What you need to know about the new Microsoft Teams app

Microsoft has announced the general availability of the new Microsoft Teams app for Windows and Mac, which it billed as a far more efficient platform.

The new Microsoft Teams app will offer users a “faster, simpler, smarter, and more flexible app”, the tech giant said in an announcement this week. 

The launch follows a lengthy preview phase which began in March as Microsoft sought to improve latency and quality of life-related issues on the productivity platform. 

Initial testing during the preview phase found that the new version of Teams was “up to two times faster” while using 50% less memory. 

“We have made notable progress since the launch of new Teams in public preview,” said Anupam Pattnaik, Microsoft’s product lead for Teams. 

“We have focused on providing high-quality performance and enhancing the basics in areas such as reliability, security, and IT management to make sure that new Teams meets the evolving requirements of your organization.”

New Microsoft Teams: Key features and changes

In its announcement, Microsoft said the new Teams is a “faster app optimized for performance on multiple platforms”. 

The latest version of the productivity platform has been built on the React framework, which Microsoft said has enabled it to improve speed and performance of the app for Windows users.  

Microsoft also highlighted a reduction in memory usage as a key talking point in its statement. The new app uses Edge WebView2 as the host for the platform, which has reduced memory usage and disk space.  

This, the firm said, is because resources are shared with Edge. 

“Our efforts to update the core technology have been a good move towards providing a more efficient and dependable Teams app,” Pattnaik said. 

The speed optimization changes mean that Teams users will be able to load the app, join meetings, and switch chats and channels up to two-times faster on average compared to classic Teams. 

New Microsoft Teams: “A simpler user experience”

There are no major differences between the new and classic Teams apps from a cosmetic point of view. However, Microsoft said the new app will offer a “simpler user experience” and will be an all-round easier-to-use platform. 

Microsoft revealed that it will also roll out “enhanced personalization options” that allow Windows and Mac users greater control over the user interface. 

The new app will automatically pick light or dark mode and switch based on a user’s system settings, which Microsoft said will help the application “better blend into your workspace”. 

Improved support for users with color sensitivity has also been added. This uses Windows 11 contrast themes so users can select specific color palettes based on their individual preferences and needs. 

“New Teams offers a simplified and streamlined user experience that makes it easier for you to personalize experiences, stay on top of your notifications, and get more done in fewer clicks,” the tech giant said.  

Notification tracking features added to the new Teams app also aim to improve quality of life for users. This includes a “mark all as read” feature in activity. A similar function will be available in chats and channels in due course, the firm said. 

In addition, users that use keyboard shortcuts or screen readers will also see improvements and a more optimized platform. Keyboard shortcuts will be easier to use and enable users to “seamlessly” navigate between list items, such as activity feed and chat threads.  

“We've made some usability improvements for our users who use screen readers. These enhancements make it simpler to avoid repeated information, interpret the common tasks more easily, and arrange channel conversations more effectively, whether they are original posts or responses to posts, and more.” 

New Microsoft Teams app: Optimization for Mac users

Mac users can expect a significant boost in terms of speed and optimization with the new Teams app, Microsoft said. 

So far during the preview phase, the company has delivered “significant performance improvements”. This includes the ability to switch between chats and channels faster, much like Windows users. 

The source of this performance boost is down to a “more efficient use of device resources”, Microsoft said. 

New Microsoft Teams app: How to upgrade

Microsoft said it “only takes one click” to upgrade to the new Teams for current users of the productivity platform. For enterprise users, a toggle button to upgrade to the new edition will be available in the Teams client, the firm said. 

The new app won’t require any extensive changes for users. The tech giant said that, upon upgrading, users can “resume exactly where you left off” in classic Teams. 

This means that chat messages, channels, and third-party applications will still be available once upgrading.