this point, the web client does not support real-time communications (i.e. joining meetings and having one-to-one calls).

I'd describe these as the desktop app and the web client rather than on-premise vs cloud, which is a confusing way of looking at it.

Additionally, this was asked recently: Q: What is the advantage of using the desktop app vs the browser version?

A: The desktop app gives you full functionality in Teams - like calling and meeting and desktop sharing. The browser version today doesn't support calling and meetings. We will be adding calling and meeting support for Edge & Chrome by end of this year but sharing your screen will still require the desktop app. Performance is better in the desktop app due to data caching.

So if you have the choice, the desktop app is the way to go.

[#4]

Thanks @Pieter Veenstra. Yes you are right, its the difference between web browser and desktop app. 

Thanks for the information. Is there any article which gives me more information on this? 

[#5]

Hi @Deleted,

I had a look around for any comparison pages, but I couldn't find any. maybe @Dan Stevenson has a comparison document available.

[#6]

Thanks @Cian Allner, my bad. yes you are right its the difference between web browser and desktop and mobile app. Is there a website where I can find more information on this?

[#7]

I agree with Peter, I don't think there is an exact comparison that explains all the differences with desktop vs web vs mobile clients.  The main documentation landing page is worth keeping an eye on though -  https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/MicrosoftTeams/Microsoft-Teams as well as the convergence roadmap info.

[#8]

This isn't true, you can use dev. preview with desktop client, it's in the about menu at the bottom you can switch back and forth :P. 

[#9]

Strange, it's never worked for me on the desktop and always in the browser. Does this require any setting then?

[#10]

Desktop client is full fledged, web is very close experience thou if your using basic features but I would never try to roll out web use over Desktop use, it's really a "Backup" IMO. Or I guess for kiosk, maybe guest access etc. You also get always on notifications with Desktop vs. Browser cause if you close browser on accident or don't pay attention you won't get the same notification toast experience as desktop.

[#11]

Don't think so, I've always just clicked it, it logs you out, reloads back into Dev. Preview. And then you can just do it again to go back.

[#12]

This is the app:

[#13]

Interesting, I don't remember turning on, but I may have done something to trigger it awhile back, but I always thought that button was there. Let me see if i can remember or find how I did it :P. But I have Dev. Preview button at the bottom there. It's got to be server side cause it shows on my home and work computer and I know I didn't do anything on this computer to make it show.

[#14]

Ahhh, here it is. See if you have these setup. https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-teams/publicpreview?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396

[#15]

Well it can't be a central setting as it is working in the browser for me. Just not in the app.

[#16]

I'd still check it, maybe the web browser doesn't require the same settings to do it.

[#17]

Hmm, might be onto something there. This tenant doesn't have the Microsoft Teams settings in the Admin Center. Once the options were available all started working. Thanks for your help.

[#18]

hmmm. it has too to have teams lol.... least you would think :p. Under Settings > Services & Add-ins > Teams, that's not even there?

[#19]

The mobile apps on iOS do not support switching between tenants yet .

[#20]

 @Deleted Mobile clients (iOS and Android) support almost all capabilities as that of Desktop client with few exceptions like Add/Delete/Discover a Team, or Switch Tenants. Mobile Clients also support Meeting Join experiences and Voip calls. We would love to hear your experience using Mobile app and share feedback (Settings -> Send Feedback)).