Last Updated on November 7, 2025 by Sereno Web
If your team is like most, you probably use Microsoft Teams for the basics like chats, video calls, and the occasional file share. On that note, if you’re still confused about how these files are shared, check out our blog “How MS Teams Connects to SharePoint and OneDrive.”
Going back, chats, video calls, and file sharing is just the tip of the iceberg for MS Teams, and in 2025, you need to utilize it more to boost your productivity even better.
Over the past few years, Microsoft has quietly packed Teams with features designed to make work faster, smarter, and a whole lot less stressful. Some of them are simple tricks that can save you a few clicks a day. Others are powered by AI, like meeting recaps that write your notes for you or tools that coach you on your presentation style in real time.
The problem? Most people don’t even know these features exist. Which means you could be missing serious time savings and productivity gains from a tool you’re already paying for.
That’s why in this guide; we’ll walk through 10 underrated Microsoft Teams features your team probably isn’t using but should. From clever shortcuts you can try today to premium AI tools that feel like having a digital assistant in every meeting, these are the features that can take your Teams experience from “just another meeting app” to a true productivity powerhouse.
Read on below to learn more about these features.
1. Tags and Targeted Mentions for Focused Collaboration.
Ever feel like every message in Teams gets blasted to the whole group, even when it only really concerns a handful of people? That’s where tags come in.
Instead of @mentioning everyone (and filling inboxes with notifications), you can create a tag like @DesignTeam or @ProjectLeads. Then, when you need input, you just tag the group and only those members get the alert. It keeps the noise down and makes sure the right people see the right messages.
How to use it: Go to your team in Teams, select the three dots (…) next to the team’s name, choose Manage tags, and create a tag for the group you want. Add members, and you’re good to go.
Think of it as group text messaging inside Teams, it can help your messages to be focused, tidy, and way more efficient than tagging everyone under the sun.
2. Immersive Reader for Accessibility and Focus
Sometimes a busy chat thread can feel overwhelming, especially if you’re skimming through long updates or juggling multiple conversations at once. That’s where Immersive Reader steps in.
With one click, it strips away the clutter and shows a message in a clean, distraction-free view. You can even have it read the text aloud, adjust the spacing, or translate it into another language. It’s a simple feature, but it makes a world of difference for people with dyslexia, visual challenges, or anyone who just wants to focus without distractions.
How to use it: Right-click on any Teams message and select Immersive Reader. From there, you can customize how the text looks or lets Teams read it to you.
It’s like switching your chat into “focus mode,” helping you catch every detail without the digital noise.
3. Slash Commands for Faster Navigation
If you’ve ever felt like clicking around in Teams takes forever, here’s a game-changer: slash commands.
At the top of your Teams window is a search bar. Type a simple “/” and you’ll unlock a menu of quick shortcuts. For example, type /call to start a call with someone instantly, /files to pull up your recent documents, or /goto to jump straight to a channel. No more hunting through menus or clicking through tabs it’s all right there.
How to use it: Just hit the search bar, type “/”, and see the full list of commands. The more you use them, the faster they’ll become second nature.
It’s one of those little hidden tricks that, once you start using it, makes you wonder how you ever worked without it.
4. Forwarding Emails into Channels
We’ve all been stuck in that awkward place where half your team communicates in Teams, but a crucial update lands in your email inbox. Instead of copy-pasting or forwarding messages around, you can send the email directly into a Teams channel.
Each channel in Teams has its own unique email address. Forward an email to it, and suddenly the whole team can see the message, attachments included, right inside Teams. That way, important context doesn’t get lost in someone’s private inbox.
How to use it: Click the three dots (…) next to your channel name, select Get email address, and copy it. Now, anytime you want to share an email thread, just forward it there.
It’s a simple way to bridge the gap between email and Teams and make sure nothing important slips through the cracks.
5. Breakout Rooms for Workshops and Training
Ever tried running a brainstorming session or training workshop over Teams and ended up with twenty people talking over each other? That’s where breakout rooms shine.
Just like splitting people into smaller groups in a physical workshop, breakout rooms let you divide your meeting into mini-sessions. You can send different teams off to discuss, collaborate on a whiteboard, or work through a task and then bring everyone back together to share results. It keeps conversations focused and makes large meetings feel far more engaging.
How to use it: During a meeting, click the Breakout rooms icon in the toolbar. Decide how many rooms you need, then assign participants automatically or manually. You can hop between rooms as the organizer to check progress
For training, team-building, or creative brainstorming, breakout rooms are one of the most underused features in Teams, but they can completely change the dynamic of your meetings.
6. Power Automate and Teams Integrations
If your team spends time repeating the same small tasks as sending reminders, updating spreadsheets, or notifying people when files change Power Automate can take that work off your plate.
Teams connects directly with Microsoft’s automation tool, meaning you can build “flows” that do the boring stuff for you. For example, set up a flow so whenever a file is uploaded to SharePoint, your project channel automatically gets a notification. Or trigger a Teams message when someone submits a Microsoft Form.
How to use it: In Teams, click the Apps icon and search for Power Automate. You’ll find ready-made templates to get started, like “Post a message in Teams when a new task is created in Planner.” No coding needed.
Think of it as your digital assistant quietly running in the background, making sure updates, reminders, and tasks never fall through the cracks.
7. Live Translation and Multilingual Captions
In today’s global workplace, not everyone is comfortable working in the same language. That’s why live translation and multilingual captions in Teams can be a real game-changer.
During a meeting, Teams can automatically generate captions in real time and even translate them into another language. So, if someone presents in English, a teammate in Spain can follow along in Spanish captions, and vice versa. It makes collaboration across regions smoother and more inclusive.
How to use it: While in a meeting, go to the meeting controls, select More (…) > Language and speech > Turn on live captions. Then pick your preferred language for translation.
It’s like having a personal interpreter built into your meetings, removing barriers and making sure everyone stays on the same page literally.
8. Intelligent Recap with Teams Premium (AI Meeting Notes)
Taking notes in a fast-paced meeting is tough, especially when you’re also trying to participate. That’s why Intelligent Recap in Teams Premium feels like having a built-in meeting assistant.
After a meeting ends, Teams can automatically generate a summary with key points, action items, and even a timeline of who spoke when. You can jump straight to the parts you missed without scrubbing through a full recording. It’s a huge time-saver and ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
How to use it: If your organization has Teams Premium, check the meeting recap once the call ends. You’ll see AI-generated highlights, tasks, and recordings neatly packaged for review.
Instead of chasing handwritten notes or asking, “What did I miss?”, you’ll have a clear, organized summary waiting for you, delivered by AI.
9. Speaker Coach (AI Feedback for Presenters)
Ever wondered if you’re talking too fast in a meeting, or using too many “ums” and “uhs”? With Speaker Coach, Teams quietly listens in and gives you private, real-time feedback on how you’re presenting.
It can flag if you’re talking too quickly, not pausing enough, or dominating the conversation. After the meeting, you’ll also get a personal report with tips to improve your delivery. It’s like having a presentation coach sitting beside you, without the awkwardness.
How to use it: In a meeting, turn on Speaker Coach from the meeting options (available in Teams Premium). The feedback is visible only to you, so no one else sees your coaching prompts.
For anyone who leads client calls, pitches, or team meetings, Speaker Coach is an easy way to sharpen communication skills and build confidence, powered by AI.
10. Shared and Private Channels for Controlled Collaboration
Not every conversation needs to involve the whole team. Sometimes you want a private space for a project subgroup, or a way to work with an external partner without giving them access to everything. That’s where shared and private channels come in.
A private channel lets you create a smaller workspace inside a team, visible only to the people you choose. Shared channels, on the other hand, allow you to collaborate with people outside your organization, so you can work with partners, clients, or vendors right inside Teams. Both options help keep sensitive projects secure while reducing the need for endless new teams or messy email chains.
How to use it: When creating a new channel, choose either Private (invite-only inside your org) or Shared (add people outside your company). From there, you can set permissions and get to work
It’s an easy way to give the right people the right access without cluttering your Teams environment.
Conclusion: Work Smarter, Not Harder with Microsoft Teams
Microsoft Teams has evolved far beyond being just a chat and meeting tool. In 2025, it’s a full productivity ecosystem, complete with automation, AI insights, and smart collaboration tools that can save your team hours each week.
Whether it’s automating reminders with Power Automate, using Intelligent Recap to skip manual note-taking, or making hybrid meetings more inclusive through live translation, these features are designed to help you work smarter, not harder.
The real challenge isn’t learning something new, it’s unlocking the value in what you already have. Start by trying one or two of these underrated features today, and you’ll quickly see how Teams can transform from a simple communication platform into the backbone of your modern workplace.
At Sereno IT, we help growing businesses get the most out of Microsoft 365, from setup and security to training and long-term optimisation. Our expert team ensures your tools are configured for productivity, collaboration, and compliance, so your people can focus on what really matters: doing great work.
If you’re ready to make Teams work harder for your business, get in touch with our IT Expert to learn how we can help.
