Microsoft began officially rolling out the Windows 11 2023 Update (aka Windows 11 23H2) on Halloween with an unexpected treat: an overhaul of the “Chat” feature in Windows 11.
Microsoft this week began rolling out Windows 11 “Moment 4,” aka Windows 11 2023 Update, with a full list of features that includes Copilot’s AI chatbot. Microsoft officially announced the deployment on Tuesday morning. Microsoft describes this as a “cumulative” cumulative update, so you’ll get all the features Microsoft previously announced.
There’s one more. Now, Windows has revamped the “Chat” feature on the Windows desktop with what Microsoft calls “Microsoft Teams (Free),” putting a bland mask over the same terrible concept as before. Now there’s a Halloween horror movie for you!
Let’s be clear: I despise Windows 11’s Chat feature. My employer uses Teams as their corporate video conferencing app and I have no problem using it. Video chat is functional, chat works fine, and it seems pretty simple to share your screen. But Teams works best as a professional tool, and I draw the line by putting a “Chat” mask on top for personal use. I already have enough ways to contact and stay in touch with my friends, and the last thing I want to do is remind them of their work day using Teams. While I don’t mind telling readers how to set up Teams Chat, I also want you to know how to remove it.
Mark Hachman / IDG
That said, Microsoft certainly made an effort to update “Microsoft Teams (free),” even though it’s inexplicably one of the strangest brand names in tech history. Two features stand out: a compact mini view that lets you move the Teams window to your desktop and SMS integration with your phone.
The latter brings Teams closer to your Phone – one of the best apps in Windows 11. Your Phone lets you send and receive messages and phone calls from Windows, interact with apps and desktop on your phone , and much more – although Intel’s Unison app does pretty much the same thing, and with iPhones, to boot. With Microsoft Teams (free), you’ll be able to use the app to send Teams messages or SMS chats, depending on your preferences and availability.
Mark Hachman / IDG
The new UI retains some of the different ways to talk to other people (Meet, Chat, and People) but puts them in a denser, more compact box that you can move around.
If you can convince a group of friends to follow each other on Teams, you can create a community. Microsoft is adding channels to the Community feature, so you can break down the information these members see and provide them with specialized notifications.
Microsoft also bundles Microsoft Teams (free) with other Windows components, like a plugin for the Game Bar. The Teams “Play Together” widget on the Game Bar means you can see your friends’ gameplay while you play your own game.
Mark Hachman / IDG
Will these new features change my mind about integrating Teams into Windows? I doubt. But kudos to Microsoft for investing effort into improvements.