The Teams Navigation Update
Microsoft has rolled out a significant update to Teams that reorganises how conversations and notifications are presented. The goal is to address one of the most common complaints about the platform: that important messages get lost in the mix of channels, chats, and notifications spread across different parts of the interface.
The update consolidates everything under a single chat menu, creating a central hub for all key conversations, mentions, and direct messages. The aim is to make it easier to find what matters without scrolling through unrelated content.
What Is New
Centralised chat menu
All chats, channels, and notifications now sit under a single unified location. Rather than navigating between separate sections for direct messages and channel activity, everything is accessible from one place. This reduces the time spent switching between views to find a specific conversation.
Enhanced @mentions view
A dedicated @mentions view gathers all direct messages and essential mentions in one place. Messages where you have been tagged are no longer buried in channel activity. This is particularly useful for staff who work across multiple channels and need to track where their input is required.
Improved filters and custom sections
Filters allow less urgent notifications to be deprioritised, and custom sections can be created to organise chats, channels, and meetings by project or topic. For teams juggling multiple workstreams, this provides a practical way to keep related conversations together without creating separate groups for every project.
Favourites section
Frequently used chats and channels can be pinned as favourites for immediate access. This removes the need to scroll through a long list of conversations to find the ones used most often.
Threaded conversations
Threaded replies, which group responses within the same discussion thread, have been rolling out to allow conversations to be followed more easily in busy channels. This is particularly useful for teams that use channels for project discussions and need to track the context of a conversation over time.
Getting More From Microsoft 365
These updates are available across desktop, Android, and iOS, keeping remote and hybrid teams connected on the same improved interface. If your team is using Teams but not getting full value from it, Blowfish Technology can help with configuration, training, and support as part of a managed Microsoft 365 service for North West businesses.
The Blowfish Technology team. Managed IT, cloud services, software development and connectivity for North West businesses since 1999.