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How to hide the default Teams meeting control task bar
3 min. read
Updated onOctober 4, 2023
updated onOctober 4, 2023
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Key notes
Microsoft Teams is getting more and more popular, but trying to make little changes such as the one here detailed can be overwhelming. It’s clear that you want to hide the default Teams meeting controltask barat the bottom of the screen, and we get you.
This would further encourage a distraction-free environment. You could forget all about any visibility interference and finallytake screenshotsof what is being displayed without the meeting controltask barin the way.
Even if there is no actual option to disable the control bar in a Team meeting, you cannot go on with thetask barbeing always visible.
This remains one of users’ top complaints when using Teams for meetings, so let’s see how you can at least ease the situation.
How can I hide the default Teams meeting control task bar?
1. Wait for Auto-hide to kick in
Thetask barauto hides when you move themouseoutside of the sharing screen for a while. There’s a catch though: the second you move the mouse, thetask barreappears.
On top of that, when usingthird party screenshot apps, you need to move your mouse back onto the window of choice before clicking to capture the screenshot. When doing this, thetask barreappears.
Finally, Auto-hide doesn’t work adequately on multiple occasions. Users move their mouse down to the video feed or even completely outside the window, keep it still for several seconds, but the control bar sometimes remains on screen and blocks view.
2. Use Snipping Tool to take screenshots
If capturing a screenshot remains your main concern, give a try to Snipping Tool. This is an intuitive screenshot tool included inWindowsVista and higher.
To open Snipping Tool, select theStart button, and typesnipping tool. Select it in thesearch results. Then, you can keep the tool on the top of the sharing screen and move your mouse to the tool.
When doing so, the control bar is still hiding and you can immediately clickNewto get the screenshot.
The Snipping Tool is showing a grey screen in Windows 10? Check out this article and solve the problem in no time.
3. Record, then play and share the meeting recording in Teams
When capturing hundreds of screenshots during a team meeting isn’t feasible, you could also record the meeting to capture audio, video, and screen sharing activity.
Then, play and share the recording with other team members.
Microsoft Teams won’t connect to a meeting? Check this tutorial and set things right once again.
Final thoughts
You know all about the default Teams meeting control task bar. It’s acting as a distraction and it often obscures important information. Bottom line, it could turn into a deal breaker for adoption at work.
For now, apply the above tips, at least until Microsoft comes with a product change addressing this issue. An intuitive Minimize or Hide controls button would put an end to this.
If you know any method to manually get that bar out of the way, please do let us know. You can reach out to us via the comments section. Meanwhile, make sure you’re getting the most out of Microsoft Teams.
Keep in mind that the maximum number of persons who can access the notes is 20. In other words, if the meeting exceeds 20 participants, only the first 20 participants are allowed to view the notes.
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More about the topics:Microsoft Teams,productivity software
Vlad Turiceanu
Windows Editor
Passionate about technology,Windows, and everything that has a power button, he spent most of his time developing new skills and learning more about the tech world.
Coming from a solid background in PC building and software development, with a complete expertise in touch-based devices, he is constantly keeping an eye out for the latest and greatest!
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Vlad Turiceanu
Windows Editor
Coming from a solid background in PC building and software development, he’s a Windows 11 Privacy & Security expert.
