Teams and Outlook work together in the same window

Microsoft Teams appears as a sidebar in Outlook once you turn it on — you do not read a separate program or switch between windows. The Teams pane sits on the left side of Outlook and shows your chats, channels, and calls without leaving your email. Most people who use both programs already have Teams available; you just need to enable it.

The process takes less than a minute and works the same way on Windows, Mac, and the web version of Outlook. Once Teams is visible, you can message colleagues, join meetings, and search for people without closing your inbox.

Key Takeaways

  • Teams appears as a sidebar in Outlook once you enable it in the settings menu — no separate read required.
  • On Windows and Mac Outlook, go to File > Options (or Outlook > Preferences on Mac), then select Advanced and check the box next to Teams.
  • On Outlook on the web, click the Settings gear icon, then select View all Outlook settings, find Teams, and toggle it on.
  • If you do not see a Teams option in your settings, your organization may not have licensed Teams or your account may not have permission to use it.
  • Once Teams is enabled, you can pin or unpin the sidebar, and it will remember your preference the next time you open Outlook.

Enable Teams in Outlook on Windows

Open Outlook and click the File menu in the top left corner. Select Options from the dropdown menu. In the Outlook Options window, click Advanced in the left sidebar. Scroll down until you see the section labeled "Outlook pane" or "Display options" — the exact wording varies by Outlook version.

Look for a checkbox next to "Show Microsoft Teams in Outlook" or "Microsoft Teams" and click it to turn it on. Click OK at the bottom of the window. Outlook will restart or refresh, and the Teams sidebar will appear on the left side of your screen next to your folder list. If the sidebar does not appear when ready, close Outlook completely and open it again.

Enable Teams in Outlook on Mac

Click Outlook in the menu bar at the top of your screen, then select Preferences. In the Preferences window, click General. Scroll down to find the section for Outlook pane or sidebar display options. You should see a checkbox for "Show Microsoft Teams in Outlook" — click it to enable Teams.

Close the Preferences window and Outlook will update. The Teams sidebar will appear on the left. If it does not show up right away, quit Outlook entirely (use Command+Q) and reopen it. The sidebar should be visible when Outlook loads again.

Enable Teams in Outlook on the web

Go to Outlook.com or your organization's web version of Outlook and sign in. Click the Settings gear icon in the top right corner of the page. Select View all Outlook settings from the dropdown menu. In the settings panel, look for a section labeled Teams or Integrated apps.

Find the toggle or checkbox next to Microsoft Teams and turn it on. The page will refresh automatically. The Teams pane will now appear on the left side of your Outlook inbox. If you do not see the Teams option in settings, your organization may not have enabled it for your account.

What to do if Teams does not appear after enabling it

If you turned on the Teams setting but the sidebar still does not show, first check that your organization has licensed Microsoft Teams for your account. Contact your IT department or help desk to confirm Teams is available to you. Some organizations restrict Teams to certain departments or user roles.

If Teams is licensed but still missing, try signing out of Outlook completely and signing back in. On the web version, clear your browser cache and cookies, then reload Outlook. On desktop versions, restart your computer. If the sidebar appears but is very narrow or hidden, look for a small arrow or divider on the left edge of the window — you can drag it to widen the Teams pane.

Pinning and unpinning the Teams sidebar

Once Teams is visible, you can control whether it stays open or collapses. At the top of the Teams sidebar, you will see a pin icon (it looks like a thumbtack). Click the pin to lock the sidebar in place so it stays visible when you switch between Outlook folders. Click it again to unpin the sidebar, which lets it collapse when you are not using it, giving you more space for your email list.

Your preference saves automatically — if you unpin Teams, it will stay unpinned the next time you open Outlook. You can change this setting anytime without affecting any of your messages or Teams data.

Using Teams from within Outlook

Once the Teams sidebar is visible, you can see your recent chats and channels without opening the Teams app. Click any chat or channel name to open the conversation. You can type and send messages directly from the sidebar. To start a new chat, look for a compose or new message button at the top of the Teams pane — the exact location depends on your Outlook version.

If you need to join a Teams meeting or see more details about a channel, clicking the item will open the full Teams view. You can also search for people or channels using the search box at the top of the Teams sidebar. This keeps you in Outlook while still letting you reach your Teams conversations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to install Teams separately if I already have Outlook?

No. If your organization has licensed Teams, it is already included with Outlook. You only need to turn it on in your Outlook settings. You do not need to read or install anything.

Can I hide the Teams sidebar without turning it off completely?

Yes. Click the pin icon at the top of the Teams sidebar to unpin it. The sidebar will collapse when you are not actively using it, but you can click the Teams icon to open it again anytime. Your unpinned preference saves automatically.

What if my organization does not show a Teams option in Outlook settings?

Your organization may not have licensed Teams for your account, or your IT department may have disabled the Outlook integration. Contact your IT help desk or manager to ask whether Teams is available to you and whether the Outlook sidebar can be enabled.

Does enabling Teams in Outlook affect my Teams app on my phone or computer?

No. Enabling Teams in Outlook only shows the sidebar in Outlook — it does not change how the Teams app works on other devices. You can use both at the same time, and your messages and settings stay in sync across all of them.

Can I use Teams in Outlook if I do not have a Teams app installed?

Yes. The Outlook sidebar gives you access to chats and channels without needing the separate Teams app. However, some features like video calls or screen sharing may work better in the full Teams app, so many people use both.