Get started with Microsoft Teams (free) in Windows 11
A different way to chat is here! Microsoft Teams (free) is dedicated to making your experience the best it can be and is introducing the mini Teams window to make it easy to stay connected with your friends and family all in one place.
You can still use Chat in Windows 11 until your device prompts a Teams and Windows update or you're ready to update.
Check your version of Teams before updating
If you see Chat in Windows 11 from your taskbar, then you're not on the latest version of Teams and Windows 11.
First, you'll update Teams, then you'll update Windows.
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In Teams, select Settings and more >Settings > About Teams , then look under Version to see if you have the latest version or need to Update now.
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Select Start >Settings > Windows update , then select Check for updates. If updates are available, select to install them.
Check for updates
Checkout what's available in the mini Teams window—easy to find taskbar features, seamless options in Meet, Chat, and People, Search by name, and view everything you need in Recent! To get the full Microsoft Teams (free) experience, select Open Teams 
Make it easier to access the mini Teams window
You can pin Teams to your taskbar for a quicker and friendlier experience.
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Open Microsoft Teams (free) > right-click Teams on the taskbar > Pin to taskbar .
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After you pin Teams, you can access the mini Teams window from your taskbar and can move it around your screen.
To unpin Teams, right-click on Teams on your taskbar, then select Unpin from taskbar .
Learn about the features in the mini Teams window
A. Set your status and status message in your Profile with your Account manager.
B. Check out What’s new, Give your feedback, or Link your phone with What’s new and more .
C. Open Teams
Make video calls with ease in Meet
Group or one-to-one video calls are a breeze with Meet 
Try Play Together to watch and invite friends for gameplay.
Look for the Meet
Let's Chat!
Get a new conversation started!
You can link your Android phone to receive and reply to SMS text messages. If you don't have an Android phone, you can still send messages directly to phone numbers.
Get started and Chat with others on Teams.
Look for the Chat 
Connect with the People experience
Come together with the people in your life! You can access your contacts or review your Recommended contacts. Select someone to quickly and easily start a conversation or send them an email invite if they're not on Teams yet.
Look for the People 
Search by name
You can search for contacts or one-on-one or group chats in Search by name.
See what's For you
Take a look under For you and see the call links you created. Then select See all to view any other link you have that you might want to join.
In Recent, you'll see your recent one-on-one and group chats.
Browse through Featured Communities
Gaming, sports, tech clubs, and more!
Explore communities is a place where you can look through a list of communities to join. Enhance social connections and find fellow enthusiasts who share similar interests.
Learn more about Communities in Teams.
A. Turn on/off webcam - Turn your camera on or off.
B. What's new and more - Check out What's new and Give your feedback for Microsoft Teams (free).
C. Open Teams - Open the full Microsoft Teams (free) experience.
D. Start call - Start a new audio or video call.
E. Meet now - Start an instant meeting.
F. New Chat - Get a new conversation started.
G. Search by name - Search for contacts, one-on-one, and group chats.
H. Recent - View your most recent one-on-one and group chats.
How to hide Chat from your taskbar:
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Select the Windows Start button.
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In the Type here to search field, type Taskbar settings, then select Open.
Tip: You can quickly open Taskbar settings by right-clicking in an empty space of your taskbar, then select Taskbar settings.
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Under Taskbar items, turn the toggle for Chat to Off. Chat will then be hidden from your taskbar. If you want to show Chat again, you can turn it back on at any time.
Related topics
Learn more about Phone Link and Android in Microsoft Teams (free)
Start guide and FAQs for Play Together in Microsoft Teams (free)
Contact us
For more help, contact support or ask a question in the Microsoft Teams Community.
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