Hide Message Previews in Chat List on Microsoft Teams
Message previews in Microsoft Teams show the first line of your latest chats right next to contact names in the chat list. This handy feature exposes private chats to coworkers or strangers whenever you share your screen or work in a public spot.
Microsoft Teams includes a simple setting to turn off these snippets and hide chat text from view. You can switch off message previews in less than a minute through your app settings, keeping your private conversations hidden during meetings.
Go to Settings Appearance and toggle off “Show message preview in your chat list”. This hides message snippets from your chat list, keeping conversations private until opened.
Why hide message previews?
Hiding message previews in Microsoft Teams protects your private chats from wandering eyes when you share your screen or work in an open office. Turning on this setting hides chat snippets from your main list so people nearby cannot read your incoming messages.
How to hide message previews in New Teams vs. Classic Teams
Hiding message previews in New Teams and Classic Teams takes just a few clicks through your main app settings. Open Microsoft Teams, click the three dots menu near your profile picture to open Settings , and turn off the option that shows message snippets in your 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Missing toggles usually point to outdated application versions.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.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard is a writer at Geek Rewind who turns complex IT tasks into clear, step-by-step guides. He draws on years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, focusing on Windows, Linux and WordPress: the problems people actually run into, and the fixes that work. His server and WordPress guides come from systems he runs himself. Richard builds and maintains the platform behind Geek Rewind, from its Ubuntu servers and Nginx configuration to its custom WordPress plugins. Many new tutorials start with readers' questions, and he's always glad to answer them in the comments.
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