Do You Know These Microsoft Teams Chat Symbols?

by Anishametra Saravanan

We may have transitioned over to Microsoft Teams as our centralised work platform over a year ago now, but how well acquainted are you with the icons in your chat bar? Today, we will be exploring the some of the compose box symbols (boxed in red) so you can improve the quality of your messages, maximise collaboration and even have some fun with it!

The symbol	The compose tool	What does it mean?
	Format	The format tool allows you to customise your text formats such as Bold , Italics or Underline. Once you have clicked on the format tool, feel free to try out the different formatting options to elevate your next Teams message and announcement.
	Set delivery options	If you have any custom delivery requests, such as a message that needs to be sent urgently to someone, you can use this tool. Currently, the three available options are: Standard: This is when a message will be sent as usual. Important: This is when a message is essential and needs to be attended to. Urgent: This delivery option prioritises the message and even sends the recipient a notification chime or banner every 2 minutes for 20 minutes. This delivery option will not apply if the user is busy or are unable to take messages due to their absence.
	Attach files	You can use this option if you need to attach a file or image to your message. As of now, the only two places you can upload from are your OneDrive and your local desktop.
	Loop components	Loop components are portable, editable pieces of content that stay in sync across all the places they are shared. You can embed these components in any Outlook item, such as an email or calendar event, just as you would in Teams chats. These components help streamline the collaboration workflow and empower your team to ideate, plan, and create together.
	Emoji	This option is self-explanatory; if you want to send a visual form of expression, you can select the emoji option, choose your preferred emoji and send it.
	Giphy	Add some life to your messages by including a GIF! Click on this component and select the option to send an animated image to another user.
	Stickers	Stickers are another fun way to express emotions visually. However, unlike the GIF option, stickers are stagnant animations that don’t move.
	Schedule a meeting	This tool sends you directly to the “Schedule a meeting” page, where you can schedule a meeting with the user in question or add other users to your meeting if needed.
	Praise	Feeling happy and appreciative over your colleague’s excellent work? Send them a praise by selecting this option! Simply click on the tool, choose a badge, add a name, and click on “Send.”
	Approvals	This tool uses the approval app to send an approval from the chat; if you need to request time off, you can use this option to set an approval. Simply add your name, put in a request, and submit it for approval.
	Updates	Updates is an innovative app that enables you to effortlessly create, submit, and review updates. This powerful tool gathers your colleagues' check-ins, reports, and updates in one convenient location, ensuring that everyone on the team stays on track for success. Whether you need to manage recurring processes or share in-the-moment updates, Updates has got you covered.
	Forms	Send a form to another user in a Microsoft Teams chat by clicking on this option. Through this tool, you will be able to input the form data sets, such as the form title and the questions that will be part of the form. Once you have finished the form, click on the “Send” option and it’s ready to receive responses!
	Remind	Remind is a simple way to set personal and team reminders. Simply send a message with what you want to be reminded of, and Remind will send you a notification at the designated time. You can also set up a 'Remind' bot for group chats and channels, so your colleagues can stay informed. Just type in your message, and the bot will notify everyone in the group. However, your conversationalist here is the ‘Remind Bot’, so remember not to block that bot!

If you’re wondering why the symbols in your compose box look different from the ones in the image at the top of the article, don’t worry – the display of apps can vary from person to person. You can pin up to 13 symbols to your chat bar at a time. However, if you want to switch things up or reorganize your apps, you can always right-click on an icon and choose to unpin or uninstall an app, as shown below.

If we have piqued your interest to explore the countless other apps that Microsoft Teams has to offer, simply click on the ‘3 dots’ icon and give them a try!