How to Manage Teams Notifications

Edited 3 months ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

Microsoft TeamsNotificationsSettingsProductivityAlertsCustomizationSoftwareUser ExperienceCommunicationTools

Microsoft Teams has become a central tool for communication and collaboration within remote and hybrid workplaces. It helps teams stay connected through chat, video conferencing, and collaboration tools. However, with this richness of features comes a constant stream of notifications. Managing these notifications effectively is the key to maintaining focus and productivity. In this guide, we'll explore in detail how you can manage your Microsoft Teams notifications to suit your individual working style and needs.

Understanding notification types

Before diving into the customization options, it's essential to understand the different notification types available in Microsoft Teams. Knowing what types of notifications exist will help you decide which ones are necessary for your workflow.

• Banner notifications: These are pop-ups that appear on your desktop and notify you of new activity. They let you know about messages or mentions without having to open the app.
• Feed notifications: These are captured in your activity feed in the Teams app. You can view them at your convenience.
• Email notifications: For people who aren’t always active on Teams, you can choose to receive email notifications summarizing missed activity.
• Push Notifications: These are notifications sent to your mobile device to keep you informed while you’re on the go.

Customize notification settings

Now that you're familiar with the types of notifications, let's learn how to customize your notification settings in Microsoft Teams. You'll want to customize these settings in a way that minimizes distractions and also ensures that you don't miss important updates.

1. Accessing the notification settings

To start customizing your Teams notifications, follow these steps:

1. Open the Microsoft Teams application.
2. Click your profile picture in the upper-right corner of the window.
3. Select Settings from the dropdown menu.
4. Select the Notifications tab on the left side of the window.

Here, you'll find different categories of notifications that you can adjust, such as Mentions, Messages, Other, and Email.

2. Customizing notifications for chat messages

Under the Messages category, you can customize notifications for chats. Consider how often you need to be alerted about chat messages and adjust accordingly:

• Banners and Feeds: To receive real-time alerts on your desktop and log them in your feed.
• Show in feed only: Suppresses banner notifications, which means you'll only see messages in the Activity Feed.
• Off: No notifications are received. Use this with caution to avoid missing important messages.

3. Management of team and channel mentions

Being notified about mentions ensures that you're aware of discussions that need your attention. Under the Mentions category, you can adjust settings for:

• Personal mentions: Choose to receive banner and feed notifications whenever you are mentioned in a context.
• Team mentions: Receive alerts when your team or channel is mentioned, meaning a broader discussion might need your input.

4. Control notifications for calls and meetings

Meeting and call notifications can be adjusted under the Other category. Here, you can manage the following:

• Meeting notifications: Choose whether to show notifications for upcoming meetings.
• Ringing sound for incoming calls: Decide if you want an audible alert for incoming calls.

5. Email notifications

If you're not constantly monitoring Teams, email notifications can be great for updates on past information. You can choose to:

• Receive email notifications once a day or as soon as an activity is missed or a change is made.
• If they seem unnecessary or cumbersome, keep them closed.

Do not disturb mode

At times, you need to focus without interruptions. Activating the Do Not Disturb status in Teams stops all notifications during this mode. Here's how to start it:

1. Click on your profile picture.
2. Choose your presence status and select Do Not Disturb.

When this status is active, no notifications will disturb you, allowing you to fully focus on your tasks. You can also set exceptions to receive notifications from priority contacts.

Mobile notification management

If you use the Teams app on a mobile device, managing push notifications ensures you get the updates you need on mobile, without any hassle. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open the Microsoft Teams app on your mobile.
2. Tap the Menu icon (usually represented by three horizontal lines).
3. Select Notifications. Here you can customize message notifications, workflow notifications, and more.

You may prefer different settings for mobile than for desktop. For example, some users prefer fewer work-related notifications on their smartphone during off-hours.

Examples and use cases

Let's take a look at practical examples of how different professionals or users can customize notifications:

Example 1: Project manager

A project manager usually has several tasks to perform simultaneously. They need team collaboration and real-time updates on project milestones. Here's a possible setup:

• Receive banner and feed notifications for all team mentions.
• Enable meeting notifications to never miss schedule changes.
• Configure a daily email digest for missed activities to receive any updates while you're away.

Example 2: Developer

A software developer needs collaborative sprints as well as focused time. They might prefer:

• Show most chat messages only in the feed, which will reduce interruptions.
• Turn on the Do Not Disturb feature to minimize interruptions during coding sessions.
• Lower frequency of mobile notifications during non-working hours.

Example 3: Remote team member

A remote team member may like to receive timely notifications to stay connected. Their settings may include:

• Enable banner notifications for chat messages during work hours.
• You will be notified by email for any missed night activities.
• Adjust mobile notifications to receive only high-priority updates.

Best practices and tips

Consider some best practices when managing Teams notifications so your settings can work effectively for you:

• Review your settings regularly to make adjustments to suit changing work priorities or project demands.
• Encourage your team or colleagues to use @mentions judiciously to avoid unnecessary notifications.
• To ensure notifications don’t interrupt personal time, use the Quiet Hours setting on your mobile.
• Use the activity feed efficiently by marking items as read or using filters to prioritize important information.

Conclusion

Managing Microsoft Teams notifications effectively involves understanding and customizing them to your work needs and personal preferences. By customizing your notification settings, you can minimize interruptions while staying informed and responsive to important updates. Remember, the goal is to strike a balance between staying connected and maintaining productivity. Constantly evaluating and optimizing your notification settings can lead to a more structured and efficient workflow.

  Share This Article

If you find anything wrong with the article content, you can request an update