Top 10 New Microsoft Teams Features in the August 2024 Update

Microsoft Teams continues to evolve as one of the leading tools for collaboration, communication, and productivity in the modern workplace. With the August 2024 update, Microsoft introduced some exciting new features that will undoubtedly enhance your Teams experience. In this post, we'll explore the top 10 new features?that can help streamline your workflows, improve collaboration, and make Teams even more user-friendly.

1. Time-Based Prompts in Copilot

One of the most exciting updates is the introduction of time-based prompts?in Copilot for chat. You can now ask Copilot specific time-related questions, such as "What did Lee say last month?" or "Summarize the discussion from January." This allows for quick access to important conversations without the need for manual searches, saving time and improving productivity.

2. Channel Cards for Quick Info

Navigating Teams channels just got easier with the new Channel Cards?feature. When you hover over a channel name, a pop-up card now appears, displaying essential details such as the channel's description, members, and even a quick link to the email address. This makes it easier to manage and access important information at a glance.

3. Discover Feed Toggle

The Discover feed?has been a polarizing feature for many Teams users. While it suggests posts and people you might want to interact with, it can sometimes be overwhelming. With the latest update, you now have the option to turn off the Discover feed entirely. This is a welcome change for users looking to declutter their interface and focus on what truly matters.

4. Callback for Call Queues

A fantastic feature for businesses that rely on Teams for customer service is the ability to enable callback options for call queues. Customers waiting in a queue can now request a callback when an agent becomes available. This feature can be configured based on conditions like wait time or the number of calls in the queue, ensuring that customers have a smoother experience.

5. External Users Can Now Access Apps in Group Chats

Collaboration with external users in group chats just got a lot easier. Previously, external participants had limited access to apps in group chats, causing frustration during collaboration. Now, external users?can access and use apps just like internal users, improving the overall group chat experience. All participants can interact with shared apps, provided the organization’s app policies allow it.

6. Custom Emojis for the Entire Organization

Microsoft Teams now lets organizations create custom emojis?that can be used by all members. While this can be fun and creative, it’s important to note that any custom emoji you add will be available for the entire organization. So, think twice before adding something overly personal or inappropriate. Luckily, organizations can turn off this feature if necessary.

7. Thread Notification Control

In the past, if you replied to a thread in Teams, you were automatically subscribed to notifications for all subsequent replies, which could become overwhelming in large threads. The August 2024 update brings back the ability to turn off notifications?for specific threads, allowing you to stay updated on relevant conversations without being bombarded by irrelevant notifications.

8. Customizable Meeting Gallery

Teams meetings have also received a big update with a new meeting gallery view. The new layout allows users to customize how participants are displayed during meetings. For instance, you can now prioritize participants who are on camera or active speakers, ensuring that you focus on the right people during discussions. You can also hide or remove yourself from the gallery view, which is a useful feature if you don’t need to see your own video feed during a call.

9. Larger Video Tiles for Teams Rooms

When a Teams Room?joins a meeting, its video tile now automatically enlarges. This makes it easier for remote participants to see who’s speaking in the room and follow the conversation more clearly. No more squinting at tiny video feeds trying to figure out who’s talking!

10. Speaker Recognition in Teams Rooms

Finally, Speaker Recognition?is coming to Teams Rooms, improving the functionality of Copilot. The new feature uses AI to recognize individual speakers in a meeting room, allowing for more accurate transcription and better post-meeting summaries. This feature will initially roll out to Teams Rooms on Windows, with plans to expand to Android and desktop devices later this year.

Conclusion

The August 2024 update?brings a host of features designed to make Microsoft Teams more efficient, customizable, and user-friendly. From the ability to interact with external users using apps, to better call queue management and enhanced video meeting experiences, these updates show that Microsoft is listening to user feedback and continuously improving its platform.

Which of these new features are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments below!

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