How to Manage Chat Notifications in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a tool for chatting, meetings, and sharing files. Sometimes, the constant pinging of messages can be distracting. This guide shows you how to control these alerts so you can work without interruptions.

Why manage notifications?

If your chat is buzzing constantly, it is hard to focus. Turning off alerts helps you get deep work done. If you need to be quick to reply, turning them on keeps you connected.

What happens when you are done?

Once you finish these steps, your computer will stop showing banners for new messages or start showing them again, depending on your choice. You will have more control over your workday.

You can connect your Google calendar, turn the camera and mic on or off on the lock screen, turn read receipts on or off, auto start Teams, disable Teams chat, sync contacts with Teams, connect to Google Calendar, link your mobile device, turning message preview on or off, turn spell check on or off, turn on or off phone number in search results, manage notifications, turn on or off suggested replies in chat, enable or disable sound notifications, enable or disable notifications for incoming calls and meetings, enable or disable notifications during calls and meetings, and more.

How to change your chat notifications

First, open the app by clicking the Start menu and finding it in your list of apps.

You can also open it from the Taskbar or Taskbar overflow.

If a small window opens, click the expansion button on the top menu bar to see the full app.

In the main window, click the “Settings and more (…)” button next to your profile picture. Select Settings from the menu.

Click the Notifications and activity tab on the left. Look for the “Chat” section on the right. Use the drop-down menu to pick your preference:

• Show in banner: You will see a pop-up alert for every message.
• Off: You will not see pop-up alerts.

Note: You do not need admin privileges to change these settings. These changes apply to your specific user profile.

Summary

• Open Microsoft Teams from your Start menu or taskbar.
• Expand the window if it is in mini-mode.
• Go to the Settings and more (…) menu and click Settings.
• Select Notifications and activity.
• Adjust the “Chat” settings to “Show in banner” or “Off” to match your needs.