Big Microsoft Teams speed improvements are coming next month – Microsoft

Sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans indicate the edge The software giant recently began testing the new client version of Teams extensively in-house, with the goal of releasing a preview version for everyone interested in March.

Known as Microsoft Teams 2.0 or 2.1 internally, Microsoft has been working on the updated version of Teams for years. It is expected that the application will use 50% less memory, put less stress on the processor and as a result provide more autonomy to laptops.

While Microsoft released some of this early change to the built-in “mini” version of Teams in Windows 11, companies that rely on Teams have been using the older client version of the app due to the amount of work required by Microsoft to rebuild Teams. The main reason for the new version’s speed and autonomy benefits is Microsoft’s decision to build on its own Edge Webview2 technology, leaving behind the Electron framework. Microsoft has also moved to React, a Javascript library, which will bring more improvements to Teams UI in the coming months.

In a Twitter thread detailing initial improvements to Microsoft Teams for Windows 11 in 2021, former Teams engineering lead Rish Tandon said Microsoft’s new architecture will be key to future improvements to the app. “This architecture will help us add support for multiple accounts, business scenarios, and more,” Tandon said. “It’s going to be a journey, but with Windows 11 we’ve taken the essential first steps.”

The improvements should mean that Teams will open faster and be more responsive during a presentation or when replying to messages. The new app comes to address many of the criticisms and complaints about Teams performance, especially on older laptops.

Microsoft is currently planning to release a preview of the new app to Teams users at the end of March, which will include preparation for reverting to the current version for those who wish.