Shared Channels: @Channel mentions fail to trigger activity notifications for team-shared members
Hello everyone, I am facing a persistent issue regarding notification behavior in Microsoft Teams Shared Channels that I hope someone can clarify or help with. Scenario: We have a Shared Channel that is shared with multiple teams (e.g., 17 teams in total). Note: I know that this way of communicating is not the recommended way, but we are not allowed to use any Viva products etc. Users accessing the channel are members of those shared-in teams, but they are not listed as direct individual members in the Shared Channel's own member list. Users have their channel notification settings correctly configured to receive notifications (e.g., "All new posts" or standard banner/activity settings). The Problem: When someone uses a channel mention (e.g., @ChannelName) in this shared channel, the users who have access via the team-sharing mechanism do not receive any activity feed notifications. The workaround/oddity: They only receive the activity notification if we explicitly add each user as a direct individual member to the Shared Channel. The dilemma: Since the channel is shared with 17 teams, adding hundreds of users manually or via scripts as direct members creates massive redundancy and clutters the UI (users see the team and the channel redundantly). Inconsistency: We noticed that in older shared channels created some time ago, channel mentions worked across team shares without needing direct individual memberships. It seems newer shared channels behave differently and strictly require direct membership to trigger activity feed notifications for @Channel mentions. Questions: Is this a known design limitation or a recent backend change in Microsoft Teams for newer Shared Channels regarding how @Channel mentions resolve indirect team members? How are organizations supposed to utilize @Channel mentions effectively in large-scale collaborations involving multiple shared teams without bloating the direct membership list? Any insights or workarounds would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!NEW Teams Feature: Test Your Mic & Speaker BEFORE Joining a Meeting!
🎙️ No more "Can you hear me?" moments in Microsoft Teams! Microsoft just rolled out a small but genuinely useful feature: you can now test your microphone and speaker directly from the Teams pre-join screen — before you even enter the meeting. ✅ Test your speaker with a quick tone ✅ Record and play back your mic ✅ Get a green checkmark confirming you're ready to join No more digging through Settings > Devices > Make a test call every time. Have you tried it yet? Let me know in the comments if this feature has saved you from an awkward audio moment in a meeting 👇 #MicrosoftTeams #Microsoft365 #TeamsUpdate #Productivity #RemoteWork #M365Insider
Cannot deploy Custom backgrounds for Teams in VDI environment
We have detected (or so we think) a malfunction in Teams on VDI when attempting to deploy Teams backgrounds that should be available to users for their video calls. The only article that documents how to do this is the following: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoftteams/custom-meeting-backgrounds It clearly states that the path where custom Teams backgrounds are stored is in the user profile, specifically in the folder: %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams\Backgrounds\Uploads Expected Process The process is not direct, but it is straightforward. Using a script, a UUID is generated, which is used to create two image files (JPG, BMP, or PNG format, depending on the original image). For example, if the original is a JPG: UUID.JPG UUID_thumb.JPG These two files are copied to the path above, and on the next Teams session startup they should be available to the user. ✅ This works correctly in physical (non-VDI) environments. Tested many times without issues. What We Have Observed in VDI Even when the file pair is copied to the correct path within the user's FSLogix profile, the image does not become available in the Teams client — even after restarting Teams multiple times or even the VDI session itself. After each restart, the files are confirmed to be persistent and located at the correct profile path.[ %LOCALAPPDATA%\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams\Backgrounds\Uploads folder contents] When a background image is added manually through the Teams UI, a folder is created in OneDrive called "Microsoft Teams User Custom Video Backgrounds". If additional images are manually added to that OneDrive folder, they do not appear as available in Teams. This leads us to believe that the upload process performs additional operations in the registry or other configuration locations beyond simply copying the file. A ProcMon capture was performed, but after an initial superficial inspection, it was not possible to determine exactly what is happening under the hood.Change meeting category default options
When creating a new meeting in Teams and clicking the drop down button to select a category, a list of about six options appears that appear to be randomly selected. These don't bear any relation to the most commonly used categories I use, meaning I then have to click through to the list of all categories to find them. Is there a way to change what categories appear in that initial short list to save me a click each time?
Still Cannot Bulk Add People or Groups in Team/Channel in 2026
It's 2026, still same issue. As a regular user/leader of a large team (hundreds of people), we still cannot bulk add people in Team/Channel. It's frustrating to add one people at a time. This has been brought up in 2020, 6 years after, same issue. teams and bulk adding of members | Microsoft Community Hub No real resolution.How to Remove Teams Chat Threads with PowerShell
Sometimes, Microsoft 365 tenants need to remove problematic Teams chat threads from user view. The usual reason is because someone posted some bad or objectionable content to Teams. This article covers how to use Microsoft Graph PowerShell SDK cmdlets to find chat threads, to check thread messages for targeted content, and to remove matching chat threads. The code can be run interactively by an administrator to clean up Teams. https://office365itpros.com/2026/06/15/delete-teams-chat-threads/
Communities tab in Teams
Hi there I've recently had the Communities tab pop up in my Teams alongside the Teams and Channels tab. No one else in my organisation can see this yet and we aren't sure why. I know it's being rolled out on a timeline but I was also wondering if it might be because I'm the only one in the org who has an Microsoft Viva Employee Communications and Communities licence? Does anyone have any insights into this? We'd like to make a bit of a roll out plan once this appears in our colleagues Team's set ups.
Transforming Microsoft Teams into a Project Management Hub
If you use Microsoft Teams only for chats and meetings, you’re missing much of what it can actually do. While Microsoft Teams is often seen as a communication tool, it can also function as a central workspace for managing projects - from planning and brainstorming to execution and documentation - all in one place. When combined with tools like Microsoft Planner, SharePoint, and Microsoft Loop, Teams can become a practical project management hub that keeps work organized and reduces the need to switch between systems. This article walks through a clear, practical approach to setting up and using Teams for real-world project delivery. Why Use Microsoft Teams for Project Management? Organizations often hesitate to introduce new tools due to cost, training effort, or resistance to change. Microsoft Teams offers a strong advantage: it is already widely adopted in many organizations as part of Microsoft 365. Using Teams for project management allows you to: Centralize communication and documentation Reduce tool fragmentation Improve team visibility and collaboration Leverage existing infrastructure without additional cost Instead of switching between multiple platforms, teams can manage conversations, files, tasks, and workflows in one place. Structuring Your Project in Teams A well-structured Team is the foundation of successful project management. Create a Dedicated Team Start by creating a Team specifically for your project. Avoid mixing multiple projects in one Team, as it leads to confusion and poor organization. Recommended channels structure: General (announcements and overview) Planning (timelines, scope, requirements) Execution (daily work discussions) Risks and Issues Documentation Onboarding Lessons Learned This structure ensures clarity and separates strategic discussions from operational ones. Managing Tasks with Planner Task management is a critical part of any project. Inside Microsoft Teams, you can add a Planner tab to manage tasks visually within the same workspace where communication and files are stored. How to use Planner effectively: Create buckets (e.g., To Do, In Progress, Completed, or structured by topic) Assign tasks to team members for clear ownership Set due dates and priorities Attach files and add comments directly to tasks Use labels to categorize work (e.g., Design, Frontend, Backend, Testing) for better filtering and tracking Planner also provides multiple views beyond the basic board: Board view (Kanban-style) for workflow tracking Charts view for progress and workload overview Schedule (Calendar) view to track deadlines visually across time This combination allows teams to switch between operational tracking and higher-level planning depending on the need. This visual approach improves accountability, transparency, and makes task tracking easier even for non-technical users. Document Management with SharePoint Every Team in Microsoft Teams is backed by a SharePoint site. This means all files shared in Teams are stored and managed through SharePoint. Using SharePoint effectively allows you to: Structured storage of project documentation through folders and metadata Maintain version control Role-based access management Centralized file organization Control access permissions Enable real-time collaboration Best practices: Create clear folder & metadata structures (e.g., Contracts, Designs, Reports) Avoid duplicate files Use naming conventions Instead of sending documents via email, teams can collaborate directly within Teams, ensuring everyone works on the latest version. SharePoint Lists in Microsoft Teams SharePoint Lists in Microsoft Teams provide a structured way to store, manage, and track information directly within the collaboration workspace. A SharePoint List is essentially a flexible data table, where each item represents a record with defined fields (such as status, owner, due date, priority, or category). They are especially useful for: Project roadmaps and milestone tracking Action item tracking with ownership and status Checklists for delivery and execution steps Simple status registers and progress tracking Unlike free-form messages or documents, SharePoint Lists keep information structured, filterable, and easy to update, which makes them suitable for ongoing tracking and reporting. When used inside Microsoft Teams, Lists help teams move from discussion to execution by turning decisions into trackable items with clear ownership, status, and visibility. Embedding SharePoint Pages in Teams Beyond file storage, Microsoft 365 allows SharePoint pages to be embedded as tabs within Teams, making key project information easily accessible in one place. SharePoint pages can be added as tabs inside Microsoft Teams channels, providing structured and persistent access to key project information without leaving the collaboration space. In practice, organizations often use SharePoint pages for: Project home page with key links and overview Governance page with rules and standards Onboarding page for new team members Documentation hub for core resources Centralized knowledge hubs This helps ensure that essential information is not scattered across chats or files, but is instead organized and always available within the project workspace. SharePoint is better suited for structured, stable, and long-term information. Microsoft Loop for Real-Time Collaboration Microsoft Loop introduces a more dynamic layer of collaboration inside Microsoft Teams, designed for fast, interactive work where content is continuously evolving. Loop components (such as notes, tables, task lists, and meeting agendas) can be embedded directly into Teams conversations and edited in real time by all participants. It is especially useful for: Live meeting notes Quick decision-making and feedback collection (including simple polls or inputs) 1:1 discussions and follow-ups Brainstorming sessions and idea capture Shared task tracking during discussions In practice, teams can collaborate on meeting notes or brainstorming pages during calls, with updates visible instantly to everyone. This removes the need to switch between documents or wait for post-meeting summaries. Unlike structured tools like SharePoint, Loop is designed for fluid, real-time collaboration, where information is shaped and refined as the discussion happens. Automating Workflows with Power Automate Manual processes can slow down project execution. With Power Automate, you can streamline repetitive tasks. Common automation examples: Notify the team when a task is completed Send reminders for upcoming deadlines Automatically save email attachments to SharePoint Trigger approval workflows Example scenario: When a task in Planner is marked as “Completed,” a notification is sent to the project manager and logged in a tracking list. This reduces manual follow-ups and improves efficiency. Power BI Dashboards Power BI can be integrated into Teams as a tab, allowing teams to access real-time reporting directly within their project workspace. It is commonly used for: Project status dashboards KPI and performance tracking Resource and workload visibility Financial or delivery reporting Instead of switching to a separate reporting tool, teams can monitor progress and insights directly inside Teams, ensuring better visibility and faster decision-making. Microsoft Whiteboard Microsoft Whiteboard provides a visual collaboration space for real-time ideation and planning. It is especially useful for: Brainstorming sessions Process mapping and flow design Workshop facilitation Visual planning during meetings Whiteboard supports freehand drawing, sticky notes, and structured diagrams, making it effective for capturing ideas during live discussions and workshops. Integration with Other Tools (Microsoft & Third-Party) Microsoft Teams can be extended with a wide range of Microsoft 365 services and external applications, allowing it to function as a central hub for project work, reporting, and collaboration. Teams also supports many external tools, allowing organizations to align existing systems without fully replacing them. Common examples include: Jira – agile project and issue tracking Trello – lightweight task and board management ServiceNow – IT service management workflows GitHub – development and repository tracking Salesforce – CRM data and customer-related workflows Communication and Collaboration Effective communication is essential for project success. Microsoft Teams provides multiple ways to facilitate this: Channel Conversations Keep discussions organized by topic instead of using scattered chats. Meetings and Calls Schedule regular check-ins, sprint reviews, or stakeholder updates directly within Teams. Mentions and Tags Use @mentions to notify specific team members and ensure accountability. Practical Use Case Consider a company implementing a new internal intranet. Using Microsoft Teams: A Team is created for the project Planner tracks tasks such as design, content migration, and testing SharePoint stores documents and site assets Power Automate sends reminders for deadlines Teams meetings are used for weekly progress reviews This setup enables the team to manage the entire project lifecycle without introducing additional tools. Best Practices for Success To maximize the effectiveness of Microsoft Teams for project management: Keep your structure simple and consistent Avoid creating too many channels Encourage team members to use channel conversations instead of private chats Regularly review and clean up tasks Use automation where it adds clear value Adoption is just as important as functionality. A well-designed system only works if the team actively uses it. Limitations to Consider While Microsoft Teams is powerful, it has limitations: Not suitable for highly complex project scheduling Limited dependency management compared to dedicated PM tools Reporting capabilities are basic without Power BI For large-scale or highly regulated projects, a dedicated project management tool may still be required. Professional Context and Applied Perspective The approach described in this article reflects practical experience in designing and implementing collaboration environments using Microsoft Teams within real organizational settings. It is based on applied use of integrated Microsoft 365 capabilities, including SharePoint, Microsoft Planner, and Microsoft Loop, to support structured project execution and improve cross-functional collaboration. Rather than relying on isolated tools, this approach focuses on designing a unified digital workspace that aligns communication, task management, documentation, and automation within a single environment. Microsoft Teams is more than just a communication platform. When used strategically, it becomes a practical and efficient tool for managing projects. By combining Teams with Planner, SharePoint, and Power Automate, organizations can create a unified workspace that supports collaboration, task management, and process automation. For teams looking to simplify their toolset while maintaining productivity, Microsoft Teams offers a compelling solution for modern project management.Transforming Microsoft Teams into a Project Management Hub
If you use Microsoft Teams only for chats and meetings, you’re missing much of what it can actually do. While Microsoft Teams is often seen as a communication tool, it can also function as a central workspace for managing projects - from planning and brainstorming to execution and documentation - all in one place. When combined with tools like Microsoft Planner, SharePoint, and Microsoft Loop, Teams can become a practical project management hub that keeps work organized and reduces the need to switch between systems. This article walks through a clear, practical approach to setting up and using Teams for real-world project delivery. Why Use Microsoft Teams for Project Management? Organizations often hesitate to introduce new tools due to cost, training effort, or resistance to change. Microsoft Teams offers a strong advantage: it is already widely adopted in many organizations as part of Microsoft 365. Using Teams for project management allows you to: Centralize communication and documentation Reduce tool fragmentation Improve team visibility and collaboration Leverage existing infrastructure without additional cost Instead of switching between multiple platforms, teams can manage conversations, files, tasks, and workflows in one place. Structuring Your Project in Teams A well-structured Team is the foundation of successful project management. Create a Dedicated Team Start by creating a Team specifically for your project. Avoid mixing multiple projects in one Team, as it leads to confusion and poor organization. Recommended channels structure: General (announcements and overview) Planning (timelines, scope, requirements) Execution (daily work discussions) Risks and Issues Documentation Onboarding Lessons Learned This structure ensures clarity and separates strategic discussions from operational ones.
Restrict Users from Creating New Teams in Microsoft Teams
Hello together, I've do this here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/microsoft-365/solutions/manage-creation-of-groups?view=o365-worldwide#step-2-run-powershell-commands I create a group for users, that allowed to create new Teams Channels and run the script, but i didnt see in the updated settings the group ID: What im doing wrong? At the moment no one can create new Teams Channels, also the members of the GroupCreationAllowed Group. Can somebody help, whats the problem of the script is? Thx Peter
