New chat and channels experience in Teams

The New Chat and Channels Experience in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams has rolled out an update combining chats and channels into one streamlined view. Here’s what’s changed and why it matters for your business.

What’s New?

The biggest change is that chats and channels now live in one place. Instead of switching between separate tabs, everything appears in a single, unified activity feed. This means less clicking, faster navigation, and a more natural way to keep up with conversations.

At first glance, the layout might look a bit different, but it’s designed to make your daily workflow smoother. Think of it as consolidating your inbox, all your messages, mentions, and channel posts are now easier to find.

Key Features

1. Unified Activity Feed

Your chats, group chats, and channel conversations all appear together. You can see everything at a glance and quickly jump between conversations without losing context.

2. Favourites and Filters

You can pin your most important chats and channels to the top for quick access. Filters let you sort by unread messages, mentions, or specific channels, so you can focus on what matters most.

3. Improved Channel Conversations

Channel posts now feel more like chat threads. You can reply inline, react to messages, and follow specific threads without navigating away. This makes channels feel less like a bulletin board and more like a real conversation.

4. @Mentions and Notifications

The updated experience makes it easier to catch @mentions and stay on top of notifications. Important messages are highlighted, so you’re less likely to miss something critical.

5. Customisable Layout

You can adjust the view to suit your preferences, whether you want a compact list or a more detailed preview of your conversations.

Why This Matters for Your Business

For teams that rely on Microsoft Teams daily, this update reduces friction in communication. Fewer tabs and fewer clicks mean less time navigating and more time collaborating. It’s particularly helpful for:

• Customer-facing teams who need to switch quickly between internal channels and client chats.
• Project teams who work across multiple channels and need a central view of all activity.
• Managers who need to stay across team conversations without checking multiple locations.

Watch the Walkthrough

We’ve put together a short video walkthrough showing the new experience in action:

How to Get the Update

The new experience is rolling out automatically to all Microsoft Teams users. If you haven’t seen it yet, it should appear soon. You can check for updates by clicking your profile picture in Teams and selecting Check for updates.

Need Help?

If your team needs support getting used to the new layout, or if you’d like us to run a quick orientation session, get in touch. We’re happy to help your team make the most of the update.

Further reading: Best Practices For Teams Meetings | Teams Tips For Beginners | NEW: Microsoft Teams website live chat | Microsoft Teams Updates | December 2024 Edition | Channels in Microsoft Teams

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