Microsoft rolls out one Teams app to rule them all

Microsoft has released a unified Teams app, doing away with the requirement to have one app for work or education and another for personal use.

The new addition, long anticipated and arguably how things should have worked from the start, allows users to add or select a different account with a click in the top right-hand corner. It is also possible to join meetings as a guest without signing in or selecting a preferred account when joining. A preview of the app was released for Windows Insiders earlier this year.

The app is available for Windows 11, Windows 10, and Mac. Sadly, Linux fans will have to stick with the web version for now.

Teams has traditionally been the tool enterprises impose on users as part of a Microsoft 365 subscription – at least until Microsoft was forced to uncouple the collaboration software from its productivity suite. However, it hasn't gained the same traction with consumers.

• Is Teams connector retirement a tweak to fit EU laws, or a sign of price rises to come?
• Users rage as Microsoft announces retirement of Office 365 connectors within Teams
• EU accuses Microsoft of antitrust violations for bundling Teams with O365
• Microsoft expects further concessions for Teams amid EC antitrust probe

The situation has been further complicated by the confusing requirement for users to install multiple Teams apps – one for work and one for personal use – at a time when consumers already have a plethora of chat and collaboration apps at their disposal. As well as Teams and Microsoft's own Skype, there are alternatives including WhatsApp, Messenger, and so on.

Microsoft is eager for consumers to embrace Teams, and Amit Fulay, Vice President of Product at the company, wrote: "All users, including those on Windows 10 and Mac, can now connect and collaborate with anyone, anytime – for free – when signing in with a personal email."

A unified app will certainly simplify things, but users may still have their preferred ways of doing things outside the enterprise. ®