This year's Microsoft Ignite Conference revealed many new features for Microsoft Teams! These features were designed to respond to evolving business needs and help increase productivity. The updates include improved user experience, additional chatting and calls features, integrations, new administration tools and more. Many of these features will be available by the end of the year or are set to roll out in 2020.

Below are just a few features that users are excited for:

1. Private Channels

Currently, any channels created within a team can be viewed by all members of that team. Private channels will allow users to create channels that can be accessed by select members of the team. This can be useful for groups in a team that need to discuss sensitive information. Private Channels are already available, click here to find out more.

2. Multiwindow and Pop Out Chats

Starting early next year, users will be able to pop out chats, meetings, calls or other documents in separate windows. Users will be able to use the rest of Teams in pop out windows while chatting or video calling as well.

3. Pinned Channels

Many users find themselves using certain channels more consistently than others. Pinned channels will allow users to keep the most used channels at the top of the Teams list for quick access. This feature is set to be available by the end of this year.

4. Outlook and Teams Integration

Teams has many integrations with other Microsoft 365 apps, but a new integration between Teams and Outlook is set to come out in early 2020. Users will be able to share emails and attachments in Teams and share a conversation from Teams in an Outlook email. This will make it easier to share important communication updates with members who are not in a channel or team.

5. Tasks Tab

The new Tasks tab is designed to help you manage your to-do list and other assigned tasks efficiently. The tab provides a unified view of all tasks across Microsoft To Do, Teams Channels, Planner and Outlook. Multiple views will be available so that users can find the best way to keep track of their tasks. This feature is set to be available in early 2020.

6. Advisor for Teams

Advisor for Teams is a new planning tool designed to help IT admins successfully deploy Teams for their organization. This tool also creates a collaboration space for the deployment team to streamline Teams workloads. This tool is currently in public preview.

7. Safe Links in Microsoft Teams

Safe Links, powered by Office 365 ATP, protects users from harmful links and threats in real time. Teams will perform a time-of-click verification when a URL is shared in a private chat or channel. Safe Links is set to be available at the end of this year along with many other security and compliance features.

Microsoft Ignite provided a great overview of what is to come to Microsoft Teams. To learn more about the additional features announced at Microsoft Ignite, click here.