Microsoft Teams is one of the most popular collaboration platforms to exist on the internet these days. Users can not just collaborate on files in Teams, they can also communicate effectively.

The software provides not only a medium for public team conversations but also private 1:1 or group chats. But sometimes text chats are not enough. In such moments, users can also have private 1:1 or group video chats using the ‘Chats’ and ‘Calls’ feature of Microsoft Teams.

These private video chats doesn’t show in team conversations.

How to Video Chat from the Desktop

Open the Microsoft Teams desktop or web application to get started. Then, go to ‘Chat’ on the navigation bar on the left, and open the chat of the person or group you want to have a video chat with.

Click on the ‘Video call’ button (the video camera icon) on the upper right corner of the screen to start a video chat.

The user or users (if it’s a group chat) would receive a call and if they accept it, the video chat would begin.

Note: There can be up to 20 people in a video chat. If a group chat has more than 20 people in it than the video call button will be disabled for it.

If you are not in the chat with the person you want to have a video chat with, you can also start a private video call another way. Go to ‘Calls’ on the left in the Teams app. Then, click on the ‘Make a call’ button at the bottom left corner of the screen.

Enter the name or names of the people you want to call within the team.

Then, click on the ‘Video call’ button at the bottom to start a video chat.

You can also use the command bar to start a video chat quickly. Go to the command bar and type ‘/call’ to start a call.

Then type or select the name of the person(s) you want to call and press enter to start the call.

How to Video Chat from the Mobile App

Microsoft Teams mobile apps also support video chats. Open the Teams app on your phone and go to the ‘Chat’ tab from the bottom of the screen.

Then, open the conversation with whom you want to start the call. If there is no active chat with the user, tap the ‘New Chat’ button on the upper right corner of the screen.

Then, tap on the ‘video call’ button (the video camera icon) on the upper right corner of the screen.

The person would receive a call and they would have to accept it for the video chat to begin.

A video call can also be placed from the ‘Calls’ tab in the mobile application. Tap the ‘Calls’ tab at the bottom of the screen to open it.

Then, tap on the ‘New Call’ button on the upper right corner.

In the ‘To:’ textbox, type the name of the person. It would appear in the suggestions. Then, tap on the ‘video call’ button next to the person’s name.

Conclusion

Microsoft Teams has made communication very easy for users. People can hold private video chats without having to start team meetings using either the desktop or mobile application. Private video calls can be conducted 1:1 or in groups of up to 20 people.