How to Use the Meeting Chat in Teams (Before, During and After)
Every Teams meeting has its own chat. It's where links get shared, latecomers catch up and the "can you send me that?" questions get answered without interrupting the speaker.
Open the chat during a meeting
Click Chat in the meeting toolbar. A panel opens on the right. Type your message and press Enter.
You can paste links, attach files with the + button, add emojis and @mention someone to get their attention, just like a normal chat.
Keyboard shortcut: Ctrl + Shift + C (Command + Shift + C on a Mac) shows or hides the panel.
Chat before the meeting starts
Open the meeting in your Calendar and click the Chat tab (or click Chat with participants). Anything you post here, like an agenda or a document to read, is waiting for people when they join.
Find the chat after the meeting
The chat doesn't disappear when the meeting ends:
• Click Chat on the left of Teams. The meeting chat is in the list with the meeting's name.
• Or open the meeting in your Calendar and click Chat.
• Or open the meeting in your Calendar and click Chat.
Recordings, transcripts and shared files are all linked from the same place, under the Recap tab.
Share a file in the meeting chat
Click + (or the paperclip) in the chat box, choose Attach file, and pick a file from OneDrive or Upload from this device. Everyone in the meeting can open it, during or afterwards.
Pop the chat out
Click the pop-out icon at the top of the chat panel to open it in its own window. Useful on two screens: slides on one, chat on the other.
If you're the organiser
Open the meeting from the calendar and click Meeting options. Under Meeting chat, choose:
• On — the normal setting.
• In-meeting only — people can chat while the meeting is running, but not before or after.
• Off — no chat at all. Good for large broadcasts.
• In-meeting only — people can chat while the meeting is running, but not before or after.
• Off — no chat at all. Good for large broadcasts.
Troubleshooting
I can't see the meeting chat afterwards. If you joined as a guest, or were removed from the invite, you lose access when the meeting ends. Ask the organiser to share anything you need.
A chat notification pops up for every message. Hover over the meeting chat in your Chat list, click ⋯ and choose Mute.
The chat panel is empty but people are typing. Teams occasionally loses the connection. Close the panel and open it again, or leave and rejoin the meeting.
Wrapping up
Click Chat in the toolbar to open it, use + to share files, and find it again later in your Chat list. If you run large meetings, decide in Meeting options whether attendees can chat at all.
