Resurces: Understanding Teams

This is an intentionally short document intended to give you starting points for learning more about Teams.   It’s in the form of an annotated list. 

AI First - For Help

• • Copilot, or the equivalent from external vendors, is now good enough that it is usually the first and best tool for getting advice on both general and very specific details about teams.

  • The old help for Teams was always good and is still worth checking for general introductions prepared by Microsoft. It offers

  • Help - The App

  • You won't see the traditional help item on a Teams menu anymore. MS expects that you will use CoPilot for help in most circumstances.

• If you want the traditional range of topics and educational resources from Microsoft, it is now available as an app you can add to your team. It covers many topics and may be a good start for learning more about what teams can do.

This updated non-microsoft resource list emphasizes AI-driven search as the primary starting point for troubleshooting. It replaces outdated PDFs with dynamic web resources and focuses on high-quality video content from trusted experts, ensuring you stay current with the latest "Teams Performance" updates.

AI Search: The Modern Starting Point

As of early 2026, general web searches for "Teams help" often return over 27 million hits. To bypass the noise and get specific "how-to" answers, use these AI tools first.

• Google Gemini

  • Best For: Rapid answers and high-level summaries.

  • Key Advantage: It is usually succinct. Gemini integrates well with the Google professional tools many already use for data analysis.

• Perplexity

  • Best For: Technical verification and verifiable citations.

  • Key Advantage: It provides direct, per-sentence citations to official Microsoft documentation, ensuring the advice is accurate for the 2026 version of the software.

Note: Claude (Anthropic) and ChatGPT (OpenAI)  are also very strong and can be readily used.

YouTube Video Resources

Visual guides are the most effective way to see the 2026 interface changes in action.

• Kevin Stratvert: Still the gold standard for clarity. His 2025 and 2026 "Teams Essentials" playlists are particularly helpful because he breaks down complex features into simple, digestible steps. .

• Mike Tholfsen: A must-watch for those in education or non-profit sectors. His "Quick Tip" videos focus on collaborative tools, accessibility, and the pedagogical side of using Teams.

Web Pages & Site-Based Overviews

These resources provide structured, scannable summaries that are easier to reference than a standard search result.

• My Own Pages (Jim Mitchell): See the other pages on this website.

• TechRepublic – They don't have a page devoted to Teams, but they do have many articles that are focused on the latest updates. The page shown here is a search for "Teams"

• CustomGuide Interactive Cheat Sheet: A modern alternative to older "For Dummies" guides. It provides a clean, 2-page summary of keyboard shortcuts and new 2026 interface elements.

Pro Tip: Microsoft is aggressively updating Teams. When using traditional search engines, always use the search filters to restrict your results to the last year to avoid following outdated instructions.