Search/Command Box (Teams)

To access the full Teams Training for Business Use Manual, please visit Inside.Sierra. 

Wherever you go in Microsoft Teams, the command box is always there at the top of the screen to help you search, take quick actions, or launch apps.

Use the search/command box 

There are many ways to find messages, people, files, and other information shared in Teams. Simply type a word or name to view related results. Search a specific area or start your search in the search box at the top. Then, filter your results for greater detail. 

Press Ctrl+F (cmd+F on macOS) to search messages within a particular chat or channel in Teams.

Search for files

1. Locate a file by typing its name or a keyword.

2. To filter results further, select Files.

3. If your search doesn’t produce what you’re looking for, select View all messages to see more results. The top results appear.

4. To search in more detail, select the following:

   • Team: Type in a team name.

   • File Type: Choose the file type from the list.

   • Modified by: Type the name of the person who edited or changed the file.

   • Date: Choose when the message was sent or add a date range to search.

Search tips for messages

• “From:” then enter the person’s name

• “In:” then enter the channel or group chat name

• “Subject:” the keyword from a message or a subject line

• “Sent:” the date the message was sent

Other search tips

• Use an asterisk * to get results for any words with a matching prefix. Type the first few letters of a word followed immediately by an asterisk. For example, type "serv*" into the search box, and you'll get results for all words that start with those four letters (for example, server and service).

• Use quotation marks to search for an exact match on a word or phrase. Example: “annual budget”.

• The search box also supports certain spell corrections and nickname matches when searching for people

Use slash commands to perform tasks

1. In the command box, type a / to see a list of commands and descriptions.
2. Choose a command from the list or type it.

For example, to call someone, type /call, press Tab, and select or type the name of the person you want to call.

Use the @ command

• Type @[someone's name], press Tab, and then type a message to message someone without moving away from what you're working on.
• Type @[app name] to launch an app directly from the command box.

Available commands