Working from home means that you might end up in a video call with your boss or team members.
There are features in MS Teams designed to help you enhance your video conferencing. Wondering how to run effective meetings with Microsoft Teams?
In this guide, you’ll discover 21 remote meeting tips and tricks for conference and video calls in Microsoft Teams.
Remote Meetings Tips With MS Teams
Here are some Microsoft Teams remote meeting tips:
1. Create your meeting agenda
First, create a meeting
Go to Calendar >>> Click “New Meeting” >>>> Provide a Title, Location and the Date/Time for the meeting >>>> Select the Team/Channel for the meeting >>> Click Send
Now add a meeting agenda
Now click on Teams in the left sidebar >>> Click the Team/Channel where you created the meeting >>> Now click on the Meetings tab at the top >>> Click on the Meeting Now to start adding agenda items >>> Once you’re done, Notify attendees.
2. Invite external guests to join
Go to Add required attendees (If anyone is an optional attendee, select Optional instead) >>> Type the person’s full email address >>> Select Invite and They’ll receive an email with a link to the meeting.
3. Start an Instant Meeting
To start an instant channel meeting: Go to Teams on the left side >>> Choose the channel you want to meet in from the list >>> Select Meet now under the area where you type a message >>> Give your meeting a title >>> Hit Join now >>> Start inviting people.
4. Record a Team Meeting
To start recording, go to the meeting controls and select More options >>> Start recording >>> Everyone in the meeting is notified that recording has started.
5. Start a Video or Audio Call
You can make personal or group calls with anyone in your team directly from a chat.
Go to your chat list, and click New chat icon >>> Type the name or names into the To field at the top of your new chat >>> Then click Video call or Audio call to start a call.
6. Change Your Background During a Meeting
Go to your meeting controls and select More actions >>> Show background effects >>> Select Blur to blur your background, or choose from the available images to replace it.
7. View or export a list of users who attended a meeting
If you’ve organized a Teams meeting, you can save a record of who’s attended it.
During the meeting, select Show participants >>> And choose Download attendee list.
8. Schedule a Live Event
In Teams, select Calendar >>> And then New meeting >>> At the top of the scheduler, select New meeting >>>> New live event >>> Enter meeting titles and details >>> add the names of your event group >>> Select Next >>> Under Live event permissions, choose who can attend your live event >>> Select Schedule to add the event to your and your event group’s calendars.
9. Share your screen during the meeting
Select share >>> Select what you want to share (Desktop, Window, PowerPoint, Browse) >>> a red border surrounds what you’re sharing >>> Select Stop sharing to stop showing your screen.
10. Take Meeting Notes during the Meeting
Go to More options >>>> Show meeting notes in your meeting controls. If you have not taken any notes yet, choose Start taking meeting notes.
11. Add a room while you join the meeting
When you’re choosing your audio and video settings, you have the option to add a room. Go to the option to Join and add this room >>> Join the meeting with audio off to avoid disrupting the meeting.
12. Play a meeting recording in Teams
Go to the chat history in Teams >>> And select Play to play the meeting recording directly in Teams.
13. Share meeting recordings with others
In Teams, go to the meeting recording in the chat history and select More options icon >>> Get link >>> In the Get Stream link dialog box, select Copy >>> Click Send.
14. Mute meeting attendees
Mute individual meeting participants from the meeting roster to avoid the background noise. If someone has been muted, they’ll get a notification letting them know.
15. Schedule a Teams meeting from Outlook
To schedule a meeting, open Outlook >>> Switch to the calendar view >>> Click New Teams Meeting at the top of the view >>> Add your invitees to the To field >>> Add meeting details >>> Click Send.
16. Set Up a group call
Under Call answering rules >>> Select Forward my calls >>> In the Forward to menu, select Call group >>> Under Add people >>> add the people you want in your call group. You can add up to 25 people.
17. Stay in control of your meeting
MS Teams provides the meeting organizer with many options when it comes to defining the roles and permissions for online meeting participants.
Select Meet now >>> Choose Show participants in your meeting controls >>> Above the list, select Manage permissions to go to Meeting options >>> Change participants settings.
18. Use ink on a whiteboard in a Teams meeting
You can share a whiteboard to make it available to all participants in a Teams meeting and brainstorm ideas.
Click the Share icon >>> In the Whiteboard section, select Microsoft Whiteboard >>> Click the Pen icon, select a color, and then begin to draw, sketch, or write on the board.
19. Use live captions in a Teams meeting
Encourage your meeting participants to turn on live captions and read subtitles in real-time. Head to your meeting controls and select More options icon >>> Turn on live captions (preview).
20. Raise Your Hand In a Meeting
During a meeting, you can raise a virtual hand to let attendees know you want to contribute without interrupting the conversation.
Just select the Raise hand icon in the meeting controls. And attendees will also receive a notification that your hand is raised and you want to add something.
21. Shortcut Commands
Ctrl + shift + M – Mute/unmute yourself
Ctrl + shift + O – Turn on/off your camera
BONUS: Here are some quick remote meeting tips to make the meeting effective and productive
1. Get properly dressed.
Look professional and presentable. Think of what you will wear if this was an in-office meeting. Enjoy the fact that your teammates won’t see what you’re wearing waist down. Stay in your comfortable bottoms and slippers if you like.
2. Check if your systems are working.
Is your online meeting app loading well? Have your mobile data internet ready in case your current connection weakens. Is your audio system working? It’s important to hear your teammates talk and that they hear you clearly as well.
3. Set an agenda.
Share the objective, talking points, and outcomes of the meeting at least a day before. This way, your teammates will be able to prepare and ask the right questions if there are things that are still unclear to them.
4. Stick to the allotted time.
Be mindful of everyone’s schedules. Preparing an agenda easily fulfills this objective too.
5. Give your full attention.
Be present throughout the meeting. Try not to visit other websites or chat with your other colleagues while the meeting is ongoing. Stay seated and give your full focus on the agenda and to your teammates moderating the meeting.
6. Mute your microphone when it’s not your turn to talk.
Any unwanted background noise can reduce the success of the online meeting. Open your mic only when you have to say something.
7. Announce your arrival.
If you’re late to the meeting, let your team acknowledge you. After all, it’s something you would do when you enter an actual meeting room. This is important too if you’re joining a meeting of a different team and no one knows you.
8. Manage the chaos.
Close the door to avoid uninvited party guests from arriving in the background. While it’s not completely frowned upon, it may distract your teammates. Take advantage of virtual backgrounds too if your meeting app supports it to instantly turn a messy space into a clean and professional one.
9. Wrap up the meeting.
A list of important notes and clear action items is the best way to summarize a productive team meeting.
10. Take your time.
Going from face-to-face meetings to online meetings can be a big adjustment for the whole team. A supportive environment is key in helping everyone transition to a new way of collaborating.
Recommended Read: How to Use Microsoft Teams for Remote Workers and Stay Productive
Microsoft Teams Meeting FAQs
We have compiled all the Microsoft Teams meeting tips in this article. All the tips are mentioned above.
Just Go to Teams on the left side >>> Choose the channel you want to meet in from the list >>> Select Meet now under the area where you type a message >>> Give your meeting a title >>> Hit Join now >>> Start inviting people.
Here are some cool Microsoft Teams meeting options:
You can record a meeting.
Change your background during a meeting.
You can take meeting notes.
Use Microsoft whiteboard to discuss your point.
You can use live captions in a meeting.
Raise your hand.
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