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New: Microsoft Teams Premium, the better way to meet

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Six separate people smiling and the raised hand emoticon from Teams.

Video conferencing

Meet, collaborate, and work securely from anywhere with Microsoft Teams.

Enable flexible work with hybrid meetings

Work from anywhere and collaborate in the flow of work with video conferencing in Teams.

Present with confidence

Bring everyone together from anywhere—both in person and online—to work and collaborate with video conferencing in Teams.

Brainstorm and visually collaborate

Meet anytime with video conferencing—whether you’re calling one-on-one or leading a company town hall.

Manage and control meetings

Host secure video conference calls—mute noise, remove uninvited attendees, and designate presenters.

Hold virtual events

Hold interactive meetings for up to 1,000 attendees and webinars and broadcasts for up to 10,000.*

Express more with video conferencing

Meet in a more engaging and meaningful way with a video conference call and empower teamwork and productivity in the moment.

  • A Teams video call where the participants are collaborating and working on a presentation together in real time.

    Video conferencing features

    Get a quick look at a just a few of the helpful video conferencing features in Teams.

    A Teams video call being recorded.

    Recordings

    Record meetings using the Teams video conference app for future reference and to share with participants.

    A presentation being reviewed over a Teams call while some participants have a conversation in chat.

    Chat

    Chat with participants before, during, and after a web conference.

    Live captions being used during a Teams video call.

    Live captions

    Live translations for meeting captions delivers AI powered real time translation for 40 spoken languages so users can read live captions in their own language.

    Participants in a Teams video call using custom backgrounds.

    Customized backgrounds

    Choose a background, upload your own, or blur your background to minimize distractions while video conferencing.

    A presentation being displayed in Teams and a participant using the raise hand button.

    Raise your hand

    Use the raise hand button to talk or ask questions during a video conference call without interrupting.

    A Sales Analysis Review presentation being given over a Teams video call.

    Speaker coach

    Speaker coach helps you speak more confidently in meetings, privately assisting you on your pace, notifying you if you interrupt someone, and reminding you to check in with your audience.

    A participant list for a Design Review meeting in Teams that is displaying name, duration, join time, leave time and role for each participant.

    Participant list

    View and download the participant list of any meeting for reference and follow up after the meeting.

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  • A Teams video call in Together mode.

    Video conferencing benefits

    Discover some of the main benefits of video conferencing in Teams.

    A Teams video conference where the speaker is being highlighted while they are giving a presentation.

    Empower engagement

    Video conferencing allows people to engage in a deeper, more personal way.

    A Teams call where participants are collaborating on a presentation, conversing in the chat and using the raise hand function.

    Foster collaboration

    Work together in real time from anywhere with a video conference call.

    A Teams video call and a live Transcript from the call being displayed.

    Increase productivity

    The visual nature of video conferencing lets people communicate more in less time.

    A Teams video call with many participants in Together mode.

    Improve the employee experience

    Meeting face to face with video conferencing gives people working remotely a sense of belonging.

    A mobile view of a Teams video call.

    Provide freedom and flexibility

    Give people more control and reduce location constraints—connect whenever and wherever with video conferencing.

    A mobile view of a meeting chat in Teams.

    Communicate faster than email

    Make a video conference call and share your screen instead of sending email and waiting for replies.

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  • A Teams video call.

    More about video conferencing

    Learn more about video conferencing from how it works to what works with it.

    A Teams video call with 6 participants that is being recorded.

    How video conferencing works

    Using a camera, a microphone, and a video conferencing app such as Teams, people at two or more locations see and hear each other simultaneously.

    A Teams video call with many participants.

    Video conferencing in Teams

    Hold one-on-one meetings or large virtual events in Teams. Communicate and collaborate anytime, anywhere—on projects with groups almost any size.

    A Teams video call where a presentation is being given and participants are using reactions.

    Video conferencing that’s more than just video

    Do more in meetings. Share screens and files, see captions, chat, make a recording, and change your background with Teams video conferencing software.

    A Teams video call between people in a conference room and people joining from home.

    Devices designed for video conferencing

    Meet and work wherever and however you want with devices made just for video conferencing in Teams—everything from headsets to speakerphones and cameras to displays.

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Read more about video conferencing in Teams

Collaborate without compromise: A guide for effective hybrid and remote meetings

10 reasons to use video conferencing

How the right web conferencing software can create connections

How video conferencing helps build better relationships

What is video conferencing?

Video conferencing, also known as web conferencing, is a way for people in your organization to communicate through a video-supported platform on a computer, smart device, or telecollaboration tool. At work, this type of communication tool helps connect remote employees and allows them to collaborate in real time.

So, what’s required for video conferencing? At a baseline, you need a computer, laptop, smartphone, or other advanced device with a webcam, microphone, and speaker function. Modern computers and smart devices have this technology built in.

From there, you need internet access, and your team needs to install or download video conferencing software or an app to be able to communicate with each other.

Five people in a meeting room participating in a video conference with one other member being displayed on a television at the front of the room.

What is the need for video conferencing?

Since the rise of remote and hybrid work, companies have adopted video conferencing to connect employees—no matter where they work.

Whether you want to schedule a quick 1:1 video chat with a direct report or schedule a larger end-of-month video meeting with your entire organization, video conferencing software is a great way to enable your team to work together and stay in touch.

What is required for video conferencing?

Typically, all you need to conduct a video conferencing session is a web conferencing software, a strong internet or a WiFi connection, and a video conferencing device.

Key features of video conferencing software

To ensure a successful video conference, you want specific features to meet your needs when working with global teammates.

Features of video conferencing tools should include the following capabilities:

  • Record meetings to share with participants and for future reference.
  • Chat function to connect with colleagues before, during, and after a conferencing session.
  • Screen sharing to highlight demonstrations and help attendees follow along with your presentation.
  • Add captions for further clarity, inclusivity, and accessibility for all attendees.
  • Choose a background or upload your own to minimize distractions.
  • A reactions button to quickly engage with the content or discussion without interrupting the call.
  • View and download the attendee list to reference and follow up with participants, post-session.

Video conferencing tools should also enable participants to opt-in to be on camera or use a microphone.

Ideally, this type of software will help you with your presentation skills, too—after all, these skills are more important than ever in a hybrid work environment. Microsoft Teams has a function called speaker coach that helps presenters speak more confidently in meetings by providing guidance and feedback on pacing, use of filler words, and reminders to check in with the audience.

How video conferencing changed during Covid-19

During the Covid-19 pandemic, millions of businesses and offices shut down their physical spaces, and people around the world were forced to quarantine at home. The impact of Covid on video conferencing was massive—"work-from-anywhere” went from a trendy company perk to a must-have capability nearly overnight. Suddenly, businesses in all industries had to learn to adapt.

Many workers used personal computers or borrowed equipment from their employers to do their jobs. Other companies gave employees stipends to purchase at-home work equipment and created long-term remote-work policies as weeks stretched into months. Businesses embraced tools like video conferencing software so workers could continue to collaborate and connect with their distributed teams.

As of 2021, the global video conferencing market is worth $14.6 billion dollars, according to Statista. The importance of video conferencing during Covid—and its effects on how we do business today—can still be felt in workplaces.

The role of video conferencing in hybrid work

The modern hybrid work environment has taken video conferencing from a luxury to a necessity. Video conferencing provides an opportunity for teams to connect and get face time—whether they’re in the same office building or an entirely different zip code.

Because workers may not be in the same setting, however, it’s essential to set up some best practices for virtual calls. For instance, you should take meeting notes in a digital, widely accessible app or document to keep everyone organized and on the same page. It’s also essential that meeting attendees test their equipment and ensure it’s up and running beforehand to avoid technical mishaps during a group call.

While virtual meetings sometimes require additional finessing, they can be a powerful tool to unite your organization and keep business running smoothly.

How video conferencing can change your business

Covid-19 and work-from-home opportunities have changed the role of video conferencing in business in a big way. And adopting video conferencing can unlock all sorts of opportunities for your organization. For instance:

  • You can expand your talent pool by hiring outside of your immediate location.
  • You’ll be empowered to hire more workforce that aligns with the hybrid work model, enabling flexible hours outside of a traditional 9-5 setting.
  • Traveling employees can stay engaged and connected with a smart device.
  • A remote or hybrid work setting can entice employees to join your company.

Video conferencing can help improve your business operations, while also promoting productivity and strengthening community through real-time, face-to-face collaboration.

Bring friends and family together with video conferencing in Teams

Stay connected to people even when you’re apart. Get together virtually—anytime and anywhere—with a video conference.

Have fun with Together mode

Host your video conference in a virtual shared space. Choose from environments such as café, resort, or lounge and see everyone in the same place with Together mode.1

A Teams call in Together mode.

Invite anyone, anytime, anywhere

Start a video conference and invite anyone to join, even if they’re not on Microsoft Teams. Video conferencing makes connecting virtually almost as much fun as being there.

A Teams video call with seven participants.

Frequently asked questions

  • Video conferencing is an online meeting between two or more participants that provides video, as well as audio, input and output. It provides the benefit of being able to see the expressions and reactions of other people in addition to being able to hear what they’re saying.

  • Video conferencing enables real-time collaboration, increases productivity, saves time, and helps people who are working remote feel less isolated and more engaged. If participants in a group video conference, don’t feel like being on camera, they can always opt to turn it off and just leave their microphone on. Some video conferencing software even allows people to blur or change their background to add privacy without losing the ability to connect face to face.

  • Remote work and working from home have increased dramatically so being able to communicate and collaborate in real time with a video conference fosters productivity, participation, and morale.

  • There are many benefits to using a software application (app) developed specifically for real-time online collaboration such as video conferencing in addition to other capabilities including file sharing and calendaring. That’s because the software is designed specifically to create a better overall experience for people who want to chat, call, and collaborate online—anywhere and anytime. What’s more, a video conferencing software that’s integrated seamlessly with an entire suite of productivity apps—versus a stand-alone app—provides additional timesaving, workflow, and ease-of-use benefits.

  • Participating in a video conference call is easy. You just need a device with a camera, a microphone, and a video conference app such as Microsoft Teams. Then when you’re invited to a video conference, just join the conference using your device at the predetermined time. Learn more from a guide to hybrid and remote meetings.

Get started with Microsoft Teams today

  • [*] During this time of increased remote work, take advantage of view-only broadcasts for up to 20,000-attendees through the end of this year.
  • [1] Available on desktop only.

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