How to join a Microsoft Teams meeting without the app
Microsoft Teams has an app for all major desktop and mobile platforms. No matter which phone you use, or which desktop/PC you use, you will be able to install an app to the desktop.
Installing Microsoft Teams isn’t hard but if you do not use it often, or you do not have time to install an app before you have to join a meeting, you can work without the official apps.
Join Microsoft Teams meeting without app
Microsoft Teams has a web app that you can use from any modern desktop browser. The app doesn’t work in mobile browsers so while you can use the web app to join meetings, you can only do so from the desktop. If you’re on your phone, and you want to join a Microsoft Teams meeting without the app, you will have to dial-in to the meeting.
Join Microsoft Teams meeting without app – Desktop
To join the Microsoft Teams meeting without installing the app, you need a modern browser like Chrome (or any other Chromium-based browsers), Firefox, Safari, etc.
- Open the browser on your desktop.
- Paste the link to a meeting in the URL bar (you can get the link from the meeting invite or ask the meeting organizer for it).
- Sign in if you have a Microsoft Teams account.
- Enter a name to display during the meeting if you do not have a Microsoft Teams account.
Join Microsoft Teams meeting without app – Phone
To join a Microsoft Teams meeting without the official app installed on your phone, you will need to call into the meeting. This isn’t complicated but the number you call may or may not be toll-free. For obvious reasons, you won’t be able to view videos of any of the participants.
- Ask the meeting organizer for the Conference number and ID. If you received an invite to a meeting, this information will automatically be included in the invite.
- Share the phone number you will be calling from with the admin so they can identify you.
- On your phone, dial the number for the meeting.
- When answered by the automated system, enter the Conference ID and press the # (hash or Pound) sign.
- Wait to enter the meeting (an admin will have to allow you in).
- Once allowed in, you will be able to hear the meeting audio and speak to everyone in the meeting.
- Other participants will see you’re present and identifiable by your phone number.
Conclusion
Microsoft Teams doesn’t support mobile browsers. This is a limitation that Microsoft has neglected to address. It is a given that a mobile browser will deliver a far lesser experience of the Microsoft Teams than the mobile app or the desktop web app but it isn’t a trade-off that the company seems willing to make. It has a pretty great dial-in alternative that it encourages users to use instead.
