Learn to Create and Manage Teams Breakout Rooms in under 10 Minutes

In this tutorial, learn how to use Teams Breakout Rooms to create multiple virtual meeting rooms and let the meeting participants collaborate in a smaller group session. Then, they can come back to the main meeting with fresh new ideas. The meeting organizer can create and manage rooms, including opening, closing, and moving participants between rooms.

Microsoft Teams Fundamentals Course - Coming in October 2024.

Chapter Markers:
0:00 Must do this first
0:30 Set up Breakout Rooms
2:35 Room Settings
4:51 During Meeting
6:59 Participant from Web App
7:51 Back to the Organizer


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[HeatherMajors]

Hi all, wanted to share an update to Breakout Rooms...FINALLY, a co-organizer can help you manage the breakout room during the meeting. They cannot set them up in advance but can while the meeting is happening.

[simonnewood]

Really clear and comprehensive instructions - thank you!

[andreabracken]

Excellent Video ... thank you Heather, and love your clear style!

[cillboon]

This was great. Up to date. You're ahead of Microsoft.

[jftumps]

Very well presented and explained! New subscriber here.

[blueclue]

Hi Heather. This was very helpful. Question. I know you showed us how to record within each break out room but can you record all rooms discussions as one recording? I would like to share all the conversations from each room with the main group once done.

[itsdilovelife]

Your videos are super helpful, Heather! I have a question and hope it's ok if I ask here. I am creating a webinar and plan on having video and mics off for the participants but will be having breakout rooms. What happens with their mics and video when participants are in their rooms? Do they have to unmute and turn their cameras on, on their own or does it happen automatically? Thanks!

[HeatherMajors]

You may wonder why I keep pointing out the difference between Teams Desktop and Teams Web. Well, depending on how companies set up the work-from-home situation, many people are restricted to the Web app and are like “hey I can’t find this feature.” Rather than making you hunt for an answer, I try to include those details.

[ambicapradhan]

I am unable to see any of those options, both during the meeting and before hand even though I am the meeting organiser. What could be the reason for that?

[jayz]

Hello, why the option "add participants" to the break out room is grayed out?

[noahschaul]

Thanks for the video, quick question: I have added several people from our company to a meeting and several external people. The ones from our company I could assign without problem, the others didn't appear in the selection to be assigned so I was not able to assign them. Do you have an idea why this might be the case?
We have a training coming up with a client and we were planning to use MS Teams for that one. If we cannot pre assign to breakout rooms, however, this would be hard to set up.

[amypen]

Hi, if a group used the whiteboard in the breakroom and everyone is back in the main room, is there a way to share the whiteboard with all the participants?

[mslrknight]

Is it possible to set up waiting rooms for each breakout room and have the presenter admit the attendee’s?

[antoinettesmith]

Are participants able to move to a particular breakout room of their choosing without being assigned to that breakout room?

[justinachanzar]

Can participants in the breakout rooms see the timer you set? If so, is it necessary that you send an annoucnement that there is '5 minutes left'?

[foostayfree]

This is SO helpful, thank you!!! Question - it appears that while in the breakout rooms, participants cannot see the room name. Is this the case? I plan to rename my rooms to specific topics, but unsure if once opened, the participants can see what room they are in. Can you advise? thank you!

[dagmarviarsdottir]

Very well explained, thank you very much. I have already subscribed. It seemed effort less for you to get into the room as an instructor. However, I did not manage it that easily in my trial session with 4 participants. I did not manage to go into 1 out of two rooms to visit the participants. Do you have any idea why that might be?

[kittennini]

can we use the breakout rooms with the free version of MS teams?

[IzzyEze]

Thanks Heather, very helpful. Question- can you assign people automatically to breakout rooms whilst the meeting is happening, rather than choosing who will be in each room? I didn't see that option in the video. Thanks.

[TheCarinaChen]

Hi Heather, thanks so much for the helpful and well explained video! Question - is it possible to create breakout rooms on behalf of other person? For example, I’ve been given Outlook mailbox delegation of my boss and I create meetings on behalf of him. I’m not quite sure if I could create breakout rooms when the meeting is started. BTW I’ve tried to set up myself as co-organizer, but I still couldn’t see “breakout rooms” button on the top of meeting setting page. Or the co-organizer can only do breakout rooms when the meeting is on?
Much appreciated your help!