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8 guides

Meetings & Chat

Camera, mic, screen share, recording, and collaboration tools.

Camera or microphone not working in Teams or Zoom

People cannot hear you, or your tile stays black, even though the devices work elsewhere.

EasyAbout 8 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Mic is muted by the app
  • Wrong speaker selected
  • Camera in use
  1. 01

    Pick the devices inside the meeting app

    Open Device settings in Teams or Zoom and select the headset and camera by name. Windows can see a device that the meeting app is not using.

  2. 02

    Unmute at every layer

    Unmute the app, unmute a hardware mute button on the headset, and check the physical camera shutter.

  3. 03

    Allow OS permissions

    Windows Privacy settings must allow camera and microphone for desktop apps. After a change, restart the meeting app.

  4. 04

    Leave and rejoin once

    A stuck call can hold the camera. Rejoin. If you are presenting, have a colleague admit you if you land in the lobby.

I cannot join a meeting

The join link fails, you sit in the lobby, or the meeting ID is not found.

EasyAbout 6 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Meeting not found
  • Waiting in the lobby
  • The link opens the wrong tenant
  1. 01

    Join from the calendar, not a forwarded snippet

    Open the invite on your calendar and use Join. Copied IDs and old links go stale after an organizer updates the meeting.

  2. 02

    Sign in with the account that was invited

    A personal Teams or Zoom account will land in the wrong place. Switch to the work profile.

  3. 03

    Ask someone already inside to admit you

    Lobby wait usually means the organizer limited who can bypass it. Chat them on the side.

  4. 04

    Use the dial-in number as a fallback

    The invite includes a phone number and conference ID. You can listen while you fix the app.

There is echo or feedback during a meeting

People hear their own voice, or the room howls when two devices are in the same space.

EasyAbout 5 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Echo of the speaker
  • Hollow sound
  • Squeal when you unmute
  1. 01

    One speaker per room

    If two laptops in the same room are in the call, mute all but one microphone and speaker. Better: one device, or a headset each.

  2. 02

    Use a headset

    Laptop mics pick up the speakers. A headset breaks the loop.

  3. 03

    Lower speaker volume and move the mic

    Pull the laptop mic away from the speaker. Turn off a second Bluetooth speaker that is also playing the call.

  4. 04

    Leave and rejoin if the echo stays

    A bad audio route can stick for that session. Rejoin with the headset already connected.

Chat or Teams notifications are not working

Messages arrive only when you open the app, or banners never appear.

EasyAbout 6 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • No banners
  • Missed @mentions
  • Mobile notifies but the PC does not
  1. 01

    Check in-app notification settings

    In Teams, open Settings → Notifications. Mentions and replies should be banner plus email if you miss things. Turn off Quiet hours if they are on by accident.

  2. 02

    Allow Windows notifications for the app

    Settings → System → Notifications. Focus assist / Do not disturb hides banners during presentations and at night.

  3. 03

    Keep the app running in the tray

    If you quit Teams fully, you will not get desktop alerts. On a laptop, set it to start automatically if that is allowed.

  4. 04

    On a phone, re-enable system notifications

    iOS and Android each have an app-level toggle that overrides Teams. Open a test chat with a colleague after you change it.

How to share my screen in a meeting

Show a window, a desktop, or a PowerPoint without sharing the wrong screen.

EasyAbout 4 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • Share is greyed out
  • People see a black window
  • You shared the whole desktop by accident
  1. 01

    Use Share and pick a single window when you can

    Sharing one window hides your inbox and chat. Share the desktop only when you must switch among many apps.

  2. 02

    Include computer sound only if you need it

    Tick include sound for a video. Leave it off for a normal slide deck so the room does not hear your notifications.

  3. 03

    If share is blocked, check the meeting role

    Some webinars allow only presenters to share. Ask the organizer to make you a presenter.

  4. 04

    Close anything confidential first

    Notifications, password managers, and extra monitors can appear on a full desktop share.

Screen share is showing the wrong screen

Attendees see your laptop lid, a blank panel, or the wrong monitor.

EasyAbout 4 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • People see the other display
  • PowerPoint is on the wrong screen
  • A window share shows frozen content
  1. 01

    Stop sharing and pick again

    Choose the monitor thumbnail that shows the slides, or share the PowerPoint window instead of Screen 2.

  2. 02

    Use Present in Teams for slide decks

    In PowerPoint, present into the meeting when the option is available so attendees follow slides without seeing your notes.

  3. 03

    Move the window onto the shared display

    A window that sits on an unsaved virtual desktop or a disconnected monitor will look black.

  4. 04

    Match display layout before the call

    In Display settings, identify screens and arrange them. Sharing “Screen 1” is easier when you know which one that is.

How to record a meeting

Capture a meeting for people who could not attend, within company policy.

EasyAbout 5 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • The record button is missing
  • You need a transcript
  • You are unsure where the file goes
  1. 01

    Confirm recording is allowed

    Some meetings with customers, legal, or HR must not be recorded. If you are unsure, ask the organizer before you start.

  2. 02

    Start recording from the meeting controls

    In Teams, use More → Record and transcribe. Tell attendees you are recording. A banner appears for everyone.

  3. 03

    Stop the recording when the discussion ends

    Stopping early keeps hallway chat off the file. The video lands in the organizer’s OneDrive or the channel’s SharePoint, then a link posts to the chat.

  4. 04

    Share the link, not a downloaded copy

    Permissions stay with the recording. Download only if you need an offline archive that policy allows.

How to create a Teams space or SharePoint site

Stand up a place for a project to chat, store files, and share a calendar.

ModerateAbout 8 minutes4 steps

You might notice

  • A new project has no home
  • Files are living in email
  • You created a private chat instead of a team
  1. 01

    Use the official request path if your tenant requires it

    Many companies do not allow anyone to create a team. Use the request form so naming, ownership, and retention are correct.

  2. 02

    If you can create one, pick the right type

    A Team is for ongoing collaboration. A SharePoint site or communication site is for publishing. Do not create both for the same project.

  3. 03

    Add at least two owners

    Owners manage membership. A single owner who leaves the company strands the content.

  4. 04

    Put files in the team library, not in the chat

    Chat files are harder to find later. Use the Files tab and a simple folder scheme.