When Microsoft announced Windows 11 on June 24, it stated that its Teams software will have deeper integration with the OS. While this capability hasn't been enabled for Insider builds released since June 28, the company is finally ready to start testing it now.
Starting today, select Insiders will be able to test a new Teams integration present in Windows 11, which currently allows them to sign in, add contacts, collaborate via individual and group chats, and make use of the Chat flyout from the taskbar.
Insiders can simply click on the Chat icon on the taskbar or press Win+C to open a list of their recent chats, regardless of which app window they have open right now. From there, they can also click on the "Open Microsoft Teams" option in the Chat flyout to launch the full desktop experience. It is also possible to reply inline to chat notifications, which have been natively designed on Windows 11.
Existing contacts can be synced from Skype or Outlook while new ones can be added by directly sending them a message to their email address or phone number. Similarly, you can invite people to group chats and video calls using URLs that can also be shared via email.
Microsoft says that the Teams experience has been tailored to Windows 11, and can be utilized across any device running the OS. Multi-tasking features work across Teams and other apps, and the visual design of the software follows the design elements of Windows 11, such as rounded corners.
That said, there are a few limitations as well. Currently, Chat from Microsoft Teams is localized only in English (US), it does not have any offline capabilities, and does not support Teams' complete native feature-set yet either. Furthermore, syncing contacts from Outlook or Skype may take up to 24 hours and if the contact has multiple email IDs or phone numbers, only the primary one will be shown. At times, the Chat flyout might get stuck in its open state as well. In such cases, Microsoft recommends that you toggle the following setting off and then on again: Settings app > Accessibility > Visual Effects > Animation Effects.
It is important to note that the Chat from Microsoft Teams flyout is being rolled out to Insiders on a staggered basis, and may not be available to everyone just yet. A reboot of the device is also required in order to see the capability in the taskbar, provided that you have been selected to test it from today.
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