TL;DR
Microsoft Teams is getting a new, unified chat and channel experience to bring your conversations and topics to one screen. Due late January to early February 2025.

Details
This update brings chat, teams, and channels into one place…in Chat.

You will start in the combined Chat view but can opt to keep chat separate from teams and channels like before.

You will see these sections:

  1. Favourites containing any previously pinned chats and channels
  2. Chats sorted by most recent
  3. Teams and channels, organised in the same order as in the Teams view
  4. Custom sections to organise projects and topics that can include individual, group, meeting chats, and channels


The new filters for Unread, Chat, Channels, and Meetings persist until turned off.

The new @mention view gathers all your @mentions from chats, channels, and meetings into one list.

Settings: You can tailor your chat and channels experience in Teams Settings;  choose to keep chat, teams, and channels combined in the new Chat view or switch to separate Chat and Teamsviews.

Getting started: A self-service guided onboarding experience in Teams will help you discover the new experience and configure it to your liking:


You will have the option to defer (do it later) the new experience up to three times over approximately three days…don’t leave the tour until the third time in case this happens at a bad time.


Availability
Due late January to early February 2025.

Coming to Teams on Windows desktops, Mac desktops, the web, and iOS and Android devices, but not education yet.

Source, related links, and references
MC920179.
365 Roadmap ID 415249.
Image(s): Microsoft.
Microsoft Teams announces out a new chat and channels experience | Microsoft 365 Blog.
User guide: New Chat & Channels Experience User Guide – Public Preview
Slide deck: Microsoft-Teams-new-chat-and-channels-experience_Admin-guide.pptx

Suggested action
Use one of the below Share this options to share with your network and colleagues to help them prepare for this update.

Page originally published
11th November 2024 and kept up to date.


See what else is late, new, and coming soon across M365 and Teams this month with the latest roundup.

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