Microsoft Teams will fix meeting chats for presenters with this small change

Microsoft Teams app and logo running on a laptop and smartphone.
A new meeting feature for Microsoft Teams will let presenters open the meeting chat with a shortcut. (Image credit: Getty Images | Bloomberg)

Microsoft Teams will soon gain a feature that makes it easier to keep track of messages while sharing your screen. The addition will allow a presenter to view a meeting chat while sharing their screen without showing attendees the chat window.

The feature is expected to start rolling out in May, though that date is subject to change.

Microsoft Teams screen sharing with chat

A compact view of the meeting chat will only be visible to the presenter while they share their screen. (Image credit: Microsoft)

This small addition will help meeting hosts stay engaged with attendees without interrupting a presentation. Teams already supports messaging while sharing your screen, but the current setup shows the meeting chat while you have that window open.

Because meeting chat is already visible to attendees, this update is designed to improve usability rather than enhance privacy. The feature allows a shared screen to remain the focus of the meeting.

The updated experience also simplifies the process of jumping into the chat by placing a shortcut in the presenter toolbar.

As illustrated by Microsoft in the image above, the chat window only appears for the presenter. If you look at the lower-right corner of the image, you can see the shared screen without the chat window, just as it appears to other meeting attendees.

The feature should ship to Microsoft Teams desktop clients in the near future, including Windows and macOS.

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.

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