Microsoft Teams Upgrade to New Teams Application

Microsoft has released a new, upgraded Microsoft Teams experience. After extensive testing and continued improvements to the new software, the New Microsoft Teams will be available to the Michigan Medicine community beginning Starting Tuesday, February 13. Those using Microsoft Teams will be prompted to upgrade to the latest version. While users will notice only modest changes to the overall look-and-feel, the new Teams experience offers some significant benefits, including:

• Faster and more resource-efficient. The new Teams app launches up to 2X faster and enables you to join meetings up to 2X faster. The new Teams has been optimized for more efficient use of system resources, using up to 50% less memory.
• Enhanced IT security. The new Teams also ensures simplified IT management and enhanced data security.
• Fresh, new visual experiences. For example, users will see group theming and further customizing Teams’ chat experience.
• More expressive. Users can experience new ways to interact with each other on new Teams. For instance, the new Teams will include a “together emoji,” that results in a playful animation when two people high-five each other — the first of many more sentiments to come.

Automatic upgrade occurs after March 31, 2024

After March 31, 2024, any classic Teams users who haven't updated to new Teams will be automatically updated to new Teams.

• After March 31, 2024, if you’re already running on new Teams, there will be no change in behavior. Your Teams will continue working as expected.

Getting started with the new Teams

For detailed user instructions with screenshots, visit the following Microsoft support article.

To use the new Teams experience today:

1. Open the Teams desktop app on your Windows machine.
2. Turn on the Try the new Teams toggle at the top left corner of the Teams app.
3. Select Get it now from the pop-out dialogue. The new Teams will start installing. 
4. Your Teams app will reboot to open the new Teams experience. Any subsequent actions you take will happen in the new Teams by default, like joining a Teams meeting from Outlook.

Mac Users:

Simply update Teams by following the pop-up asking to install the New Teams or by selecting the toggle in the upper left side corner to update to the New Teams.

Kiosk/Web Users:

The web version of Teams is also updating to the new version. Users can update to the New Teams Web by either following the pop-up prompt to enable the New Teams or they can use the toggle in the upper left side corner to update to the New Teams. Kiosks machines will continue to use the web version of Microsoft Teams. 

Please note: Following your upgrade, your preferred Teams/channels will revert to the “grid” view. If you wish to see them in “list” view, just go to Preferences (by clicking on the three dots … at upper-right of the Teams window) and click on “Appearance and accessibility” then “Layout.”

Contacts has now been replaced with an application called People. Please visit the following link to view more information on this change:

Manage your contacts with the People App in Teams - Microsoft Support