New look for Microsoft Teams combines personal and work accounts; Here’s what’s changed
Microsoft is making a major change by combining personal and work accounts in a single version of Microsoft Teams. This new approach is designed to make communication and collaboration easier for users, eliminating the need for multiple applications. The unified app is currently being tested and is expected to transform the way users interact with different account types.
Currently being tested on the latest Windows 11 Insider version. The unified Teams app will go into preview for commercial users in April, with an official release alongside Windows 11 24H2 later this year.
Teams, which has long served as a conference and chat platform for companies, faced a dilemma with the release of Windows 11. Microsoft’s attempt to position Teams as a comprehensive communication solution for personal use led to the creation of two separate apps – one for personal use and one for work or school – each with its own layouts and features.
The new Teams app
In response to user feedback in the personal and professional spheres, a blog post published by Microsoft on Wednesday announced a new Teams app designed to serve up the use of a unified platform. This upcoming app will allow users to seamlessly navigate between different accounts, eliminating the need to juggle multiple apps.
After launch, users can easily access and manage different accounts by selecting their profile picture in the upper right corner. Joining meetings is simplified, and users can choose their preferred account when logging in, even without logging in beforehand.
Teams notifications provide clear reference to the connected account, while personal account notifications provide enhanced information for direct response from the notification banner.
Originally labeled “Microsoft Teams (work or school)” in preview, the app will transition to the simplified name “Microsoft Teams” in later releases. At the same time, a separate consumer version known as “Microsoft Teams (Free)” is being phased out of Windows.
While the preview version may have some differences between the current free version and the work or school version, these differences will be ironed out by the time Teams becomes generally available to all commercial users in May. The transition process for businesses and IT administrators is expected to be seamless, requiring no additional app installations and continuity with existing user accounts.
