Microsoft Teams users can now use apps in external meetings and chats

Last month, we reported that Microsoft plans to add support for apps in external meetings and chats in Teams. The Redmond giant has recently updated its Microsoft 365 roadmap to indicate that this feature has started rolling out and will be available soon for all Microsoft 365 subscribers.

The launch of apps in external meetings and chats will let users add apps while hosting meetings/chats with people from another organization. Specifically, users from the host organization will be able to manage (install, delete or update) these shared apps. However, external users who have been invited to the group chat or meeting will only be allowed to interact with the apps installed by host users. You can find more details about managing external access in meetings on this support page.

To install an app during a meeting, click the “Chat with participants” icon and select the ( … ) menu. Now use the search box to find the app (e.g., Microsoft Forms) you want to add to the meeting and finally click the “Send” button to create a poll. The meeting participants will instantly get a poll notification that appears in the middle of their meeting screen.

Similarly, Microsoft Teams users will be able to add apps to group chats by clicking the ( … ) menu available at the bottom of the screen. The rollout of apps in external scenarios will honor the data policies of the host organization and it will not change any previous organizational settings.

Overall, the new apps experience could be beneficial for business customers to gather feedback and seek approvals from partners. Microsoft Teams has recently introduced support for adding external users to group chats, and this new feature should eliminate the need to jump back and forth between windows during meetings.