A few months ago, we learned that Microsoft is building a Teams client that is optimized for Apple Silicon chips. A beta version of the app was released in April, and Microsoft is now ready to roll out the native Teams Apple Silicon client generally.
As you would expect, the core benefit of having a Teams client that natively runs on Apple Silicon instead of relying on emulation is the performance enhancements. Microsoft has stated that:
We are rolling out a production grade universal binary version of Teams, which means it will run natively on the entire Mac lineup, including those with Apple silicon. For Mac users, this means a significant boost in performance, ensuring efficient use of device resources and an optimized Teams experience even when using multiple high-resolution monitors during calls or meetings.
It is important to note that the updated Teams client isn"t being made available for all customers at once. Instead, Microsoft will roll in out in a staggered manner to everyone over the next few months, likely to fix any lingering issues ahead of wider availability.
That said, if you"re in a rush to try it out before general availability (GA), you can download a Public Preview build from here.