The fastest way to start a Teams meeting

To start a Teams meeting right now, open Microsoft Teams on your computer or phone, click the Calls icon in the left sidebar, then click 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 ring them immediately, or if you chose "Start a meeting," it will create a meeting link you can send to others before anyone joins.

The whole process takes under a minute. You do not need to schedule anything in advance — Teams meetings can start instantly. If you want people to join at a specific time instead, you can schedule the meeting through your calendar first, which we cover below.

Key Takeaways

  • Instant meetings start immediately when you click "Make a call" or "Start a meeting" and search for a contact or group.
  • Scheduled meetings are created through your calendar and send invitations to attendees ahead of time with a join link.
  • You can add people to a meeting after it starts by clicking the "Add people" button during the call.
  • Teams meetings work on Windows, Mac, iPhone, Android, and through a web browser without installing anything.
  • Meeting links can be shared with anyone — they do not need a Teams account to join.

Starting an instant meeting with one person or a group

Open Teams and look at the left sidebar. Click Calls (the phone icon). At the top of the Calls section, you will see a button that says Make a call or Start a meeting — the exact wording depends on your version of Teams, but both do the same thing.

Click that button. A search box will appear. Type the name of the person you want to meet with, or type the name of a group chat if you want to meet with multiple people at once. Click their name or the group name from the results. Teams will either ring them immediately (if you clicked "Make a call") or create a meeting room and show you a link to share (if you clicked "Start a meeting").

If you chose "Start a meeting," you can copy the meeting link and send it to people through email, text, chat, or any other way before they join. If you chose "Make a call," the person will see an incoming call notification and can accept or decline.

Scheduling a meeting in advance through your calendar

If you want people to join at a set time, schedule the meeting through your calendar instead. Open Teams and click Calendar in the left sidebar. Click New meeting or the + button. A form will open where you can enter the meeting title, the date and time, and the names of people you want to invite.

Type the names of attendees in the Invite people field. You can add as many people as you need. Fill in the title and time, then click Save. Teams will send calendar invitations to everyone you added. They will see the meeting on their calendar with a link to join when the time comes.

You can also schedule a meeting from Outlook if you use it — Teams meetings can be created directly from your Outlook calendar, and the process is nearly identical.

Adding people to a meeting after it has started

You do not have to decide who joins before the meeting starts. While a meeting is happening, look for the Add people button or icon (usually a person with a plus sign). Click it and search for the person or group you want to add. Click their name, and Teams will send them a notification that you have invited them to join.

This works whether the meeting was instant or scheduled. You can also share the meeting link directly with someone by copying it from the meeting window and sending it to them through chat, email, or another app.

Starting a meeting on your phone or tablet

The process on iPhone or Android is similar to the desktop version. Open the Teams app, tap Calls at the bottom of the screen, then tap the phone icon or Start a meeting. Search for the person or group, tap their name, and the meeting will begin.

You can also schedule meetings on your phone by tapping Calendar, tapping the + button, and filling in the meeting details the same way you would on a computer. The meeting link will be sent to attendees automatically.

Joining a Teams meeting without a Teams account

People do not need a Teams account to join your meeting. When you share a meeting link with someone, they can click it and join as a guest. They will be asked to enter their name, and then they can see and hear the meeting. On a computer, they can join through a web browser without installing anything. On a phone, they may be prompted to install the Teams app, but they can often join through the browser instead.

As the meeting organizer, you can control whether guests can turn their camera and microphone on, and whether they can share their screen. These settings are found in the meeting options before the meeting starts.

Troubleshooting common meeting problems

If someone cannot hear you, check that your microphone is turned on — look for a microphone icon in the meeting window and make sure it is not muted (usually a line through it means muted). If your video is not showing, click the camera icon to turn it on. If someone cannot see your screen when you are sharing it, click Share in the meeting controls and select Your screen or a specific window.

If people are having trouble joining the meeting link, make sure you have sent them the correct link — copy it directly from the Teams meeting window rather than typing it. If the link is old (more than a few days), create a new meeting link and share that instead. If someone is still having trouble, they can try joining through a web browser instead of the Teams app, or vice versa.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I start a Teams meeting if I do not have a calendar invite?

Yes. Instant meetings do not require a calendar invite. Click "Start a meeting" or "Make a call" in the Calls section, search for the person or group, and the meeting begins immediately. You can share the meeting link with others at any time.

Do I need to pay for Teams to host a meeting?

No. The free version of Teams includes meetings with up to 100 people and a 60-minute limit for group meetings. Paid plans remove the 60-minute limit and add other features, but basic meetings are free for everyone.

What happens if someone joins a Teams meeting late?

They will see everyone who is already in the meeting and can hear and speak normally. They will not see messages or video from before they joined, but they can ask someone in the meeting to catch them up.

Can I record a Teams meeting?

Yes. During a meeting, click the three dots menu and select Start recording. The recording will be saved to your OneDrive or SharePoint, depending on your organization's settings. Everyone in the meeting will see a notification that recording has started.

What is the difference between a call and a meeting in Teams?

A call is typically one-on-one or a quick conversation, while a meeting is usually scheduled or involves a group. Functionally, they work the same way — both let you see and hear others, share your screen, and record. The main difference is how you start them and whether they appear on your calendar.