Microsoft Teams – Send an IM and Create a Group Chat

How to Send a Chat and Create a Group Chat in Microsoft Teams.

Watch this video or use the instructions below to learn how you can start an instant message or chat conversation in Microsoft Teams. Also, learn how to create a group chat.

There are multiple ways you can send an instant message in Teams, which is one of the ways Microsoft is aiming to make communication more effortless than ever.

Sending a Chat in Microsoft Teams from the Chat Tab

1. From the Chat tab, select a recent conversation from the list to jump back into, or click the New Chat button next to the Chat dropdown menu.
2. Type your message in the Message box and hit the Send icon to send.

Note: If you need to move the conversation past a chat, you can start a voice call, video call, or screen share session from your conversation.

Chatting from the Contacts Pane

On the Chat tab in Teams, you can use the Contacts pane to organize company contacts for easy access. Once you’ve added contacts to your list, it’s only one click to start a chat conversation.

1. Find the Contact you want to chat with on the Contacts pane of the Chat
2. Click on a contact to open your message history.

Type your message in the  message box and hit the Send icon to send your chat.

Creating a Group Chat in Microsoft Teams

There are a few different ways you can make a group conversation in Microsoft Teams.

You can click the New Chat button next to the Chat dropdown menu and add multiple contacts to message.

Another way you can create a group chat is by adding participants to an existing conversation.

1. In a chat conversation, choose the Add Participants button on the top right of the screen.
2. Type the name of the person or people you’d like to add to the conversation.
3. Click Add to add your contacts to the conversation.

If you’re already in a group conversation, you’ll be able to choose how much of the conversation history you’d like your new participants to be able to see.

Note: Name your different group chats to make them easier to find in the Chat tab.

Sending a Chat in Teams Using the Command Bar

This method is also not covered in the video above, but it’s really helpful for sending quick messages without leaving the tab you are working in.

The Command bar (or Search bar) has a lot of different functions in Microsoft Teams. You can use it to change your presence, search through conversations, and start new conversations like calls and chats.

1. Type a backslash into the Command bar at the top center of your Microsoft Teams window. This lets Teams know you’re giving it a command.
2. Type Chat and hit Enter on your keyboard.
3. Type the name of the person you’d like to send a message to and press Enter
4. Type your message in the message box and click the Send icon to send.

Sending an Instant Message in Microsoft Teams using Contact Cards

This method is also not covered in the video above, but it’s really helpful for quickly starting conversations while you’re collaborating with someone. Anywhere you see a contact’s picture and presence, you can start an instant message conversation using their contact card.

1. Hover over a person’s image in Microsoft Teams and wait for their Contact Card to appear. You can use the Contact Card to start any type of conversation (depending on your licensing).
2. Select the Chat icon to start an instant message conversation.
3. Type your message in the message box and press the Send icon to send your message.