Microsoft Teams finally supports messaging personal accounts outside your organization
You can now message people outside of your organization through Teams, even if they’re using a personal account.
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What you need to know
Microsoft Teams users can now chat with more people outside of their organization. Teams already supported commercial users chatting with commercial users from other organizations. A newly announced capability allows commercial users to message individuals outside of an organization, even if the other person is using a Teams personal account.
To get started, you can enter the full email address or phone number of the person you’re trying to connect with to start a 1-to-1 or group chat. Microsoft highlights that you don’t need to switch tenants to message in this way, which should streamline communication. If the person you try to connect with is not on Teams, they will receive an email or text message that invites them to set up a personal account.
Despite the use of the word “personal” in “Teams personal accounts,” many small and medium businesses use these accounts for communication. The new capability for Teams should help professional users connect with a wider range of people using Teams for business use.
IT admins can control external access within an organization. The admin center has a couple of options for Teams accounts that are not managed by an organization, both of which areoutlined by Microsoft:
The new functionality is available starting today.
Microsoft Teams is a popular communication platform for businesses. Now, users can message individuals outside of their organization, even if the other person is using a personal account.
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Sean Endicott is a tech journalist at Windows Central, specializing in Windows, Microsoft software, AI, and PCs. He’s covered major launches, from Windows 10 and 11 to the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. Sean’s journey began with the Lumia 740, leading to strong ties with app developers. Outside writing, he coaches American football, utilizing Microsoft services to manage his team. He studied broadcast journalism at Nottingham Trent University and is active on X @SeanEndicott_ and Threads @sean_endicott_.
