It’s a question many of us have pondered: can I actually make a phone call using Microsoft Teams, not just join a meeting? The answer, thankfully, is a resounding yes, and it’s simpler than you might think.
Think about those moments when you need to quickly connect with someone outside of a scheduled Teams meeting, or perhaps you're in a situation where joining a video call isn't ideal, but you still need to participate in the audio. This is where Teams' calling capabilities truly shine.
Making Calls Directly
For those times when you need to dial a specific number, Teams acts much like a traditional phone. You'll find a dial pad right within the application. Simply navigate to the 'Calls' section, and there it is. You can punch in a phone number just as you would on any other phone. If you're looking to call someone by name, you can also type their name into the dial pad, and Teams will pull up potential contacts. Need to connect with a group? You can enter multiple names and numbers for a group call.
It’s worth noting a small quirk: if you're using a laptop with a touchscreen and try to input numbers via the dial pad, that helpful dropdown list of contacts might not appear. In such cases, just use your keyboard for a smoother experience. And for those moments when you're already in a meeting and need to bring someone else in via phone, you can access the dial pad from the meeting controls to invite them.
Joining Meetings by Phone
Beyond making outbound calls, Teams also offers a fantastic way to join the audio portion of a meeting if you can't get to a computer. This is a lifesaver when you're on the go or if your audio equipment is acting up. You can dial into a meeting using one of the provided numbers, which are usually found in your meeting invitation. If you can't find a local number, there's often a link to 'Find a local number' that lists options for various countries and regions.
Once you're connected by phone, you can use DTMF commands – those familiar beeps you get when pressing numbers on a phone keypad – to manage your audio experience. For instance, pressing '*1' can give you a private playback of available DTMF commands, '*3' can announce participant names, and '*6' lets you mute or unmute your microphone. There are commands for raising or lowering your hand ('*5'), locking or unlocking the audio conference ('*7'), and even controlling entry/exit notifications ('*9').
When You Need to Be Called
Another incredibly useful feature is the 'Call me' option. If you're already in a Teams meeting and need to join via audio from your phone, you can select 'Call me' from the join options. Teams will then call your specified phone number, and you can join the meeting's audio simply by answering. This is perfect for situations where you might be multitasking or simply prefer to use your phone for audio while perhaps viewing shared content on another device.
Important Considerations
It's crucial to remember a couple of things. Firstly, if your Teams application can't connect to the internet, you won't be able to make emergency calls like 911. Secondly, the ability to make external phone calls might depend on your organization's subscription plan. If you don't see the phone number options, it's possible your organization hasn't purchased a calling plan, but you can still communicate with other Teams users.
So, the next time you're in Teams, don't hesitate to explore its calling features. It's a powerful tool that extends your communication beyond just internal chats and meetings, making your connectivity more flexible and robust.
