• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

My TechDecisions

  • COVID-19 Update
  • Best of Tech Decisions
  • Topics
    • Video
    • Audio
    • Mobility
    • Unified Communications
    • IT Infrastructure
    • Network Security
    • Physical Security
    • Facility
    • Compliance
  • RFP Resources
  • Resources
  • Podcasts
  • Subscribe
  • Project of the Week
  • About Us
    SEARCH
IT Infrastructure, News, Unified Communications

Windows 11 Work or School Users Will See Two Different Microsoft Teams Apps

The Teams Chat app built into the Windows 11 Taskbar will only support personal Microsoft accounts, company says.

October 7, 2021 Zachary Comeau Leave a Comment

Microsoft Teams ML AI sound quality

One of the hallmark features of Windows 11’s productivity tools is the Microsoft Teams chat built into the Taskbar, which was designed to make it easy to collaborate and quickly start a video call or chat with someone.

Most were expecting that feature to be a useful tool for the enterprise as workers would be able to keep their desktop screens less cluttered with windows and apps and make internal communications more efficient.

However, Microsoft in a Tech Community blog now says that Teams will only be built into the Taskbar for personal Microsoft accounts.

“The new Teams experience on Windows 11 and Chat are intended for personal Microsoft accounts and will be available only to individuals using such accounts,” according to the blog.

The company further explains that there will be two versions of the Microsoft Teams app for non-personal customers: one for personal accounts and one for work or school accounts.

That means IT administrators need to instruct users to use the correct version of teams for work or school, and the icon is identified via a blue tile with a white letter “T” inside, which is how the icon looks today for millions of enterprise users. Meanwhile, the version for personal accounts has a white tile with a blue “T” inside.

Users that try to log into the built-in Teams with work or school accounts will be redirected to download Teams for work or school. If users accidentally try to log into the wrong version, Teams will inform them, according to the blog. The company did not give guidance on how IT admins can disable the personal Teams app in the Taskbar.

Users with Windows 11 eligible devices with Teams already installed that want to upgrade can continue to use Teams for work or school as they had been before the upgrade, and those settings will stay in place.

Those using Teams for both personal and work or school accounts will now have a dedicated app for each experience, the company says.

This seems like a play to compete with Apple’s FaceTime, which MacOS users can use on a laptop. However, Windows 11 was billed as as an “operating system for hybrid work or learning,” so it doesn’t make much sense that one of the key collaboration features in Windows 11 doesn’t apply to work or education accounts.

Microsoft did not say whether it plans to eliminate the need for two different Teams apps, but judging by some of the Tech Community blog comments complaining about this complexity, I wouldn’t be surprised.

Tagged With: Microsoft, Microsoft Teams, Unified Communication and Collaboration, Windows 11

Related Content:

  • This Week in IT, IT News, Microsoft, Google, Dell This Week in IT: Windows 11 Update, Tech…
  • Cloud THreats, Proofpoint Third Parties and Partners are Leading to Increased…
  • Google Curated Detections Chronicle Google Releases Curated Detections in Chronicle
  • Vendors interacting in an office. CompTIA: Technology Vendor Partner Programs Growing

Free downloadable guide you may like:

  • Shadow ITBlueprint Series: How to Reduce Shadow IT

    The distributed work model gives employees the flexibility they demand, but it can lead to shadow IT and introduce unnecessary security risk. Research finds that this distributed work environment is leading to IT management blind spots and shadow IT.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Get the FREE Tech Decisions eNewsletter

Sign up Today!

Latest Downloads

Shadow IT
Blueprint Series: How to Reduce Shadow IT

The distributed work model gives employees the flexibility they demand, but it can lead to shadow IT and introduce unnecessary security risk. Resea...

Hybrid Work webinar
Featured Webcast: Collaboration 2.0 — Where Are We Now?

In this webinar, subject matter experts discuss the transformation of the workplace, the rise of hybrid workers, the importance of open connectivit...

guide to end user training cover
Pro Tips for Conducting End User Training

Effective trainings are the glue that can make the difference following a new technology implementation that your team has spent so much time, effo...

View All Downloads

Would you like your latest project featured on TechDecisions as Project of the Week?

Apply Today!
Sharp Microsoft Collaboration HQ Logo

Learn More About the
Windows Collaboration Display

More from Our Sister Publications

Get the latest news about AV integrators and Security installers from our sister publications:

Commercial IntegratorSecurity Sales

AV-iQ

Footer

TechDecisions

  • Home
  • Welcome to TechDecisions
  • Subscribe to the Newsletter
  • Contact Us
  • Media Solutions & Advertising
  • Comment Guidelines
  • RSS Feeds
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Linkedin

Free Technology Guides

FREE Downloadable resources from TechDecisions provide timely insight into the issues that IT, A/V, and Security end-users, managers, and decision makers are facing in commercial, corporate, education, institutional, and other vertical markets

View all Guides
TD Project of the Week

Get your latest project featured on TechDecisions Project of the Week. Submit your work once and it will be eligible for all upcoming weeks.

Enter Today!
Emerald Logo
ABOUTCAREERSAUTHORIZED SERVICE PROVIDERSTERMS OF USEPRIVACY POLICY

© 2022 Emerald X, LLC. All rights reserved.