Starting in mid-June, Microsoft will begin rolling out a redesigned chat and channel experience in Teams across the university. This optional, updated layout consolidates chat, teams, and channels into a single location within Chat. You'll see streamlined communication without the need to switch contexts.

What to Expect

When the feature becomes available to you, Teams will launch a self-guided onboarding flow that will walk you through the new experience. You’ll be able to explore what’s changed, tailor settings to your preferences, and decide whether to turn it on. If you try it and prefer the original setup, you can easily switch back at any time.

What’s New?

The new interface brings several improvements designed to simplify collaboration:

• Combined view: Chats and channel conversations appear together for easier navigation.
• Custom sections: Organize your workspace by grouping chats and channels however you like.
• Favorites: Pin important items for quick access.
• @Mentions view: See all messages directed to you in one centralized place.
• Advanced Filters: Quickly sort messages by unread, meetings, muted, and more.
• Streamlined Layout: A cleaner interface with simplified options for starting chats or posts.

Learn More

The new chat and channel experience support article walks you through the changes, with screenshots and instructions on how to turn it on when it’s enabled for you.