How to Show or Hide App Names (Labels) in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams lets you hide or show app names (also called labels) right from the desktop app.

App labels, the text below app icons in the Microsoft Teams sidebar, offer a cleaner sidebar appearance and potentially faster app discovery. Hiding these app labels can improve user experience in Microsoft Teams, a collaboration platform developed by Microsoft.

Hiding app names in Microsoft Teams helps declutter the interface. This feature is available in Microsoft Teams versions 1.7.0 and newer. Users can hide the names of infrequently used apps for a cleaner look.

Showing or hiding app names in Microsoft Teams offers personalized workspace options. This customization helps users find their most-used tools 50% faster by decluttering the app bar.

Step 1Go to Teams Settings

You can open Microsoft Teams settings by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner of the app. A menu will pop up, and you just need to pick ‘Settings’ from the list. This is the main place to go to change how your Teams app looks and works.

The user’s profile picture appears in the top right corner of the Microsoft Teams window. Clicking the profile picture opens a menu with account options. This menu allows users to manage their Teams settings.

A menu will pop up. Find and click on Settings. This will open a new area with all the options to change how Teams looks and works.

Step 2Find Appearance Settings

Teams settings offer appearance options on the left side. The Appearance settings control how apps look inside Teams. You can change the display of your apps and adjust app labels directly from the Appearance section of Teams settings.

Microsoft Teams appearance settings control the application's look. Users access the appearance settings by clicking "Appearance" on the left side of the Teams window. The appearance settings section allows users to personalize their Teams visual experience, offering about 10 visual customization options.

Step 3Show or Hide App Names

In Teams Appearance settings, a switch controls whether you show or hide app names, also called app labels. This switch appears next to icons in the Teams sidebar. Turning the app name switch on shows names for easier reading. Turning the app name switch off hides names, making the sidebar less cluttered. This is how you hide Teams app names.

Here’s how to control if you see app names:

• In the Appearance settings, look for a switch. It might say Show app names or App labels.
• Click the switch to turn it on (to see names) or off (to hide names). If the switch is colored, it’s usually on. If it’s gray, it’s off.

Why would you do this?

• Hide app names: If you have many apps in your sidebar, hiding the names can make it look more compact. You will just use the icons to know which app is which. Many people get used to this.
• Show app names: If you are new to Teams, or if you switch between many apps often, seeing the names can help you quickly find the app you need. It can stop confusion and help you pick apps faster.

Reference:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-US/teams/notifications-settings/change-settings-in-microsoft-teams

Summary

You can easily change whether app names or labels show up next to icons in your Microsoft Teams sidebar by going to Settings, then Appearance, and using the toggle switch.