Hide Message Previews in Chat list on Microsoft Teams

Why hide message previews?

Shielding chat snippets protects private conversations from wandering eyes during a presentation or in an open-plan office. Maintaining control over what appears on screen takes only a few seconds.

How to hide message previews in New Teams vs. Classic Teams

Both the New Teams and Classic Teams apps support hiding message previews to keep your chat list private and tidy. The process involves going into your Teams settings and turning off the option that shows message snippets directly in the chat list.

1. Launch the Microsoft Teams app from your Start menu ⊞ or Taskbar.

2. Click the Settings and more (…) icon located at the top right, next to your profile picture.

3. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.

4. Navigate to the Appearance tab on the left sidebar.

5. Look for the Chat density section. Toggle the switch for Show message preview in your chat list to the Off position.

Troubleshooting: Missing settings

Missing toggles usually point to outdated application versions. Work computers managed by an IT department might restrict these updates or require administrator rights to alter global policies.

Privacy in public spaces

Using Teams display settings to hide previews is a best practice for anyone working in coffee shops, airports, or open-plan offices. It ensures that even if you leave your computer unlocked for a moment, your private chats remain obscured from passersby.

Summary

• Hiding message previews protects your privacy during screen sharing.
• The setting is found under Settings > Appearance.
• This change does not affect your standard desktop notification banners.
• If the setting is missing, check for app updates or consult your IT administrator.

For more information, visit the official Microsoft Support documentation.