Microsoft Teams
Joining and Hosting a Teams Meeting
This guide shows you how to join a Teams meeting from a calendar invitation, how to use meeting controls, and how to host and share your screen in a Teams meeting.
Time needed
10 minutes
Platform
Microsoft 365
Guide steps
4 clear sections
Before you begin
Teams is installed or accessible at teams.microsoft.com. You have a Teams meeting invitation in your calendar or email.
Follow along
Step-by-step guide
Join a Teams meeting
- Instruction 1: From a calendar invitation email: click the Join Microsoft Teams Meeting link in the email body.
- Instruction 2: From your Outlook calendar: open the meeting event and click Join Teams Meeting.
- Instruction 3: From the Teams app: click Calendar in the left sidebar, find the meeting, and click Join.
- Instruction 4: The pre-meeting screen lets you check your camera and microphone before joining — toggle them on or off as needed.
- Instruction 5: Click Join now to enter the meeting.
Action map
Join a Teams meeting
- 01
From a calendar invitation email: click the Join Microsoft Teams Meeting link in the…
- 02
From your Outlook calendar: open the meeting event and click Join Teams Meeting.
- 03
From the Teams app: click Calendar in the left sidebar, find the meeting, and click Join.
Visual guide
Use this visual action map alongside the written instructions above.
Open Microsoft Teams help & learning for Joining and Hosting a Teams MeetingUse meeting controls during a call
- Instruction 1: The meeting toolbar at the bottom of the screen has icons for: microphone (mute/unmute), camera (video on/off), screen sharing, chat, participants list, reactions, and more options (…).
- Instruction 2: Click the microphone icon to mute or unmute yourself. Muting when you are not speaking reduces background noise for everyone.
- Instruction 3: Click the camera icon to turn your video on or off.
- Instruction 4: Click Leave (red button) when you are done. Do not close the Teams window — click Leave properly to avoid staying in the meeting silently.
Share your screen in a Teams meeting
- Instruction 1: During a meeting, click the Share content icon (an arrow in a box) in the meeting toolbar.
- Instruction 2: Choose what to share: your entire screen, a specific window or app, a whiteboard, or a PowerPoint presentation.
- Instruction 3: Click on the item you want to share. A red border will appear around the content being shared.
- Instruction 4: To stop sharing, click the Share content icon again and click Stop sharing, or click the Stop sharing button in the presenter bar at the top of your screen.
Host your own meeting
- Instruction 1: Click the Calendar icon in Teams, then click New meeting.
- Instruction 2: Enter a title, invite attendees, set the date and time, and click Send.
- Instruction 3: When the meeting starts, join it the same way as any other — you will automatically be the host.
- Instruction 4: As host, you can mute participants: click the Participants icon, hover over a participant, and click Mute.
Quick fixes
Troubleshooting
The Teams meeting link opens in the wrong browser or app
Right-click the Join link and choose 'Open in Microsoft Teams' or copy the link and paste it directly into the Teams app (Teams > Calendar > Join with a code, or just open the link in a browser to use the web version).
Attendees cannot hear me
Check that you are not muted (microphone icon should not have a line through it). Check that Teams is using the correct microphone in device settings. If on a laptop, test the built-in microphone and ensure it is not physically covered.
Still need a hand?
Our support team can help with Microsoft 365.
Tell us where you got stuck and what you see on screen.