Microsoft Teams is Microsoft’s app for chat, calls, meetings and team collaboration. The same app now serves both personal use, which Microsoft calls Teams Free, and work or school accounts: you choose which account to sign in with. It runs on Windows, macOS, Android and iOS, and on Linux as a web app.
Who it suits
People whose employer, school or clients use Microsoft 365, and families or groups who want free video calls with a Microsoft account. You need a Microsoft account (personal) or an organisation account (work/school) to sign in.
Get the official version
- Windows and Mac: the Teams download page has direct installers for both.
- Linux: Microsoft offers the Teams progressive web app (PWA), which you sign in to from a supported browser; the download page links to it.
- Android: Google Play.
- iPhone and iPad: only the App Store.
Price: what the free version includes
According to Microsoft’s plan comparison, Teams Free includes group calls and meetings of up to 60 minutes with up to 100 participants, one-to-one calls of up to 30 hours, and 5 GB of cloud storage per user. Guests can join a quick meeting from a link without a Teams account. Paid Microsoft 365 plans raise this to meetings of up to 30 hours with up to 300 participants and 1 TB of storage per user. Prices depend on the plan and country.
System requirements
| Platform | Microsoft’s requirement |
|---|---|
| Windows | Windows 10 version 10.0.19041 or higher (LTSC editions not supported); 4.0 GB RAM; 3.0 GB free disk space |
| macOS | One of the three most recent macOS versions; dual-core CPU; 4.0 GB RAM; 1.5 GB free disk space |
| Android | The last four major Android versions |
| iOS | The last two major iOS versions |
Safety notes
Fake meeting invitations that ask you to “download Teams” from an unfamiliar link are a known phishing pattern. Get Teams from microsoft.com or your phone’s store, and sign in only on Microsoft’s own pages.
Questions
Is there a separate “Teams for home” app?
No longer. Microsoft now ships one app; you sign in with a personal Microsoft account for Teams Free or with a work or school account.
Can I use Teams on Linux?
Yes, through the progressive web app in a supported browser. There is no separate Linux installer on the download page.
Can I install Teams with winget?
Yes: winget install Microsoft.Teams installs the MSIX package from Microsoft’s CDN.
