What is Microsoft Teams?

Teams is the Microsoft 365 collaboration platform for chat, meetings, calling, and app hosting — one client on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and the web. Every Team is backed by a Microsoft 365 Group with a SharePoint site and shared mailbox.

Do I need Teams Premium?

Teams Premium adds meeting features (custom branding, advanced webinars, live translation, watermarks, sensitive-content controls, meeting recap enhancements) as a $10/user add-on. Buy it for the roles that use those features, not the whole tenant by default.

Private channels or shared channels?

Private channels are for a subset of the parent Team's members. Shared channels are for cross-team and cross-tenant collaboration without a guest account, backed by their own SharePoint site. Prefer shared channels for anything cross-organisational.

Do I need Teams Phone to make calls?

Teams Phone is required for PSTN calling from Teams. It comes as a Microsoft Calling Plan, via Operator Connect from a certified telecom, or Direct Routing with your own SBC. E5 bundles Teams Phone; other SKUs add it separately.

Microsoft Teams

Meetings, channels, Teams Phone, Rooms, and policies. 40 guides in this topic.

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Recently reviewed

2026-09-04Teams Calling Plans and Operator Connect
2026-09-04Sensitivity labels for Teams meetings
2026-08-31Microsoft Teams channels explained
2026-08-30Microsoft Teams Phone
2026-08-27What is Microsoft Teams?

External access and guest access in Microsoft TeamsThe four ways outsiders can collaborate with you in Teams — and the trade-offs between guest, external access, shared channels, and anonymous join.
Handling a Teams Rooms fleet certificate expiryWhat breaks in a Teams Rooms fleet when a certificate expires — Wi-Fi, 802.1X, proxy roots, hybrid Exchange — how to tell which, and renewing fleet-wide.
How to enable guest access in Microsoft TeamsHow-toHow to enable guest access in Microsoft Teams: the four switches (Entra, Microsoft 365 groups, Teams, SharePoint), guest permissions, domain lists, testing.
Microsoft 365 Groups vs Teams vs SharePoint sitesThree closely-related concepts that confuse a lot of users. Here's the model.
Microsoft Teams apps and tabsHow Teams apps, tabs, bots, and message extensions work — and how to govern them.
Microsoft Teams channels explainedReviewed 2026-08-31Standard, private, and shared Teams channels: how they differ in membership, storage, and security, when to use each, and the design decisions that matter.
Microsoft Teams meeting policiesMeeting policies are the admin controls that decide what users can do in Teams meetings. Here's the map.
Microsoft Teams meetings best practicesPractical configuration and habits for running better Teams meetings — scheduling, security, recording, and accessibility.
Microsoft Teams PhoneReviewed 2026-08-30Microsoft Teams Phone explained: what you get, the licensing, and the decision that shapes everything — Calling Plans vs Operator Connect vs Direct Routing.
Microsoft Teams RoomsReviewed 2026-08-27Microsoft Teams Rooms explained: what the hardware does, Windows vs Android, Basic vs Pro licensing, and the operating rhythm that keeps a fleet healthy.
Microsoft Teams Shifts for frontline workersShifts is the schedule-management app in Teams for shift-based work. Here's what it does and where it fits.
Microsoft Teams templatesTemplates standardise how new teams are created — channels, tabs, apps, and settings, baked into one starting point.
Microsoft Teams vs SlackComparisonMicrosoft Teams vs Slack compared honestly: Slack's chat experience and integrations against Teams' meetings, telephony, Microsoft 365 governance, and price.
Microsoft Teams vs ZoomComparisonMicrosoft Teams vs Zoom for meetings, webinars, rooms, and phone: Zoom's simplicity and reliability against Teams' suite integration and bundled price.
Microsoft Teams webinars and town hallsThe difference between Teams meetings, webinars, and town halls — and when to pick each for an event.
Migrating Teams voice: Direct Routing to Operator ConnectRunbook for moving Teams Phone from a Direct Routing SBC to Operator Connect: choosing an operator, port vs new numbers, per-user cutover, emergency addresses.
Private vs shared channels in Microsoft TeamsWhen to reach for a private channel versus a shared channel — the membership model, storage, and external-access trade-offs.
Recovering a deleted Team and its dataRunbook for restoring a deleted Microsoft Teams team: the group restore that does the work, the 24-hour wait, what returns, and the options when it's too late.
Sensitivity labels for Teams meetingsReviewed 2026-09-04How sensitivity labels apply to Teams meetings — controlling who can join, what's allowed, and how the meeting is protected.
Teams app permission policies designDesigning Teams app permission and setup policies — controlling app installation and pinning at scale.
Teams auto attendants and call queuesHow to design auto attendants and call queues in Teams Phone — the modern PBX features built on resource accounts.
Teams breakout roomsHow breakout rooms in Teams meetings work — configuration, facilitation patterns, and limitations.
Teams Calling Plans and Operator ConnectReviewed 2026-09-04The two simpler PSTN options for Microsoft Teams Phone — when each is the right fit.
Teams chat retention and policiesHow Teams chat messages are retained — defaults, Purview retention, eDiscovery scope, and end-user controls.
Teams Common Area PhonesHow Teams Phone supports shared, deskless phones for reception, warehouses, and shop floors.
Teams compliance recordingHow regulated industries record Teams calls and meetings for compliance — the recording APIs and partner solutions.
Teams external collaboration patternsPicking the right external-collaboration pattern in Microsoft Teams — guests, shared channels, federation, anonymous join.
Teams live captions and translationLive captions, translated captions, transcription, and interpretation in Teams: what's included, what needs Premium or Copilot, accuracy, and the policies.
Teams meeting policies designDesigning Teams meeting policies for different user populations — recording, transcription, lobby, presenters, sharing.
Teams meeting recording managementHow Teams meeting recordings are stored, governed, retained, and discovered — and the admin decisions that matter.
Teams Phone Direct Routing deep diveDirect Routing connects Teams Phone to any SIP carrier — the architecture and the operational details.
Teams Phone emergency callingHow emergency calling works in Teams Phone — E911 / 112 location, dynamic detection, and country-specific requirements.
Teams Premium features deep diveMicrosoft Teams Premium is a paid add-on with a specific set of meeting and protection features. Here's what you get.
Teams Rooms deployment and managementHow to plan, deploy, and operate Microsoft Teams Rooms at scale — devices, accounts, policies, and the Pro Management Portal.
Teams shared channels vs standard channelsShared channel vs standard channel in Teams: membership model, where files live, what's missing in shared channels, B2B direct connect, and a rule of thumb.
Teams town hall vs live events vs StreamTeams town hall vs live events vs Stream: what replaced Live Events, what a town hall adds over a large meeting, the Premium split, and choosing for all-hands.
Teams Walkie Talkie and frontline workflowsTeams Walkie Talkie provides push-to-talk for frontline workers on Wi-Fi or cellular — alongside Shifts and Tasks for shift-based work.
Teams webinars vs meetings: differences and licensingTeams webinars vs meetings: registration, the presenter and attendee model, capacity, the standard vs Premium split, and whether your event is a webinar at all.
Teams: "what did I miss?" — catching up mid-meetingHow Copilot answers What did I miss when you join a Teams meeting late, what it reads, and how it differs from the full meeting recap.
What is Microsoft Teams?Reviewed 2026-08-27What Microsoft Teams is: chat, meetings, telephony, and collaboration in Microsoft 365, how it fits the platform, the licensing shape, and running it well.

Frequently asked

What is Microsoft Teams?: Teams is the Microsoft 365 collaboration platform for chat, meetings, calling, and app hosting — one client on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, Linux, and the web. Every Team is backed by a Microsoft 365 Group with a SharePoint site and shared mailbox.
Do I need Teams Premium?: Teams Premium adds meeting features (custom branding, advanced webinars, live translation, watermarks, sensitive-content controls, meeting recap enhancements) as a $10/user add-on. Buy it for the roles that use those features, not the whole tenant by default.
Private channels or shared channels?: Private channels are for a subset of the parent Team's members. Shared channels are for cross-team and cross-tenant collaboration without a guest account, backed by their own SharePoint site. Prefer shared channels for anything cross-organisational.
Do I need Teams Phone to make calls?: Teams Phone is required for PSTN calling from Teams. It comes as a Microsoft Calling Plan, via Operator Connect from a certified telecom, or Direct Routing with your own SBC. E5 bundles Teams Phone; other SKUs add it separately.

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