Short version:
A recent change has enabled a new Video only Meeting stage. With this new meeting layout experience, video-only participants will fill the meeting layout even if they aren’t dominant speakers. Previously a “mixed grid” of video-on and video-off participants. This feature has already rolled out. If you don’t see it, restart Teams.
Details:
A recent change has enabled a new Video only Meeting stage. With this new meeting layout experience, video-only participants will fill the meeting layout even if they aren’t dominant speakers.
Prior experience:
In Microsoft Teams meetings where some attendees had videos on and some had videos off, users would see up to 9 attendees on screen in a “mixed grid”: a mix of video-on and video-off participants. Audio-only participants (those who have their video turned off) would be shown as avatars (see examples below; avatars can be either initials or a profile picture). This occupied substantial space on the screen which could be used instead to show more video participants as available.
New experience:
With the new view optimised for video experience, the meeting prioritises showing participants who have their video turned on. This makes it possible for the user to simultaneously see up to 9 video participants in a meeting. For meetings with more than 9 participants, we prioritise participants with video to be shown on the stage. Participants with audio are clubbed together and shown below the videos.
Availability:
This feature has already rolled out. If you don’t see it, restart Teams.
