Published 2022-09-12 by TechNet New England
Microsoft Teams is a communication and collaboration platform used by organizations for chat, video meetings, file sharing, and project coordination. If your organization uses Microsoft 365, Teams is included. ## Getting Started ### Download and Install **Desktop:** Go to [teams.microsoft.com](https://teams.microsoft.com) and download the app. Or search for "Microsoft Teams" in the Microsoft Store. **Mobile:** Download from the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or Google Play (Android). **Web:** Go to [teams.microsoft.com](https://teams.microsoft.com) in a browser. No installation needed. ### Sign In Open Teams and sign in with your work email and password. Complete MFA if prompted. ## The Basics ### Chat Click **Chat** in the left sidebar to send direct messages to individuals or groups. Type a message and press Enter to send. Use the formatting toolbar for bold, lists, code blocks, and attachments. Pin important chats by right-clicking and selecting **Pin**. ### Teams and Channels **Teams** are groups of people organized around a project, department, or topic. **Channels** are conversations within a Team, organized by subject. Click **Teams** in the sidebar to see your teams. Click a channel to view its conversations and files. ### Meetings To join a meeting: click the link in your calendar invitation, or go to **Calendar** in the sidebar and click the meeting. To start a meeting: click **Calendar > New meeting**, fill in the details, and click **Send**. During a meeting: use the toolbar to mute/unmute, turn camera on/off, share your screen, raise your hand, or open chat. ### File Sharing Files shared in a chat or channel are stored in SharePoint (for channels) or OneDrive (for chats). Click **Files** at the top of a channel to see all shared files. You can edit Office files (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) directly in Teams without downloading them. ## Tips **Search:** Press **Ctrl + E** (Windows) or **Command + E** (Mac) to search for messages, people, or files. **Status:** Click your profile picture to set your status (Available, Busy, Do Not Disturb, Away). **Notifications:** Go to Settings > Notifications to control what alerts you receive. **Keyboard shortcuts:** Press **Ctrl + .** (Windows) or **Command + .** (Mac) to see all keyboard shortcuts. **Background effects:** In a meeting, click the three dots > Video effects to blur your background or choose a virtual background. ## Common Issues **"Teams is not loading":** Clear the Teams cache. On Windows: close Teams, press Win + R, type `%appdata%\Microsoft\Teams`, delete the contents of the Cache folder. Restart Teams. **"No audio in meeting":** Check that the correct microphone and speakers are selected. Click the three dots in a meeting > Device settings. **"Cannot share screen":** On Mac, you may need to grant screen recording permission. Go to System Settings > Privacy and Security > Screen Recording and enable Microsoft Teams. **"Notifications not working":** Check Settings > Notifications in Teams. Also check your operating system notification settings to make sure Teams is allowed to send notifications.