If your company uses chat, you’re probably using it too much—or not well enough. Microsoft Teams is everywhere, but let’s be honest: most Teams chat is a noisy mess. This guide is for anyone who wants to make Teams chat actually work for your team, not against it. Whether you're a manager, an IT admin, or just the person who’s tired of endless pings, read on.
1. Don’t Treat Teams Chat Like Email
First things first: Teams chat isn’t email, and shouldn’t be used like it. Chat is for quick questions, fast back-and-forths, and conversations that don’t need to be saved forever. When you treat chat like email (long messages, CC’ing everyone, formal intros), you slow things down and annoy people.
What works: - Short, clear messages. - Quick follow-ups or clarifications. - Sharing links, files, or screenshots for context.
What doesn’t: - Long, multi-paragraph updates (use a Teams post or email for that). - Announcements that need to reach everyone (these get buried in chat). - Using chat as a to-do list. It’ll get lost.
Pro tip: If you’re typing more than a few sentences, stop. Maybe chat isn’t the right tool for this.
2. Use Chat for the Right Conversations
Not every conversation belongs in Teams chat. Some things are better suited for channels, meetings, or—gasp—even a phone call.
Use chat when: - You need a quick answer from one or two people. - You’re following up on something just discussed. - The topic is time-sensitive and doesn’t need a paper trail.
Avoid chat when: - You need to inform a whole team or department (use a channel post). - The topic is sensitive or complex (schedule a call). - You’re sharing files that need version control (use Teams files or SharePoint).
Bottom line: If you wouldn't walk over to someone’s desk to say it, maybe don’t chat it.
3. Master @Mentions (But Don’t Overdo It)
@Mentions can get someone’s attention fast. But if you use them for everything, people start tuning out—or worse, mute you.
- Use
@persononly when you really need a response. - Use
@teamor@channelsparingly—think emergencies or actual group needs. - Avoid blanket @mentions for FYIs. It’s like shouting in an open-plan office.
What to ignore: Don’t bother with tagging people in every chat message. If you’re already in a one-on-one, they’ll see it.
4. Organize Your Chats—Or at Least Try
Teams chat can get messy fast. You can’t create folders, but you can pin important chats and mute or hide the rest.
- Pin: Keep your most-used chats at the top. Right-click and “Pin” them.
- Mute: If you’re in a group chat that’s too chatty, mute it. You’ll still get notifications if someone @mentions you.
- Hide: Old chats you don’t need? Hide them. They’re not deleted, just out of sight.
Reality check: You’ll never have a perfectly organized chat list. Just keep the noise manageable.
5. Use Formatting, But Keep It Simple
It’s tempting to go wild with bold, italics, and bullet points. Don’t. Use formatting to make things clearer, not fancier.
- Use bold for key points.
- Use bullet points for lists or steps.
- Avoid colors, gifs, and emojis in work chats unless your team’s culture is cool with it.
Pro tip: The “Format” button (the ‘A’ with a pencil) opens up more options, but don’t let that tempt you into writing essays.
6. Stop Notification Overload Before It Starts
Notifications are the main reason people hate Teams chat. Here’s how to keep them under control:
- Set your status: If you’re busy, set yourself to “Do not disturb.” Don’t feel guilty.
- Mute group chats unless you’re actively involved.
- Manage notifications: Go to Settings > Notifications and turn off what you don’t need.
What doesn’t work: Telling everyone to “only ping me for urgent things.” It never sticks.
7. Use Search Like a Pro
Teams search isn’t perfect, but it’s better than scrolling through a year’s worth of chat.
- Use the search bar at the top for keywords, people, or files.
- Filter by date, person, or file type to narrow things down.
- If you can’t find it in 30 seconds, it’s probably time to ask again or use a different tool.
Pro tip: Don’t expect Teams to be your knowledge base. If something’s important, put it somewhere more permanent.
8. Avoid “Chat Creep” With Group Chats
Group chats are great—until they’re not. Before you know it, you’ve got seven versions of the same group, nobody knows where to post, and information is scattered.
What works: - Name your group chats (click the pencil by the chat name). - Add or remove people thoughtfully. A new person added to a chat sees all previous messages. - For ongoing team discussions, use a dedicated Teams channel instead.
What doesn’t: Creating a new group chat for every small project. Use channels for work that lasts more than a week.
9. Use Reactions, Not Replies—Most of the Time
A thumbs-up goes a long way. If someone just needs to know you’ve seen their message, react instead of replying “Got it.”
- Use 👍, 👀, or ✅ to acknowledge.
- Don’t start a reply thread for simple confirmations.
But: If you need to clarify or ask a follow-up, don’t be afraid to reply. Just don’t clutter up the chat with “Thanks!” after every message.
10. Know When to Take It Offline
If a conversation starts spiraling or gets emotional, it’s time to stop typing and start talking.
- Suggest a quick call if things aren’t clear.
- Don’t hash out disagreements in chat—tone gets lost, and things can escalate.
- If a chat is dragging out over hours, it’s probably worth a meeting.
Pro tip: Use chat to schedule a call, not replace one that’s obviously needed.
If you remember nothing else, remember this: Chat is a tool, not a dumping ground. Keep Teams conversations short, organized, and respectful of everyone’s time. Start simple, see what works for your team, and don’t be afraid to tweak things. The goal isn’t to master every Teams feature—it’s to communicate just enough so everyone can get back to real work.