How to Hide the Teams Meeting Control Taskbar

Video conferencing tools are more complex apps and as such, you will expect a UI that takes a little learning and getting used to. UI for complex apps has to check two boxes; it should be easy to figure out, and it should still offer the expected features.  

Video calling apps are never stand alone. They are almost always accompanied by a chat feature.  Other features you can expect to accompany a video calling app are screen sharing, file sharing, adding/removing more people to a call aka group calls, turning the mic/camera On or Off, etc.

Microsoft Teams video calls

Microsoft Teams is no different when it comes to video calls; it has a full set of in-call features/tools that users can access. These tools include toggles for turning the mic and camera on/off, blurring the background, hanging up a call, options to manage device settings, start recording a call, and more.

Microsoft Teams meeting control taskbar

Hiding the Microsoft Teams meeting control taskbar is simple.

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Start a call.
3. Move the mouse away/off the taskbar.
4. The taskbar will disappear in a few seconds.

Old vs New Microsoft Teams UI

You should know that at present, there are two different versions of the call UI in Microsoft Teams. One version features the floating taskbar which disappears after a few seconds, and the other features a bar at the top which does not disappear.

The new UI is a work-in-progress, so much so, that the fullscreen control is not yet a part of it. If you’re seeing the new UI, you will have to switch to the old one to get rid of the taskbar.

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Click your profile at the top right.
3. Select Settings.
4. Go to the General tab.
5. Uncheck the ‘Turn on new meeting experiences; option.
6. Restart Microsoft Teams.

Taking screenshots

If you use the Win+PrntScrn keyboard shortcut to capture screenshots of a Microsoft Teams video call, you will find that the taskbar reappears before the screenshot can be captured. To capture a screenshot without the taskbar, you have the following options.

• Use the PrintScrn key to capture the screen, and paste it to a Paint file.
• Map a third-party screenshot tool like Greenshot to the PrintScrn button and use it to take screenshots.
• Take a time-delayed screenshot using the Snip & Sketch tool.
• Use the Snipping tool on Windows 10.

Conclusion

Microsoft has been improving Teams since it saw a surge in its userbase this year. Some new features such as the Meet Together feature have already rolled out but with others, there is still a lot that needs to be completed. The new/experimental UI hasn’t been well-received by users and there is a strong push to restore the fullscreen option.

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Fatima Wahab

Fatima has been writing for AddictiveTips for six years. She began as a junior writer and has been working as the Editor in Chief since 2014. Fatima gets an adrenaline rush from figuring out how technology works, and how to manipulate it. A well-designed app, something that solves a common everyday problem and looks

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