Microsoft Teams now lets you use apps in meetings with external users

Microsoft Teams PC
Microsoft Teams PC (Image credit: Future)

What you need to know

  • Support for using apps in meetings with external users is rolling out to Microsoft Teams.
  • The option is rolling out now, according to the Microsoft 365 roadmap.
  • The Microsoft 365 roadmap lists the feature as rolling out to iOS, Android, Mac, and desktop.

The description in the Microsoft 365 roadmap is short and to the point:

We will now support apps added by native users (hosts) in meeting chats with external users (users from other domains).

Microsoft Teams has almost 1,000 apps that allow you to integrate additional features and other services with Teams. Many of those apps can be used within meetings, such as polling apps, scheduling apps, and Microsoft Forms.

Within a meeting that has people from outside of an organization, hosts can install, delete, or update shared apps that can be used. External users can interact with the apps but cannot manage which apps are available within the meeting.

A support page from Microsoft breaks down how to manage external access in Teams meetings.

It appears that people are asking Microsoft to make it easier to communicate with external users. Microsoft rolled out the option to add people from outside of an organization to group chats earlier this month.

Sean Endicott
News Writer and apps editor

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.