Making the Most of Microsoft Teams: A Guide to Using It for Free
Using a free Microsoft teams
If you own your own business, or are part of a work group within a larger corporation there’s a good chance you require an area to collaborate and communicate with others within and outside your business. You don’t have to purchase expensive collaboration tools such as Office 365 or SharePoint because Microsoft Teams is free to use.
With the free version offered by Microsoft Teams, you get unlimited chats with audio and video calls, as well as 10GB of data storage for the entire team as well as 2GB of personal storage for each person. Microsoft Teams integrates with all online Office apps in addition to more than 140 business-related apps. You can add up to 299 people to your list of contacts which can be from within or outside of your company.
Be aware that Microsoft Teams is a free service. Microsoft Teams is available only to users who have a commercial Office 365 subscription. Office 365 users who attempt to join Teams are diverted into a Managed account under the plan they have already purchased. Customers who do not have the Teams license as part of their Office 365 subscription can sign up for a free year trial. Is Microsoft Teams calling free? What is Microsoft Teams Free?
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Is Microsoft Teams calling free?
Is Microsoft Teams calling free? Yes, It is true that Microsoft Teams calling is free for one-to-1 and group calls with at least 20 participants. However, you’ll be charged for calls made to numbers that aren’t in Microsoft Teams. The cost of calls will be determined by the region or country of the caller.
To make a free phone call using Microsoft Teams, follow these steps:
- Open Microsoft Teams.
- Click the Chat tab.
- Select the chat with the person you want to call.
- Click the Video or Audio button to start the call.
If you wish to call an address that is not included in Microsoft Teams, you will have to buy the Microsoft Calling Plan. There are several calling plans to choose from, based on your requirements. The trial version Microsoft Teams includes the following options:
- Chat
- File sharing
- Meetings (up to 60 minutes)
- Calling (up to 20 participants)
- Whiteboard
- Tasks
- Planner
- To-Do
Although many of the most basic calling features are offered at no cost but there are some scenarios and features that may require a cost:
- International Calling: In the event that you have to call internationally-based numbers as well as receive phone calls from participants in international countries There could be charges associated. Microsoft provides plans to call with international minutes and often, these plans come at a charge.
- Calling to Non-Teams Users: Calling between users of Teams is generally free, calling external phone numbers (landlines or mobiles) could incur charges. Microsoft gives the option of purchasing calling plans to make calls to non-Teams users.
- Advanced Features: Microsoft Teams offers various advanced features for calling including auto-attendants call queues, as well as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. These features are included in Microsoft 365 Business Voice, a Microsoft 365 Business Voice subscription that comes with its pricing structure.
- Toll-Free Numbers: If you would like to provide a toll free number for attendees to call to your meetings or conferences and conferences, it can result in a cost. costs.
The table below summarizes the major distinctions between paid and free version of Microsoft Teams:
Feature | Free | Paid |
|
Yes | Yes |
|
Yes | Yes |
|
Up to 60 minutes | Unlimited |
|
Up to 20 participants | Unlimited |
|
Yes | Yes |
|
Yes | Yes |
|
Yes | Yes |
|
Yes | Yes |
|
1 TB per user | Varies by plan |
|
Basic | Anytime |
|
Limited | Full |
|
No | Yes |
What is Free Microsoft Teams?
The free version of Microsoft Teams is a version of the Microsoft Teams platform that offers basic collaboration and communication features without cost. It’s designed for people as well as small teams and companies who want to enjoy the advantages of Teams without the need to subscribe to a premium plan.
Features of Free Microsoft Teams
Here are a few of the key advantages in Free Microsoft Teams: Free Microsoft Teams:
- Unlimited Chat and Messaging: With free Microsoft Teams users are able to make unlimited chat and messaging to individuals and groups. This feature allows for real-time communications which allows members of the team to work together and share information quickly.
- One-on-One and Group Video Calls: One-on-One and Group Video Calls: Users can make one-on-one video calls as well as video conferences for groups of up to 100 people. This lets virtual face-to face communications as well as online meetings.
- Screen Sharing: Screen Sharing is free Microsoft Teams allows users to display their screens during meetings and video calls. This feature can be useful to present demonstrations, presentations and work sessions that are collaborative.
- File Sharing and Collaboration: File Sharing and Collaboration: Users can share documents within Teams conversations, which makes it easy to collaborate on spreadsheets, documents presentations, and more within a centralized platform.
- Integration with Office Apps: Free Microsoft Teams integrates with other Microsoft Office applications, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This can improve productivity by permitting users to access and edit documents right from Teams.
- Channels and Threaded Conversations: Teams allows users to create channels. These are designated spaces for discussion and collaboration around a specific subject or project. Inside these channels are threaded discussions to help keep discussions on track.
- Online Office Applications: Users of Teams have access to online versions of the most popular Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint directly from the platform.
- Customizable Notification Settings: Customers are able to alter notification settings so that they can control how they are notified of alerts and notifications from Teams and help them manage their communications efficiently.
- Availability on Multiple Devices: Microsoft Teams is available on multiple devices for free. Microsoft Teams is accessible on many devices that include laptops, desktop computers tablets, smartphones and more. This lets users stay in touch and active regardless of where they are.
- Security and Compliance: Even with Microsoft Teams’ free edition, Microsoft Teams maintains security features such as the encryption feature, multiple-factor authentication and compliance with industry standards.
How to Use Microsoft Teams for Free
Connect and collaborate with colleagues and colleagues, friends and even family members for free using Microsoft Teams.
Set Up Microsoft Teams
- In order to set up a Team, you will need a Microsoft account. Browse to the Microsoft Teams website Microsoft Teams website and click the Sign up for free button to get started. Enter the username for the account you wish to use and indicate how you want to use Teams—for school, for friends and family, or for work and organizations.
- Type your password and confirm your name, company name, and other relevant details. Then click the Set up Teams button. You’re then asked if you want to use the Teams app or the web app. The Teams web app is fine for most of the basic features, but you will want to install the desktop app to take full advantage of the service.
- If you don’t download it during the initial setup, get it from the Download Teams website. You can also install the mobile version of Microsoft Teams (iOS,Android), which offers many of the same features found on the desktop app and will help you stay in contact with other people on the go. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll work with the web app here.
Invite Members
- At the Welcome screen, confirm your Teams organization name and click Continue. At the main screen, you can choose from a variety of tasks, but your first step should be to invite them to join your team. Click the Invite people link in the left-hand sidebar.
- You can then invite people through a shareable link, your own email contact list, or a direct email. Choose your preferred option.
- For this example, let’s go through email. You can invite others to join your team by entering their email addresses. Add a display name for each person in the right column. Click the Add more link if you need spaces for more addresses. Click Send Invites and close the Invites window.
- The people you invited will receive an invitation notice via email and can join your team by clicking the attached link. They’ll then be taken to Microsoft Teams, where they can also choose a display name and add a photo.
Team Chat
- The next task you might want to tackle is to start a conversation welcoming everyone to your team. Tap the Teams icon on the left toolbar and then select the New conversation icon at the bottom. Type your message. Anyone else on the team can then reply to your message and get the conversation rolling. You can enhance your messages by formatting the text, attaching files, adding emoji or GIFs, and more.
- To share a file with everyone on your team, click the paper clip Attach icon and select the file you want to share. Choose a file from your Microsoft Teams site, from OneDrive, or from your computer.
- Integration with Microsoft Office means files from Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote can be viewed and edited right from Teams. Team members will be able to edit the file in their browser via Office for the web or in the full version of the Office app, if installed on their computer.
- Instead of talking to the entire team, you can chat privately with one person or a smaller group. To get started, click the Chat icon on the left toolbar. Enter the name of the person or people you want to talk with in the To field at the top of the screen.
- Type your message in the New Message field at the bottom and click Send. Existing chats are saved on the left-hand side of the screen for easy access.
Virtual Meetings
- Teams has a built-in tool for audio and video calls. To use this feature, you’ll need to work in Chrome, Edge, or the Windows Teams desktop app (Firefox is unsupported). Start an audio or video meeting by clicking the Meetings icon on the left toolbar. Choose whether you want to meet now or schedule a meeting.
- Before the meeting launches, you have the opportunity to change certain details. You can add a subject for your meeting and decide whether to disable video and/or audio. Click the Join now button to officially launch the meeting. You can then invite other people to the call by copying a link to the meeting or sharing it through email.
- Inside the meeting screen, you can control the video and audio feed, cast to another screen, edit other settings, and end the call. Click the ellipsis icon to show device settings, show meeting notes, and switch to full screen.
- You can also change the meeting mode. Gallery shows the other person. Large Gallery shows you and the other person. And Together Mode displays all of you in a virtual environment such as an auditorium.
- You can also call someone directly either over video or audio. Click the Calls icon on the left sidebar. In the Make a Call field, type the person’s name. Then click the audio or video icon below depending on how you want to speak with this person. You can also add other people to your calling list by setting them up as contacts.
Tips for Maximizing the Microsoft Teams Free Version
- Organize with Teams and Channels: Structure your Teams environment effectively by creating separate teams for different projects or groups. Within each team, use channels to categorize discussions and files.
- Use @ Mentions: Utilize the “@” symbol to mention specific team members in conversations, ensuring they receive notifications for important updates.
- Utilize the Wiki: Teams offers a built-in wiki feature that allows you to create and share documents with your team. This can be useful for storing important information and resources.
- Schedule Regular Check-ins: Since the free version has limitations on meeting durations, consider scheduling shorter but regular check-ins to keep everyone updated.
- Leverage Notifications: Configure notification settings to ensure you’re alerted about messages and updates that matter most to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many participants can join a meeting?
A maximum of 100 people are able to join a group in Microsoft Teams, the version that is free. Microsoft Teams.
What features are not in the free version?
You can get more value from Teams by upgrading Teams Essentials Teams Essentials or an paid plan, which includes:
- Unlimited group meetings up to 30 hours.
- Up to 300 participants per meeting.
- 10 GB of cloud storage per user.
- Anytime phone and web support.
Who’s eligible for the free version of Microsoft Teams?
Anyone with a personal or personal email address can sign up to Teams today. If you don’t have an active Microsoft 365 commercial subscription will be able to use Team’s free versions of Teams. If a user of the current Microsoft 365 commercial customer tries to sign-up for the free version of the service, they will be redirected into the managed Team experience for the company. If the user doesn’t have a Microsoft Teams license Teams within their company’s Microsoft 365 plan, they will be directed to Microsoft Teams.
Why are we updating pricing for Microsoft 365?
Here are a few reasons Microsoft is updating pricing of Microsoft 365:
- In order to reflect the increasing value of the service to reflect the increased value of the. Microsoft 365 has been constantly expanding its capabilities and features in the last few years. The new capabilities have created Microsoft 365 an increasingly valuable tool for both individuals and businesses.
- To keep up with the rate of inflation. Cloud-based services have increased over the last few years. Microsoft has to revise the pricing of Microsoft 365 so that it can keep up with these price increases.
- It will be easier for customers to select the best plan. Microsoft 365’s new pricing model Microsoft 365 will be simpler and easier to comprehend. It will be simpler for customers to pick the best plan for their requirements.