Microsoft is working on a new set of admin options for its Teams online collaboration platform that will give meeting hosts greater control over who is able to speak.
As per an entry (opens in new tab) to the company’s product roadmap, the update will offer greater flexibility and granularity when managing audio permissions, allowing meeting administrators to anticipate and act on any potential disruptions.
“Attendees no longer must request to speak for the organizer or presenters to allow them to unmute, and presentes and organizers can prevent individual attendees from unmuting instead of all attendees at once,” Microsoft explained.
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The new audio controls are currently under development, but should roll out to all users by the end of next month.
Microsoft Teams meeting controls
Although almost a full year has elapsed since the widespread transition to remote working (opens in new tab), many video meetings (opens in new tab) remain somewhat of a free-for-all and understanding of etiquette is still patchy, especially when it comes to microphones.
The upcoming Microsoft Teams update will allow hosts to take the responsibility away from attendees, making it less likely that presenters are interrupted mid-flow by audio interference. In an e-learning (opens in new tab) context, meanwhile, teachers can rest easy in the knowledge that disruptive students will not have the opportunity to butt-in.
The new audio management options will be joined by the ability to disable the video (opens in new tab) feed of specific users, which is set to be introduced in May. This feature will allow hosts to cherry-pick which participants are able to appear on camera, while still allowing all attendees to listen in on the meeting.
Together, these new admin controls expand the Microsoft Teams crowd management arsenal in a significant way, which meeting organizers will surely celebrate.
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