You can use Teams any time, from anywhere, on any device. This means you can use the desktop application, mobile application, or the web application. When you’re at a computer, chances are you’re using the desktop (installed on your machine) or web (accessed via a browser) version. In this post, I’ll detail what you might be missing when choosing one experience over the other.
Note: Looking for a Windows vs Mac comparison? Check out this other post.
The source of my information is this resource from Microsoft, but I’ve aggregated all of the data from all of its links into a single location here for convenience.
What are the differences between the desktop and web versions of the Teams client?
Firstly, if you’re using Calls in the web version, you must use Edge or Chrome as shown in the detailed feature comparison table below. To summarize, here’s a listing of the various features that are limited or unavailable in the web version of Teams:
- Calls – Unavailable or limited features in the web version of Teams
- Park and retrieve calls (Edge only)
- Location provided for emergency calling (dynamic emergency calling)
- Background blur
- Custom backgrounds
- One-on-one call recording
- Music on hold
- Share a phone line with a delegate
- TTY Support
- Meetings and live events – Unavailable or limited features in the web version of Teams
- Spotlight (view only)
- Take control (limited to PowerPoint only)
- Breakout rooms (can join only, not create)
- Background blur
- Custom backgrounds
- Share system audio
- Live captions
- Whiteboard (sketch only, can’t start)
- Reduce background noise (noise suppression)
- Produce a live event
- Producer role available to external users (existing guests or from federated Teams org)
- Presenter role
- Presenter role available to external users (existing guests or from federated Teams org)
- Share screen or content during event
- Share system audio
- Q&A moderator
- Messaging (chat) – Unavailable or limited features in the web version of Teams
- Share your screen during a chat (only during a call or meeting)
- Pop out a chat into its own window
See below for a full comparison of all features in both versions. This may be easier to consume as a filterable, sortable Excel table you can download here (includes Mac, Linux, and mobile too):
| Category | Sub-Category | Feature | Windows desktop | Web |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Activity feed and notifications | Notification style | Teams built-in style | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Activity feed and notifications | Notification style | Operating system style | – | – |
| Activity feed and notifications | Notification settings | Global notification settings | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Activity feed and notifications | Notification settings | Customize channel notifications | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Activity feed and notifications | Notification settings | Schedule quiet hours (prevent notifications from popping up) | – | – |
| Activity feed and notifications | Notification settings | Do not disturb setting (prevent notifications from popping up) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Activity feed and notifications | Notification settings | Turn on notifications for a thread | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Activity feed and notifications | Notification settings | Hide text preview in message notifications | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Activity feed and notifications | Activity Feed | See notifications in Activity feed | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Activity feed and notifications | Activity Feed | Search and filter in Activity feed | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Views and navigation | Day | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Views and navigation | Work week | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Views and navigation | Week | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Views and navigation | Agenda | – | – |
| Calendar | Views and navigation | Go to a specific date | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Schedule an appointment | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Schedule a private meeting | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Schedule a channel meeting | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Schedule a live event | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Use Scheduling Assistant to see free/busy info | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Invite people as optional attendees | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Invite people from outside the team to a channel meeting | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Choose a time zone | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Choose from a list of rooms | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Scheduling | Set recurrence | Predefined list or customized | Predefined list or customized |
| Calendar | Event options | Show as options (free, busy, etc.) | – | – |
| Calendar | Event options | All day event | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Event options | Access meeting options from link in Teams calendar item | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | RSVPs and other attendee options | Basic RSVP | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | RSVPs and other attendee options | Add message to RSVP | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | RSVPs and other attendee options | Choose to notify meeting organizer on RSVP | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calendar | Joining meetings | Dial-in information included in meeting details | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Calls | Place calls | Voice Over IP (VOIP) and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN*) calling | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | Reverse Number Lookup (RNL) based on AAD or telephone company info | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | Number normalization rules/number translation rules | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | Speed dial | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | Call history | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | Find and call Teams users in other domains (federated calling) | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | Call people who use Skype for Consumers or Skype for Business | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | Start a group call or join a group call in progress | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | Location provided for emergency calls (dynamic emergency calling) | ✔️ | – |
| Calls | Place calls | Call from contact card | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | Dial an extension | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Place calls | “/call” command | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Answering and during a call | VOIP call controls (hold, mute, video on/off, screen sharing) | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Answering and during a call | PSTN* call controls (hold, mute) | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Answering and during a call | Add others to a call (VOIP and PSTN* numbers) | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Answering and during a call | Blur background during video calls | ✔️ | – |
| Calls | Answering and during a call | Custom background during video calls | ✔️ | – |
| Calls | Answering and during a call | One-on-one call recording | ✔️ | – |
| Calls | Answering and during a call | Caller ID | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Transfer and forward | Call forwarding and simultaneous ring | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Transfer and forward | Transfer calls (blind, ring back, consult) | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Transfer and forward | Park and retrieve calls | ✔️ | Edge only |
| Calls | Voicemail and settings | Voicemail with transcription | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Voicemail and settings | Send missed calls to voicemail | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Voicemail and settings | Secondary ringer | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Voicemail and settings | Music on hold | ✔️ | – |
| Calls | Voicemail and settings | Access to Calls section in Settings (full or partial) | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Advanced calling features | Custom ringtones | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Advanced calling features | Share a phone line with a delegate | ✔️ | – |
| Calls | Advanced calling features | Block calls | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Advanced calling features | Play a busy signal to incoming callers when on another call (busy on busy) | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Advanced calling features | Allow priority access to certain contacts when status is Do Not Disturb | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Advanced calling features | TTY support | ✔️ | – |
| Calls | Advanced calling features | Call queue | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Advanced calling features | Auto attendant | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Calls | Advanced calling features | Callto: protocol (use Teams as telephone) | ✔️ | Edge and Chrome only |
| Files | Working with files in teams and channels | Upload from Recents, Teams and channels,and OneDrive | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Working with files in teams and channels | Upload from local storage | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Working with files in teams and channels | Share a link to a file | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Working with files in teams and channels | View a list of files in a channel | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Working with files in chat (messaging) | Upload from OneDrive | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Working with files in chat (messaging) | Upload from local storage | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Working with files in chat (messaging) | Share a link to a file | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Working with files in chat (messaging) | See list of files in a chat, group chat, or meeting | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Using the Files app | See list of recently viewed files | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Using the Files app | See list of files from all of your teams | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Using the Files app | See list of all files downloaded to local storage | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Using the Files app | See list of all files in OneDrive | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Viewing and editing file content | Open file in Teams | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Viewing and editing file content | Open Office files in browser or desktop app | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Files | Viewing and editing file content | Download file to local storage | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Scheduling a meeting or live event | Schedule a one-time or recurring meeting | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Scheduling a meeting or live event | Schedule a channel meeting | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Scheduling a meeting or live event | Hold an instant (ad hoc) meeting with Meet now | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Scheduling a meeting or live event | Large meetings (300 person) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Scheduling a meeting or live event | Schedule a live event | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Scheduling a meeting or live event | See people’s free/busy info when scheduling | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Video and backgrounds | Number of video participants in meetings | Up to 49 with Large gallery setting | Up to 49 with Large gallery setting |
| Meetings and live events | Video and backgrounds | Together mode | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Video and backgrounds | Background blur | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | Video and backgrounds | Custom background | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | Video and backgrounds | Spotlight | Meeting in a separate window: Start, stop, and view Meeting in main Teams window: View only | Edge and Chrome: View only |
| Meetings and live events | Sharing | Share desktop | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Sharing | Share window | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Sharing | Share PowerPoint | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Sharing | Share video | – | – |
| Meetings and live events | Sharing | Share photo | – | – |
| Meetings and live events | Sharing | Take control | ✔️ | PowerPoint only |
| Meetings and live events | Sharing | Share system audio | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Raise hand | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Add or remove participant | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Pin others | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Mute others | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Nudge others | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Create and join breakout rooms | ✔️ | Join only |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Meeting options available during meeting | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Create a meeting or access schedule | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Meeting notes | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Start and stop recording | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Live captions | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Whiteboard | Start and sketch | Sketch only |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | View meeting chat | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Channel meeting chat (standard channels only; not available in private channels) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Attendance report | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Reactions | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | More in-meeting features | Reduce background noise (noise suppression) | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Produce a live event | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Producer role available to external users (existing guests or from federated Teams org) | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Edit a live event | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Cancel a live event | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Presenter role | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Presenter role available to external users (existing guests or from federated Teams org) | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Attendee* role | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Access to producer options when editing event | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Access to event resources when editing event | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Share screen or content during event | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Share system audio | ✔️ | – |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Live captions for events coming through Teams | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Attendance report (producer) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Q&A attendee | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Meetings and live events | Live events | Q&A moderator | ✔️ | – |
| Messaging (Chat) | Compose and send | Add gifs (Giphy), emoji, and stickers | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Compose and send | Edit or delete a sent message | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Compose and send | @ mentions | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Compose and send | Send a photo | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Compose and send | Mark messages as important or urgent | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Compose and send | Share a file in a message | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Compose and send | Share your screen during a chat | ✔️ | Only in a call or meeting |
| Messaging (Chat) | Compose and send | Share an email from Outlook to Teams | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Compose and send | Share and view location in a chat | View only | View only |
| Messaging (Chat) | Read and reply | React to a message | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Read and reply | Immersive Reader | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Read and reply | Quoted reply | – | – |
| Messaging (Chat) | Read and reply | Translate messages | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Read and reply | View org chart | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Group chats | Add people, share chat history, and remove people from a group chat | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Group chats | Name and rename a group chat | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | Group chats | Leave a group chat | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | More chat features | Save a chat (bookmark) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | More chat features | Find and add a message extension | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | More chat features | Start a voice or video call from a chat | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | More chat features | Pop a chat out into its own window | ✔️ | – |
| Messaging (Chat) | More chat features | Hide a chat from view | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | More chat features | Read, compose, and reply to messages while offline | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | More chat features | Find and chat with people from other domains (federated chat) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | More chat features | Chat with people who use Skype for Consumers | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Messaging (Chat) | More chat features | See Out of Office status from Outlook in chat | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search suggestions | People names (1:1 chat) in search suggestions | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search suggestions | Group chats (named and unnamed) in search suggestions | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search suggestions | Team names in search suggestions | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search suggestions | Channel names in search suggestions | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search suggestions | File names in search suggestions | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search suggestions | Apps and commands in search suggestions | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Contextual search | Search within a chat | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Contextual search | Search within a channel | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search results | Messages | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search results | People | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search results | Files | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Search | Search results | Group chats (named) | – | – |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | View your shifts | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | View team schedule | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | Request shifts | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | View open shifts | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | Clock in and out (time clock) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | Shift reminders | – | – |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | Set availability | – | – |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | Chat with shift group | – | – |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | Notification of shift schedule publish and time off | – | – |
| Shifts | For workers (team members) | Notification of swap requests | – | – |
| Shifts | For managers (team owners) | Create and delete shifts | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Shifts | For managers (team owners) | Approve and decline shifts and time off | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Shifts | For managers (team owners) | Import and export shift schedules | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Shifts | For managers (team owners) | Copy a shift schedule | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Status | Status settings | Available | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Status | Status settings | Busy | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Status | Status settings | Do not disturb | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Status | Status settings | Be right back | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Status | Status settings | Appear away | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Status | Status message | Customize status message text and duration | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Status | Status message | Display status message to others in Chat | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Create and join | Create a team | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Create and join | Invite a guest from outside your org | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Create and join | Find and join a public team | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Create and join | Create a channel | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Create and join | Private channels | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Create and join | Pin a channel | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Posts and messages | Create a new post | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Posts and messages | Post a message to a channel | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Posts and messages | Add moderation for channel posts | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Posts and messages | Edit or delete a sent message | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Posts and messages | Translate messages | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Posts and messages | Create and use tags | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Sharing | Share a link to a team or channel | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Sharing | Share a file in a channel | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Manage teams | Add apps (some apps not available in private channels) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Manage teams | Use OneDrive for Business storage | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Manage teams | Make someone a team owner | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Manage teams | View team analytics | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Manage teams | Switch between Teams orgs where you use the same account to sign in* | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams and channels | Manage teams | Switch between Teams orgs where you use different accounts to sign in | – | – |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Create assignments (Teachers) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Grade assignments (Teachers) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Review assignments (Teachers) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Edit assignments (Teachers) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | View assignments (Students) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Turn in assignments (Students) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Assignments Student view | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Create quiz | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Create rubric | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Reading Progress | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Assignments app | Immersive Reader | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Class teams | Create a team (Class, PLC, Staff, Other) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Class teams | Join a team with a code | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Class teams | View class materials | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Class teams | Collaborate in class notebook | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Class teams | Insights (Teacher only) | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Class teams | Switch between grid and list view | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Class teams | Announcement illustrations | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Teams for Education | Class teams | Mute student comments in class teams | ✔️ | ✔️ |
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