How to Start a chat in Microsoft Teams
Desktop
The process of starting a one-to-one chat as well as a group chat is the same. Selecting New chat from the right sidebar opens up a new chat window.
Start a one-on-one chat
When you have selected New Chat and entered the name of the person that you wish to chat with, you can then write your message by clicking in the bottom box of the chat box. When you are prompted to enter your message, you will need to select the Format button under the box where you are typing it.
In order to start the chat, select Send or press Enter when you are ready to do so.
In addition to starting a one-on-one chat from the person’s profile card, you can also start a group chat. In order to access it, you can select their picture in the channel or use the search option to find them.
Start a chat with yourself
Note: There is now a possibility for you to chat with yourself in the public preview program. Depending on the number of changes that are made to it, it might be publicly available in the future. Switch to the Teams public preview in order to be able to access this and other upcoming features from Microsoft.
By default, you will see your name pinned at the top of the list of chat rooms in your account. Teams allows you to send files, messages, and more to yourself, so that you can stay in touch with each other.
You can find a chat by selecting New chat and entering your name into the To field if you unpin a chat and want to find it again. It is important to write your message in the same way that you would in a regular one-on-one conversation.
Create a group chat and give it a name
As with a one-on-one chat, you can start a group chat.
- Choose New chat from the list of chats at the top.
- Type a name for the chat in the Group name field by clicking the down arrow to the right of the To field.
- Using the To field, you will be able to type the names of the people you would like to include in this email.
Select the down arrow to start a new chat
Add people to the group chat by typing a name
The conversation has begun. The group chat can be accessed by anyone who has access to it.
The number of people you can include in a group chat is 250.
Invite people to join the conversation
In the top right corner of Teams, you will find an option to add more people to the discussion (or view and add participants in group chat if you are in a group). Next, you will have to type the names of the people you would like to chat with, decide how much chat history you would like to include, and click on Add to begin chatting with them.
Note: The chat history of an individual can be included when you add them to a group chat (and not to a one-on-one chat).
As a result, Teams keeps a complete record of all chats until the very first message was sent. The chat responses of people who leave a group do not disappear from your chat history even if they leave the group.
See who’s in a group chat
It is possible to see who is in a group chat by selecting View and adding participants on the chat header. You will be able to see everyone’s name in this list.
Are you interested in learning more? Check out our guides on how to start a chat and how to start a group chat.
Mobile
By tapping Chat > New chat, you can start one-on-one or group chats.
Start a one-on-one chat
Afterwards, when you have selected New chat and entered the name of the person in the text box at the bottom, you will have to compose your message in the box that appears. Open the options for formatting by clicking on the following link:
- Tap the More messaging options button.
- Simply tap the Format button.
As soon as you are finished composing your message, tap Send to begin the chat.
Start a chat with yourself
Note: There is now a possibility for you to chat with yourself in the public preview program. Depending on the number of changes that are made to it, it might be publicly available in the future. Switch to the Teams public preview in order to be able to access this and other upcoming features from Microsoft.
In your chat list, by default, your name will be displayed at the top of the list.
It is possible to use this space in Teams to send yourself messages, files, and even more. When you unpin it, you will be able to find the chat again by tapping New chat, entering your name, and then clicking Pin.
Start and name a group chat
As with a one-on-one chat, you can start a group chat.
- You can add people to your chat by tapping New chat and typing their names in the To field.
- Messages can be composed and sent.
- At the top of your screen, tap the names of the participants.
- Click on the name of the group chat.
- Then tap Save to save the group name.
All members of the group chat have the ability to send messages to one another.
Add people to the conversation
The following steps can be taken in order to make the conversation more inclusive:
- In the top bar of your screen, tap the names of the participants, and then tap the Add people button.
- Choose how much chat history to include, then type the names of people you want to chat with.
Note: The chat history can be included in a group chat when you add a person to it (not in a one-on-one chat).
As a result, Teams keeps a complete record of all chats until the very first message was sent. The chat responses of people who leave a group do not disappear from your chat history even if they leave the group.
See who’s in a group chat
A list of each participant’s names will appear at the top of your screen when you tap the name of one of the participants of the group chat at the top of your screen.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you start a chat with a contact group in a team?
- Launch Microsoft Teams.
- Click on the New Chat button.
- Select Add group name. And enter a name for your group chat.
- In the To: line, type the phone numbers, email addresses or names of those you want to include in this group.
- Type a message and send it to finish creating your new group.