Help & How-To

Last updated: September 24, 2024

Clear the Microsoft Teams cache 

Clearing the Microsoft Teams client cache can resolve many issues and is recommended if you are experiencing problems and/or unpredictable behaviors. 

Click here to learn how to clear the Teams cache 

Overview of channels 

Click here for an overview of how channels in a Microsoft team work. 

Private channels 

Click here to learn about private channels in Teams, as well as their limitations 

Note: a Microsoft team has a MAX number of private channels – 30. This count also includes any previously deleted private channels. Please review the Teams and channels section of the Microsoft Learn page: Limits and Specifications for Microsoft teams for more information. 

Shared channels 

As of January 2023, shared channels between separate UW Teams are functional. 

Click here for more information on how shared channels work in a Microsoft team. 

External sharing and adding guests to a Microsoft team 

External sharing is enabled by default on a Microsoft team. The owner of a Microsoft team can invite a guest (an external, non-UW email address) to join a Team. 

Click here to learn more about adding guests to a Team 

Sync Microsoft Teams Files with Your Computer 

Click here to learn how to sync Microsoft Teams files with your computer using OneDrive for Business 

Recover a deleted Microsoft team 

Any owner of a deleted Microsoft team can recover the team for 30 days after the date of deletion. The Microsoft team is permanently deleted 30 days after the original deletion date. 

Select the deleted Team and select “Restore group” 

Use the “Meet now” feature for instant voice and/or video chat 

The “Meet now” feature in MS Teams works in both chat and in a team channel. Note that the notification behavior when using “Meet now” in a channel is different than a direct or group chat call. The channel the call started in while bold and a video call icon will appear next to it in the team list, and an activity alert will appear, but no pop-up notifications will occur. 

Start an instant meeting in Microsoft Teams – Microsoft Support 

Use the “Schedule a meeting” feature for scheduled voice and/or video chat 

The “Schedule a meeting” feature is for future meetings that will automatically add to your calendar as the scheduler of the meeting. There are several configurations available for this feature, we recommend reviewing Microsoft’s documentation to learn more. 

Schedule a meeting in Microsoft Teams – Microsoft Support