As a Microsoft 365 trainer specializing in Microsoft Teams, one of the biggest challenges has always been trying to keep abreast of all the new features and patches that are applied to the platform over the months and years. On many occasions I have encountered unexpected interface or functionality changes in the middle of a training or talk, accompanied by those seconds of sweating in which I try to squeeze all my UX/UI knowledge to find the missing key to continue.
Does this sound familiar?
- Where is the minimized window now that I've hit screen sharing?
- What about the audio share button?
- How did the tab go into full screen mode?
Luckily I've always been able to get away with it, but since I don't want you to have to go through it, let's keep up to date and look at a few recent changes to Microsoft's productivity hub:
Recent changes to Microsoft's productivity hub:
1. Comfort in the reading of the messages
Like most of the current applications, plus those closely related to Microsoft or web browsers, we can adjust the size of the elements represented in them by using the CTLR combination and pressing the sign (+) or the sign (-) if we want to decrease the size of the elements. As a curiosity to this, in the desktop client you will notice that this functionality is not available when we put our cursor over a private chat in the chat tab.
If you hover the cursor over the green you're doing fine, if you hover it over the red, the command is less responsive than that person who has left you on seen by WhatsApp.
This is because that particular chat can not be expanded as a separate part of the rest of the interface, at least not from the overview, but that's where the trick is. If we click on the top right button to extract this chat to another window, voila.
Well, if it doesn't work for you, it doesn't work. Thank you for confirming - Jordan 2022
In addition to this, one of the new features to improve our reading is in our user profile settings. Let's click on Manage Account in our profile and then to the General tab.
Compact, like the houses for rent in Madrid.
Here we can change the text density by selecting Compact for a display that shows more messages in less space. We can also make every new chat open in a new window so that we can resize each one in a different way by default by selecting New window.
If you are trying to squint to read this, you can move on to the next point.
2. Accessibility of relevant messages
On several occasions we find ourselves with the need to easily access a link or document that is especially relevant in a conversation. This is where the anchoring capability comes in, allowing us to have access to the message at all times, no matter how much the conversation grows. To do this, simply go to the suspension points of the message and click on the Anchor option.
Today in word economy: Redistribute vs Redistribute to each other
From then on the message will be displayed at all times at the top of the chat on a gray background.
He remains more anchored in the past than the people who keep saying what are you on about, Bitter Kas?
3. Remove the mirror effect of our webcam
With the arrival of the selectable backgrounds within the Teams desktop application you have surely noticed how they change place, especially if they have letters on them. This is the mirror effect so that we see ourselves as we perceive ourselves in reality.
Proud employee of Aiuqeletni Technologies
If this is distracting or we need to interact with the physical world, such as a whiteboard (do yourselves a favor and use Whiteboard) we can disable this feature by going to the call settings and unchecking Reflect my video:
Now the only thing out of balance is my sleeping hours.
I hope this news with a touch of humor will help you to keep up to date with the avalanche of small interface and functionality changes that this powerful collaborative tool brings us. In the meantime, if you have any questions or think we can help your organization, don't hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to help you😊