Microsoft Teams is no longer just a video-call app — it’s a productivity powerhouse packed with subtle features that people skip over. If you use Teams daily, you’ve probably learned the basics: meetings, chat, and files. But beneath the surface are some seriously useful tricks that save time, make meetings better, and help you look like a power user without breaking a sweat. I dug into official docs and the latest reporting so you don’t have to — here are the best hidden gems in Teams and how to use them today.

Why care about hidden features?

Because small habits compound. A single keyboard shortcut saved five times a day becomes hours back over a month. The features below are simple to adopt but deliver outsized returns — especially for designers, product people, and anyone juggling meetings and messages.

1) Slash commands — your new shortcut to everything

Type / in the search box or a compose box and you’ll see a list of quick commands: change status (/away, /dnd), start a meeting (/meetnow), insert a code block, and even launch apps you’ve installed. It’s the fastest way to run actions without hunting through menus. Try /goto to jump to a team or /files to quickly find recent documents. Microsoft Support

Quick tip: Memorize a couple of / commands you use daily — they’re faster than clicking through the UI.

2) Keyboard shortcuts that feel like magic

If you’ve never opened the Teams keyboard shortcuts list, do it now (press Ctrl + . in the desktop app). You can jump between Activity, Chat, Teams, Calendar, Calls and Files with Ctrl + 1–6, open compose with Ctrl + R, and expand the compose box with Ctrl + Shift + X. These tiny key combos speed up navigation and cut a lot of clicking. Microsoft Support

Pro tip: Put a sticky at your desk with your top 6 shortcuts — muscle memory forms fast.

3) Send email directly into a channel (yes, really)

Want to keep an external email thread visible to a team? Each channel has an email address — forward or BCC the message to that address and the email appears in the channel as a conversation. It’s great for onboarding customers, tracking vendor updates, or archiving important receipts where the whole team can see them. Visit Teal to learn more.

How to find it: Click the ellipsis (...) next to a channel name → Get email address. If admins restrict this, ask a channel owner to enable incoming email.

4) Together Mode — less awkward, more human

Together Mode places everyone in a shared virtual space, making it feel like you’re in one room. It reduces cognitive load compared to a grid of faces and can make brainstorming or Q&A sessions feel more natural. For workshops, town halls or larger meetings, flip on Together Mode to make attention and engagement easier. Microsoft

Insider note: Microsoft keeps expanding scene options and even supports custom Together Mode scenes in preview — watch for those if you want branded meeting backgrounds. (Some advanced options may need specific licensing.) Microsoft

5) Live translation and AI meeting helpers (coming fast)

Microsoft has been rolling out AI meeting features — think live translation, multilingual transcription, and Copilot-powered recaps that extract action items from meetings. These tools can convert speech into translated captions or summarize what was discussed so you don’t spend an hour taking notes. Keep an eye on the rollout if your org has early access; the capabilities are evolving quickly. The Verge

Source: Microsoft

Use case: Run a global stand-up and let participants consume captions in their language while one person speaks — huge productivity win.

6) Pin and prioritize — reclaim your workspace

Pin frequently used chats or channels so they stay at the top. Use the “Saved” feature (Save this message) to bookmark a message with an action item or a link. Combined with customizing Teams left nav (pin apps like Planner or OneNote), you can create a personal workspace that’s tidy and fast. No more endless scrolling to find that one message from last week.

7) Email a meeting invite from Teams (and customize it)

When scheduling in Teams, you can attach files, add an agenda, and even include an email-only attendee (someone who doesn’t use Teams). For cross-organization meetings, this avoids switching to Outlook and helps keep everything in one place.

Pro tip: Add a short agenda as the meeting description — Teams will show that in the meeting details and it becomes the quick reference for attendees.

8) Use @Mentions strategically — and follow threads

Don’t over-tag. Save @team and @channel for truly broad notices. Use targeted @ mentions to get the right people’s eyes on things. If your org has thread or post-based options, follow specific threads you care about rather than the whole channel — it reduces noise without missing urgent items.

9) Hidden formatting and code blocks

Want to paste a snippet of code or a pre-formatted block? Use the compose box’s code block option (Ctrl + Shift + Alt + B) or the /code slash command. You’ll keep formatting intact and make shared snippets readable without losing indentation.

10) Apps and tabs — make Teams your hub

Add Tabs for frequently used files or apps (Planner, Whiteboard, Figma, etc.) inside a channel. If your team uses a specific doc, pin it as a Tab so every meeting starts with the same context. And explore the Teams store — small integrations like Polly (polls) or Who (org lookup) are tiny automations that reduce back-and-forth.

11) Quick message scheduling — send later

When crafting messages you don’t want to drop immediately (e.g., late-night thoughts), use the message scheduling feature to send at a specific time. It’s respectful and helps shape predictable communication windows.

Bonus: Make it yours — smart workspace habits

1. Set status durations so your availability resets automatically.
   
2. Create recurring channels or a Team template for new projects.
   
3. Use tags (@design-team) to group people across channels.
   
4. Learn 3–4 slash commands and 5 keyboard shortcuts — the ROI is massive.

Also read: Visual Language Models (VLMs): How AI Learned to See, Read and Converse for Designers, Developers & Creators