Invited to a Teams meeting by another organization? You don't need a Teams account or installation to join. Click the link, type your name and you're in. This article shows how it works in the browser, on your phone and with your own Teams, what you can and can't do as an external participant, and what to do when it doesn't work.
Join in the browser, without an account
- In the invitation, select Join the meeting now.
- Choose Continue on this browser. Use Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome or Safari; Firefox works with limitations.
- Allow the browser to use your microphone and camera.
- Type your name, choose whether camera and mic are on and select Join now.
- You usually land in the lobby first. Wait until the organizer lets you in.
Join with a meeting ID
No link, but you do have a meeting ID and passcode (at the bottom of the invitation)? Go to microsoft.com/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting, enter both and select Join. If the invitation has a phone number, you can also dial in.
With your own Teams or on your phone
- If you have Teams for work, the link opens in your own Teams app. You join with your own name and organization.
- On your phone, the link asks you to install the Teams app. Then choose Join as a guest and type your name; no sign-in needed.
What can you do as an external participant?
| Feature | External participant |
|---|---|
| Talk, camera, chat during the meeting | Yes, unless the organizer restricts it |
| Share your screen | Only as a presenter |
| Background blur | Yes, in Edge and Chrome |
| Read the chat after the meeting | Usually not as an anonymous participant |
| Watch the recording | Only if the organizer shares it with you |
It doesn't work
- No sound or video: select the padlock in the address bar and set camera and microphone to Allow. Close other apps using your camera.
- "You can't join this meeting": the organization doesn't allow anonymous participants. Ask the organizer to invite you as a guest or change the setting.
- Stuck in the lobby: the organizer hasn't seen you yet. Send them a message or call.
- Locked-down work PC: try another browser or your phone.
Tip for organizers
Decide in meeting options whether externals bypass the lobby and whether they can present. See who can bypass the lobby in Teams and add guests to Teams.
Read also
Who can bypass the lobby in Microsoft Teams: every option explained
How to add external guests in Microsoft Teams
How to create a free Microsoft Teams account
Nederlandstalige versie: Als externe deelnemen aan een Microsoft Teams-vergadering