Microsoft Teams Spotlight lets you highlight a speaker in calls, and it's rolling out now

Microsoft Teams Spotlight
Microsoft Teams Spotlight (Image credit: Microsoft)

What you need to know

  • Microsoft Teams Spotlight is rolling out to the general public.
  • The feature allows you to highlight a specific person within a call for everyone to see.
  • You can Spotlight anyone within a call, such as students or teachers.

Spotlight is different than "Pin participant," which only pins a video for the view of a single person. In contrast, Spotlight highlights a specific person within the call to everyone on the call. For example, a teacher could spotlight themselves so the entire class always has the teacher in view. Then, when a student is answering a question or presenting, the teacher could switch the spotlight to that student.

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Mike Tholfsen, Product Manager on the Microsoft EDU team, showcases the feature in a quick how-to video. To use the feature, you just need to click the ellipsis icon next to any participant and select "Spotlight." When a person is spotlighted, an icon appears next to the person's name within the participants list.

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.