Lyndsay’s A-Z of Microsoft Teams – K is for…

Lyndsay’s A-Z of Microsoft Teams – K is for…

There’s SO MUCH going on in Microsoft Teams as a product, how do you even start to talk about it?! In this blog series I’m going to attempt to work my way through the letters of the alphabet, talking about as many features as I can think of in turn.

If you’re new to Teams, hopefully this helps you find your way around. If you’re not new to Teams, maybe you’ll still get some new ideas. Here we go…

K is for … Keyboard Shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are an easy way to save time in Microsoft Teams. Instead of clicking around, you can use your keyboard to get to where you need to be. Plus, it makes you feel like some sort of computer genius. (No? Just me?)

You can find a list of the Keyboard Shortcuts available in Teams by clicking on the three dots (of course! Where else would they be hiding…?) in the very top right corner of your Teams window:

Then you’ll see a list of what’s possible:

Don’t let the long list put you off!

I know what you’re thinking; “This is a ridiculously long list of keyboard shortcuts and I’m never going to remember how to use them all.”

That’s probably true! BUT don’t let that put you off giving them a try. Remember that even mountains are climbed one step at a time. My advice for getting into keyboard shortcuts is to start small. Like really small!

How to master keyboard shortcuts

Take a look at the list and pick just one shortcut that you think will be of high value to you. A good place to start might be toggle mute during a call:

If you’re often on calls and find that you keep clicking yourself on and off mute, try using just this keyboard shortcut instead.

Write the shortcut on a post-it note and stick it next to your screen, or put a prompt somewhere else that you can see it easily to reference, and commit to a week or two of using just that one keyboard shortcut during all your meetings.

Like any habit, you’ll build the muscle memory of using it, until you’re doing it without having to really think about it.

Why not set a monthly reminder to pick a new keyboard shortcut to try, and add that to your keyboard shortcut repertoire for a few weeks. Keep picking one shortcut at a time and commit to using it until it becomes second nature, and before you know it you’ll be tapping those keys like nobody’s business.