Tips and tricks to get the most out of Microsoft Teams on Surface Duo.

One of the biggest selling points of Microsoft’s Surface Duo is the two-screen setup. With two screens, you can achieve much more and stay productive, just like on a Windows desktop.

Today, Microsoft Teams is the app at the center of all that productivity. You need it to stay in touch with your work, for important meetings and more.

But did you know that Teams is one of many Microsoft apps optimized for Surface Duo? In our latest guide, we’ll take a look at some of our favorite tips and tricks to get the most out of Microsoft Teams on your new Surface Duo.

Tip #1: Reach the app!

Our first tip is one of the most obvious, which includes the Microsoft Teams app across the two screens. To do this, simply open the app on the left or right screen and pull it up as if you want to close it. Grab the app and drag it to the middle hinge and hold it. After you do that, the app expands like a book.

This overwrought mode lets you see your main feed on the left screen, with your list of team channels. You’ll also see the bottom control and navigation bar on the left screen. Then you see that if you click on items on the left screen (such as a channel or a chat), these items will open on the right screen. This works almost as it would in the desktop app, where you have your navigation bar on the left and your feed on the right. It also gives you more room to see more content and messages.

Tip 2: Pair teams with another app

As we explained in our Surface Duo review, one of the best parts of the Duo is “Book Mode.”” In book mode, you can stack your apps side by side, with one app on the left screen and another on the right. This works with every app you’ve installed on your phone, and Teams is no exception.

To get started, you can open Teams on the duo’s left or right screen. Then swipe up on the screen that isn’t being used to open the app launcher, and then choose another app. In most cases, this could be Outlook (to check an email) Edge (to do some research or search for something online) or another productivity app. The apps are then linked side by side and stay updated in real time, so you can get more done without missing out on anything important.

Tip 3: Use Teams in essay mode

In addition to book mode, Surface Duo has several usage modes. One is the ‘essay mode’. With compose mode, you can hold the Duo like a laptop, with an app on the top screen and a keyboard at the bottom. This makes Teams on the Duo feel a little more familiar when you’re looking for something that feels like a Windows PC.

To use Teams in essay mode, all you need to do is open Teams on the left or right screen. Then, make sure that auto-running is enabled from the Android drop-down menu. You can then flip your Duo around like a laptop and tap somewhere in the Teams app to display the keyboard. Pretty cool, right?

Tip 4: Get the most out of Teams’ calls on your Duo

Now that you know how to use Teams in essay mode, we have a related tip. Turn the Teams app to the right screen on the Duo when it’s open. Once the Duo is on the right screen, you can rotate it and start a video call.

The Duo is smart enough to recognize the orientation in which you hold it. Since the camera and Teams on the right screen are open, the camera rotates when you hold it in essay mode and you can use it just like a webcam. This is a great way to show your Duo, as the 11-megapixel front camera is better than the 720p webcams you’ll find on most laptops. You’ll look crystal clear at those important meetings!

Source: unmsft