With the announcement of Windows 11, Microsoft not only revealed an overhauled user interface, but also introduced a few new features across the OS. One of them is a useful Microsoft Teams chat integration in Windows 11’s taskbar. Also accessible via the Windows 11 keyboard shortcut Windows key + C, it makes it easy for consumers to open Teams chats. But if you’re not the biggest fan of chat integration, here’s how you can disable the Microsoft Teams chat icon in the taskbar in Windows 11 right now.
Disable Microsoft Teams Chat Integration in Windows 11 Taskbar (2021)
There are multiple ways to hide the new Microsoft Teams popup from the taskbar. We have explained all the methods in detail and you can go with whichever you are comfortable with. Without further delay, let’s take a look at the steps to hide Microsoft Teams chat from the taskbar in Windows 11.
Hide Microsoft Teams Chat Icon Using Taskbar Context Menu
The easiest way to hide the new Chat integration in the Windows 11 taskbar is directly from the taskbar itself. All you have to do is right-click on the new Chat icon (the purple icon with a video camera glyph) and Select “Hide from taskbar”.
As you can see in the image below, the Chat icon should now be gone from the taskbar and you can continue to enjoy all Windows 11 features as before.
Disable Microsoft Teams Chats Icon Using Taskbar Settings
1. Another way to disable the Microsoft Teams Chat icon is in the Taskbar Settings. Right click anywhere on the taskbar and Select “Taskbar settings”.
2. You will now be redirected to the taskbar settings page. From here Disable the “Chat” toggle under taskbar items To get rid of the Chat feature from Microsoft Teams in the taskbar in Windows 11.
Removing Chat Icon from Taskbar Using Windows Settings App
You can also remove the new Chat icon from the taskbar via the Settings app. This method is similar to the previous one but can be useful for novice users. So follow the below steps to disable Chat from Teams integration in taskbar.
1. Open the Settings app, go to the “Personalization” tab from the left sidebar and Click on “Taskbar”.
2. Now you can Disable the “Chat” toggle To disable Microsoft Teams integration in Windows 11 taskbar.
Disable Team Chat Icon Using Group Policy Editor
If you prefer to disable the feature via the group policy editor, you can do that too. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Open Run using the “Windows + R” keyboard shortcut and Type “gpedit.msc”. If you try this on Windows 11 Home you will see an error. But you can follow our guide to enable Group Policy Editor in Windows 10 Home Edition, which also works fine on Windows 11.
2. When the Group Policy Editor opens, Click on “Computer Configuration”.
3rd row, Go to “Administrative Templates” From Computer Configuration.
4. Now you have to Open the “Windows Components” setting from the next page.
5. From the item list, Double click on “Chat” To configure Chat from Microsoft Teams integration in Windows 11 taskbar.
6. Now, Click on “Configures Chat icon in taskbar” To set the preference
7. By default, you will see the status as “Not Configured”. Set it to Enabled and change the status to “Disabled”. Hit apply, close the dialog and don’t forget to restart your Windows 11 PC.
note: As stated in the help box, if you directly select the “Disabled” option, the feature will work according to the operating system defaults and will be set to be enabled by default.
Microsoft Teams Icon in Windows 11 Taskbar Looks Useful – Why Would Someone Disable It?
Now that you know how to disable Chat from the taskbar, at least some of you might be wondering why to disable this nifty chat feature. After all, it looks neat and provides quick access to chats, right? It is, but things get complicated here. Let me explain.
Microsoft is currently Introducing Chat integration in Windows 11 taskbar as a special feature For Consumers to Teams. In other words, you will need a personal Microsoft account to use this Chat feature and you cannot use it with your work account. This may change in the future. But right now, you could call this feature an advanced ad to force the consumer to adopt Teams.
No matter how Microsoft wants Teams to be a platform for everyone, at its core it is a workspace chat and video conferencing platform. In fact, people who use Teams regularly default Teams ringtone reminds them of business meetings or online classes. It’s unlikely that Microsoft will add a fancy Chat popup, at least in my opinion, to change the perception of the service among general users.
Next comes the network effect. A consumer-focused service needs a solid user base to be successful. This user base comes from interested early adopters, peer recommendations, or someone who is genuinely curious to discover the service. So, if you think you can’t convince your friends and family to switch to Microsoft Teams for personal chats, you’d better disable this feature. What are you thinking? Let me know your thoughts on Consumer-focused Teams in the comments.
Removing the Microsoft Teams Chat Icon from the Taskbar in Windows 11
This brings us to the end of the article. We hope this tutorial helped you get rid of the new Chat feature of Microsoft Teams in the taskbar on your Windows 11 PC. If you found this guide helpful, check out our articles on customizing the taskbar in Windows 11, turning off notifications in Windows 11, and useful Windows 11 keyboard shortcuts.