Use an app in a tab in a channel or chat in Microsoft Teams

Add an app to a tab

1. Go to the channel, group chat, or one-on-one conversation of your choosing and select Add a tab  .
2. Click the app you want.

3. A description screen for your chosen app will open. Select Add.

4. Follow the prompts for your next step. Every app is a little bit different.

Add a specific file to a tab

You can turn a specific file into a tab—as long as you or a teammate have already uploaded or shared the file in a message in the chat or channel where you want to create the tab.

1. Select Add a tab   and add the app for the type of file you want to share (for example, Word for a Microsoft Word file).

2. You'll be shown all available files of that file type. Select the file you want and select Save.

Have a conversation about a tab

In the process of adding a tab, a box labeled Post to the channel about this tab is checked by default.  You can clear the checkbox, of course. This starts a conversation about your new tab, and an automatic post announcing it will appear in the channel.

From within the tab, select Show tab conversation  to show or hide the discussion (or to start one for the first time).  All replies made here also show up as new replies to the original post in the channel.

Editing files in a tab

Microsoft 365 file types can be edited in tabs by you or anyone in the same channel or chat. It's a fantastic way to collaborate!

For other file types, you'll need to edit your original files in their respective apps, then upload them if you want to share your changes.

Get a link to a tab

To get a link to a tab that you can share with teammates, right-click the tab and select Copy link to tab. 

Remove a tab

In one-on-one and group chats, anyone in the conversation can remove tabs.

In channels, anyone on the team can remove tabs as long as the team owner has set things up that way.

Go to the tab you want to remove, right-click, and select Remove.

If you don't see Remove when you right-click, it's likely for one of the following reasons:

• Posts and Files are default tabs in channels and chats that cannot be removed.

• Your org or team owner has restricted who can add or remove channel tabs.

• The tab you're trying to remove is in a personal app, not a chat or channel. Tabs in personal apps are controlled by the maker of the app.