How to Disable Message Previews in Microsoft Teams on Windows 11

Microsoft Teams is a popular tool for chatting, video calls, and meetings. By default, it shows a preview of your new messages in your notifications. This can be helpful, but it might also show private information to people walking by your screen.

Why turn off message previews?

You might want to hide message previews to keep your conversations private. It also helps you stay focused by reducing distractions while you work.

What happens when you are done?

Once you change this setting, your notifications will still tell you that a new message has arrived, but you will not see the actual text of the message until you open the app.

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, and link your mobile device to Teams.

Steps to disable message previews

Note: You do not need admin privileges to change these settings.

1. Open the Teams app from your Start menu.

You can also launch the app from the Taskbar or Taskbar overflow.

2. If a mini window opens, click the expansion button to see the full screen.

3. Click the Settings and more (three dots) button next to your profile picture and select Settings.

4. Click the Notification and activity tab on the left side.

5. Find the Message preview section. Toggle the switch to Off to hide message text.

Updates for newer versions

If you are using a newer version of Teams, look for the checkbox labeled “Show message and content previews in notifications.” Uncheck this box to disable the feature.

Close the app when you are finished. Your settings are now saved.

Summary

This guide showed you how to manage message previews in Microsoft Teams on Windows 11. By adjusting your notification settings, you can ensure that your message content stays private and your workspace remains free from unwanted distractions.