Get started with Microsoft Teams

Watch the steps

1. 1teams
2. 2Welcome to Teams
3. 3The left bar takes you around; your picture is top right
4. 4Settings
5. 5Duration
6. 6Done

Get started with Microsoft Teams (0:22)

Microsoft Teams is where your company chats, holds online meetings and shares files. Install the Teams app, or open it in your browser at teams.microsoft.com, and sign in with your Microsoft 365 work email and password.

Get Teams

You can use Teams in three ways, all with the same account:

• On your computer: on Windows, Teams usually comes with the Microsoft 365 apps; type teams in the Start menu and open Microsoft Teams. On a Mac, open it from the Applications folder. If it is missing, download it from Microsoft’s Teams download page.
• In your browser: go to teams.microsoft.com. You may be taken to teams.cloud.microsoft, Microsoft’s newer address for the same app. Microsoft supports the latest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox and Safari. Teams on the web does not work in phone browsers.
• On your phone: install Microsoft Teams from the App Store or Google Play. See on your phone below.

Microsoft retired the old “classic” Teams in 2025, so there is now one Teams app.

Sign in

Use your work email, not a personal Microsoft account.

1. Open Teams. The first time on a computer, Teams may show Last step first; select Finish setup and wait while it updates.

2. On Welcome to Teams, pick your work account if it is listed. Otherwise select Create or use another account and type your work email address.

   

3. Type your password and the code from the Authenticator app if asked.

4. If Windows asks whether to sign in to all apps on this device, choose No, this app only on a shared computer.

Find your way around

The bar on the left takes you to each part of Teams, and your picture at the top right opens your status and account. The main parts are:

• Activity: mentions, replies and other things that need your attention.
• Chat: your one-to-one and group chats, and (in the combined view) your teams and channels. See chats and channels.
• Calendar: your meetings, taken from your Outlook calendar. See Teams meetings.
• Calls: phone-style calls to colleagues.
• OneDrive: your own files and files shared with you.
• View more apps (the three dots): extra apps your company has added.

If the icons have no names, select Settings and more (the three dots at the top), then Settings → Appearance, and turn on Show app names under App bar.

Set your status

Your status tells colleagues whether it is a good time to message you. Teams changes it automatically when you are in a meeting or away from your computer, but you can set it yourself.

1. Select your picture at the top right.

2. Select your current status and choose Available, Busy, Do not disturb, Be right back, Appear away or Appear offline.

3. To make it change back by itself, select Duration and choose when to reset it. Reset status puts it back to automatic straight away.

   

To add a short note, such as “At a client meeting until 3pm”, select your picture, then Set status message, type it and select Done.

On your phone

The Teams app for iPhone and Android uses the same account and shows the same chats, teams and meetings. The pictures below are from an Android phone.

1. In Google Play (or the App Store on iPhone), search for Microsoft Teams, check that the publisher is Microsoft Corporation and tap Install.

   

2. Open Teams and tap Get started. If Android asks whether Teams can send you notifications, tap Allow so you hear about new messages and calls.

3. On Sign in, type your work email address and tap Next. Then type your password and complete the extra check, such as a code from the Authenticator app.

   

   If the Outlook app is on the same phone, Microsoft may ask you to open Outlook and enter a number shown on screen instead. If you cannot, tap I can’t use my Outlook mobile app right now and choose another way.

4. Teams shows three short welcome screens. Tap Next twice and then GOT IT, then GOT IT again on Your privacy option.

   

5. Teams may also ask for your location and for Nearby Devices access, which it uses for Bluetooth headsets. Teams works without them, so choose what you are comfortable with.

On the phone, the main parts of Teams are in a bar at the bottom instead of on the left:

• Activity: mentions, replies and reactions.
• Chat: your chats and, under Teams and channels, your teams and their channels.
• Calendar: your meetings, the same as in Outlook.
• Calls: phone-style calls to colleagues.
• Files: your OneDrive files and files shared with you.
• More: other apps, such as those your company has added.

To set your status on the phone, tap your picture at the top left, then tap your current status, such as Available, and pick a new one. Set status message is in the same list.

To sign out, tap your picture, then Settings, scroll to the bottom and tap Sign out.

Still stuck

WhatsApp our support team at +60 16-916 3324.

Common issues

The icons on the left of Teams have no names.

Microsoft hid the labels in 2026 to save space. To bring them back, select Settings and more (the three dots at the top), then Settings → Appearance, and turn on Show app names under App bar.

See it in the steps

My colleagues cannot see my Outlook out-of-office message in Teams.

If you have set a Teams status message, Teams shows that instead of your Outlook automatic reply. Clear your status message while you are away.

I do not see Teams in my apps.

Microsoft sells some Business plans with and without Teams. Ask your admin whether your licence includes Teams, or WhatsApp Office Niaga.

Related articles

• Schedule, join and record Microsoft Teams meetings
• Chats, teams and channels in Microsoft Teams
• Sign in to Microsoft 365 for the first time
• SharePoint basics - team sites and shared files