The fastest way to start a Teams meeting
Open Microsoft Teams on your computer or phone, click the Calls icon in the left sidebar, then select Make a call or Start a meeting. Type or search for the person or group you want to meet with, then click their name. Teams will send them a notification and ring their device — they can join immediately or decline. If you want to schedule a meeting for later instead of starting one right now, use the Calendar tab and click New meeting.
The whole process takes about 30 seconds. You do not need to send a separate link or wait for a confirmation — the other person sees the call come in and can answer from any device where they have Teams open.
Key Takeaways
- Click Calls in the left sidebar, search for a person or group name, and select Start a meeting to begin immediately.
- Teams notifies the other person and rings their device — they can join without needing a separate link or code.
- To schedule a meeting for a future date and time, use the Calendar tab and click New meeting instead.
- You can add people to a meeting after it starts by clicking the Add people button during the call.
- Scheduled meetings automatically send a calendar invite to all participants with a Teams link they can click to join.
Starting a meeting right now with one person
Open Teams and look for the Calls icon on the left side of the screen — it looks like a phone receiver. Click it, then click Make a call or Start a meeting (the button text varies slightly by device). A search box will appear at the top of the screen.
Type the name of the person you want to meet with. Teams will show matching names from your contacts and your organization. Click the person's name, and Teams immediately sends them a notification that you are calling. Their device will ring if they have Teams open. They can answer the call, and you will be connected — no code, no link, no waiting.
If the person does not answer within a minute or so, you can hang up and try again later, or send them a message asking them to call you back.
Starting a meeting with a group or team
Click Calls, then Start a meeting. Instead of typing a single person's name, type the name of a Teams channel or group you belong to. Teams will show matching groups in the search results. Click the group name, and Teams will notify everyone in that group that a meeting is starting.
Not everyone will join immediately — some may be busy or away from their desk. People can join the meeting at any time while it is running by clicking the notification or opening Teams and finding the active call. You can see who has joined and who is still in the meeting by looking at the participant list on the screen.
Scheduling a meeting for a specific date and time
If you want to meet at a set time rather than right now, use the Calendar tab instead of Calls. Click Calendar in the left sidebar, then click New meeting in the top right corner. A form will open where you can enter the meeting title, the date, the start time, and the end time.
Type or search for the names of the people you want to invite. As you add each person, Teams adds them to the invite list. Once you have added everyone and set the time, click Save. Teams will send a calendar invite to each person with a Teams meeting link they can click to join at the scheduled time.
The person who receives the invite will see it in their calendar and in their Teams notifications. They can accept, decline, or mark themselves as tentative. You can see who has responded by opening the meeting details in your calendar.
Adding people to a meeting that is already running
Click the Add people button during the call — it usually appears as a plus sign or a person icon with a plus next to it. A search box will appear. Type the name of the person you want to add, click their name, and Teams will send them a notification that you have added them to the meeting. They can join immediately.
You can add as many people as you want while the meeting is running. There is no limit to the number of participants in a Teams meeting, though video and audio quality may vary depending on how many people are on the call at once.
Ending a Teams meeting
Click the red End call button or Leave button at the bottom of the screen. If you are the person who started the meeting, ending the call will disconnect everyone. If you are a participant who was invited, clicking Leave will remove you from the meeting but the meeting will continue for other people.
After the meeting ends, Teams will show you a summary of how long the meeting lasted and who attended. You can also see a recording of the meeting if recording was turned on during the call — the organizer controls whether recording is allowed.
Troubleshooting common problems
If the person you are calling does not see the notification, they may have Teams closed or muted, or they may be signed in on a different device. Try sending them a message first to let them know you are about to call, or ask them to open Teams on their computer or phone.
If you cannot find someone's name in the search results, they may not be in your organization's Teams directory, or you may need to use their full email address instead of just their first name. Try typing their email address in the search box.
If the meeting link is not working for someone who received a calendar invite, ask them to open Teams and look for the meeting in their Calendar tab. They can click the meeting there and join directly, even if the link in the email does not work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I start a Teams meeting if I do not have a camera or microphone?
Yes. You can join a Teams meeting with video and audio turned off. Click the camera and microphone icons at the bottom of the screen to toggle them on or off before you join. You can also turn them on or off during the meeting at any time.
What is the difference between a call and a meeting in Teams?
A call is usually one-on-one or a quick group conversation that you start right now. A meeting is typically scheduled in advance and has a formal start time. Both use the same video and audio technology, and both can include multiple people. The main difference is timing and whether people receive a calendar invite.
Can people join a Teams meeting without having a Teams account?
Yes, but only if the meeting organizer has turned on that setting. When you schedule a meeting, you can choose whether to allow people outside your organization to join. If that setting is on, you can share the meeting link with anyone, and they can join using a web browser without signing in to Teams.
How long can a Teams meeting last?
Teams meetings can run for as long as you need. There is no built-in time limit for most Teams accounts. However, some organizations set their own limits, so check with your IT department if you are unsure about your account's rules.
Can I record a Teams meeting?
Yes. During a meeting, click the three dots menu at the bottom of the screen and select Start recording. The recording will save to your organization's cloud storage, and all participants will be notified that recording is happening. Only the meeting organizer or someone with permission can start a recording.