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Is Microsoft Teams calling free?

Making the Most of Microsoft Teams: A Guide to Using It for Free

Is Microsoft Teams calling free

Using a free Microsoft Teams

If you manage your own company or are part of a work group within a larger corporation there’s a good chance you require some way to connect and collaborate with people both inside and outside of your business. However, you don’t have to purchase expensive collaboration tools such as Office 365 or SharePoint because Microsoft Teams is free to use.

With the free version that comes with Microsoft Teams, you get unlimited chats with audio and video calls, as well 10GB of data storage for the entire team as well as 2GB of personal storage for each user. Microsoft Teams integrates with all online Office applications, and more than 140 business applications. You can add up to 299 people to your contacts list that can be within or outside of your business.

Be aware that Microsoft Teams is a free service. Microsoft Teams is available only for those who do not have a commercial Office 365 subscription. Office 365 subscribers who attempt to join Teams are diverted onto a managed account on the plan they have already purchased. Customers who do not have an Teams license as part of their Office 365 subscription can sign up for a one-year free trial. Is Microsoft Teams calling free?

Table of Contents

Are Microsoft Teams calls free

Is Microsoft Teams calling free?

Is Microsoft Teams calling free? Yes, Microsoft Teams calling is free for one-to-one and group calls with up to 20 participants. However, you’ll be charged for calls made to telephone numbers that aren’t in Microsoft Teams. The cost for calls will be determined by the region or country of the caller.

To make a call for free to make a free call Microsoft Teams, follow these steps:

  1. Open Microsoft Teams.
  2. Click the Chat tab.
  3. Select the chat with the person you want to call.
  4. Click the Video or Audio button to start the call.

 

If you wish to make a phone call to the number not part of Microsoft Teams, you will have to buy a Microsoft Calling Plan. There are several calling plans to choose from, based on the needs of your business.

The trial Version of Microsoft Teams includes the following options:

  • Chat
  • File sharing
  • Meetings (up to 60 minutes)
  • Calling (up to 20 participants)
  • Whiteboard
  • Tasks
  • Planner
  • To-Do

While a lot of basic calling features are offered at no cost but there are some scenarios and features that could require a cost:

  • International Calling: If you need to call foreign numbers, or get calls made by participants in international countries There could be fees to pay. Microsoft provides plans to call with international minutes and often, these plans come at a charge.
  • Calling to Non-Teams Users: Calling between Team users is usually free, calling external numbers (landlines or mobiles) could incur charges. Microsoft gives the option of purchasing calling plans to make calls to users who aren’t Team members.
  • Advanced Features: Microsoft Teams offers various advanced features for calling like auto-attendants, call queues, as well as Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system. These features are included in Microsoft 365 Business Voice, a Microsoft 365 Business Voice subscription that has its own pricing structure.
  • Toll-Free Numbers: If you would like to provide a toll free number to allow participants to dial into your conferences or meetings and conferences, it can result in additional costs.

The table below summarizes most important distinctions between the paid and free version of Microsoft Teams:

What Is Microsoft Teams Calling?

Everyone would like to keep the technology they utilize as easy and intuitive as possible. This means fewer logins, simple to use technology, and familiar interfaces. By using Microsoft Teams Direct Calling your employees can receive and make calls from the same platform they’re already using for most of their day-to-day work – using the well-known Microsoft 365 and Teams platform.

Feature Free Paid

Chat

Yes

Yes

File sharing

Yes

Yes

Meetings

Up to 60 minutes

Unlimited

Calling

Up to 20 participants

Unlimited

Whiteboard

Yes

Yes

Tasks

Yes

Yes

Planner

Yes

Yes

To-Do

Yes

Yes

Cloud storage

1 TB per user

Varies by plan

Support

Basic

Anytime

Integration with other Microsoft products

Limited

Full

Advanced security features

No

Yes

What is Free Microsoft Teams?

The free version of Microsoft Teams is a version of the Microsoft Teams platform that offers basic collaboration and communication features for free. It’s intended for individuals or small teams as well as organizations that wish to take advantage of the advantages of Team without the need to subscribe to a premium plan.

What is Free Microsoft Teams

Features of Free Microsoft Teams

Here are the most important advantages in Free Microsoft Teams: Free Microsoft Teams:

  • Unlimited Chat and Messaging: With the free Microsoft Teams users are able to make unlimited chat and messaging to individuals and groups. This feature allows for real-time communications which allows members of the team to work together and share information quickly.
  • One-on-One and Group Video Calls: Users can make one-on-one video calls as well as video conference calls with up to 100 attendees. This allows virtual face-to-face communications or online gatherings.
  • Screen Sharing: Screen Sharing is free Microsoft Teams allows users to display their screens during meetings and video calls. This feature is great for demonstrations, presentations, and work sessions that are collaborative.
  • File Sharing and Collaboration: Users can share documents within Teams conversations, which makes it easy to collaborate on spreadsheets, documents presentations, and other documents within a centralized platform.
  • Integration with Office Apps: Free Microsoft Teams integrates with other Microsoft Office applications, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This improves productivity by permitting users to access and edit documents right from Teams.
  • Channels and Threaded Conversations: Teams provides the ability to create channels, which are specific spaces for discussions and collaboration around a particular topic or project. Within these channels, threaded conversations help keep discussions organized.
  • Online Office Applications: Users of Teams have access to online versions of the popular Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint directly from the platform.
  • Customizable Notification Settings: Customers are able to modify notification settings to regulate the way they receive notifications as well as updates from Teams and help them manage their communications efficiently.
  • Availability on Multiple Devices: Microsoft Teams is available on multiple devices for free. Microsoft Teams is accessible on many devices such as laptops, desktop computers phones, tablets, and desktops. It allows users to remain in touch and active regardless of where they are
  • Security and Compliance: Even in Microsoft Teams’ free edition, Microsoft Teams maintains security features such as the encryption feature, multiple-factor authentication and adherence to industry standards.

How to Use Microsoft Teams for Free

Communicate and collaborate with coworkers, colleagues, friends, and family for free with Microsoft Teams.

1. Set Up Microsoft Teams

  • To create a Team one, you’ll require an account with a Microsoft account. Go to Microsoft Teams on the Microsoft Teams website Microsoft Teams website, and then click the Sign up for free option to start. Input the username for the account you want to use, and then indicate the way you would like to use Team–for school or for family and friends or for work organizations.
  • Make sure you enter your password, and verify your name, the name of your company as well as any other pertinent information. Click the Set up Teams button. You’ll then be asked if you prefer to make use of either the Teams application or web application. The Teams web app is sufficient for most basic features, however you’ll need to download the desktop app to fully benefit from the services.
  • If you haven’t downloaded it in the initial setup process, you can download it on the Download Teams website. You can also download an app for mobile users of Microsoft Teams (iOS,Android), which comes with a lot of functions in the desktop version and can help you keep in touch with your fellow users while on the move. To make things easier, we’ll use the web app here.

2. Invite Members

  • On your Welcome Screen, verify the Teams Name and Organization, then select Continue. On the main screen, you have the option of choosing among a range of options and your first step is inviting members for a team-building event. Click the Invite individuals link on the sidebar on the left.
  • You can invite others by sharing a link your own email contacts list or via direct email. Pick the one you like best.
  • In this case let’s look at emails. You can invite other people for your group to be part of it by entering email addresses. You can add a display name to every person listed in the column on the right. Click the Add More link to add space for additional addresses. Then click Send Invites and then close your Invites window.
  • The guests you invite will receive an invitation letter via email. They can then sign up to join the team using the linked link. They’ll be directed on a journey to Microsoft Teams, where they are able to select an appropriate display name and upload photos.

3. Team Chat

  • The next job you could be able to complete is to begin a conversation to welcome all members of your group. Click the Teams icon in the left side of the toolbar, then choose the New Conversation icon that is at the lower. Enter your message. Any other members of the team can respond to your message, and get the conversation moving. It is possible to enhance your messages by formatting them and attaching files, or adding emoticons or GIFs and many more.
  • To share a document with all members of your team, simply click on”attach paperclip” and choose the file that you wish to share. Select a file from your Microsoft Teams site, from OneDrive or from your personal computer.
  • The integration With Microsoft Office means files from Word, Excel, PowerPoint as well as OneNote can be opened and edited in Teams. Members of Teams can edit the document in their browser using Office on the web or using Full version of Office app, when it’s installed on their PC.
  • Instead of speaking to everyone in the group, you can communicate privately with just one individual or a small group of people. To start you need to click the Chat icon in the left side of the toolbar. Input the names of people you wish to chat to in the To field on the right side on the page.
  • Write your message in your message in the New Message field at the bottom of the screen and then press Send. Chats that have already been saved are saved to the left side of the screen to be easily accessible.

4. Team Chat

  • Teams comes with a built-in tool for video and audio calls. To make use of this option, you’ll need to use Chrome, Edge, or the Windows Teams desktop application (Firefox isn’t supported). Begin an audio or video conference using the Meetings icon in the left side of the toolbar. Select whether you wish to meet immediately or plan an appointment.
  • Prior to the start of your meeting you can choose to modify certain details. You can include a subject for your event and choose whether or not to block video and/or audio. Click the Join Now button to launch the meeting. Then, you can invite additional attendees to join by copying the link to the call or sending it via email.
  • Within the meeting screen you can manage the audio and video feed, switch to a different screen, change other settings, and then end the meeting. Click the ellipsis symbol to display device settings, show notes from the meeting and then switch to the full screen.
  • You can also alter the mode of meeting. Gallery displays the other person. Large Gallery showcases the other person and you. Additionally, Together Mode displays all of you in a virtual space like an auditorium.
  • You can also talk to anyone directly, either via audio or video. Select the Calls icon in the lower left-hand sidebar. Within the Create a call field, enter the user’s name. Click the video or audio icon according to how you wish to talk with the person. You may also add other persons to your call list by making them contacts.

Tips for Maximizing the Microsoft Teams Free Version

  • Organize using channels and teams You can organize your team’s environment to your advantage by forming distinct teams for various groups or projects. In each group, utilize channels to classify discussions and documents.
  • Use @ Mentions: Use”@ Mentions”: Use the “@” symbol to refer to specific team members in chats, and ensure they get notified about important announcements.
  • Make use of the Wiki: Teams offers a built-in Wiki feature that lets users share and create files with the team. This is useful to store important data as well as resources.
  • Regular Check-ins: Since the free version is limited regarding meeting times, you should consider making shorter, but frequent check-ins to keep everyone up-to-date.
  • Leverage Notifications: Set the settings for notifications to ensure that you are aware of updates and messages important to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

A maximum of 100 people are able to take part in a meeting using Microsoft Teams, the version that is free. Microsoft Teams.

Gain more value from Teams by upgrading Teams Essentials Teams Essentials or an paid plan, which includes:

  • Unlimited group meetings up to 30 hours.
  • Up to 300 participants per meeting.
  • 10 GB of cloud storage per user.
  • Anytime phone and web support.

Anyone who has a corporate or personal email address is able to sign up to Teams today. Anyone who doesn’t have an active Microsoft 365 commercial subscription will have access to the no-cost versions of Teams. If a user of the current Microsoft 365 commercial customer tries to sign-up for the free version of the service, they will be redirected into the managed Team experience for their company. If the user doesn’t have a Microsoft Teams license Teams in their Microsoft 365 plan, they will be redirected to Microsoft Teams

Here are a few reasons Microsoft is updating its pricing of Microsoft 365:

  • To highlight the value of the service to reflect the increased value of the. Microsoft 365 has been constantly adding new capabilities and features in the last few years. The new capabilities have transformed Microsoft 365, an increasingly valuable tool for both individuals and businesses.
  • In order to keep pace with the rate of inflation. The cost of cloud-based services has increased over the last few years. Microsoft has to revise the pricing of Microsoft 365 so that it can keep up with these price increases.
  • to make it simpler for customers to pick the best plan. Microsoft 365’s new pricing model Microsoft 365 will be simpler and more understandable. It will be simpler for users to select the best plan for their requirements.

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