Microsoft Teams finally brings context and clarity to chats with 'quoted replies'

Microsoft recently announced that it would soon add the ability to reply to specific chat messages. Starting today (September 20), Microsoft is finally rolling out the public preview of the reply feature across Microsoft Teams desktop apps, as well as the Teams web app.

Though a pretty basic feature, it comes in handy for making sure other chat participants know exactly who you’re replying to in-app. WhatsApp, for instance, has had the feature for some time, where it helps to clarify who is speaking to who in busy chats.

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Quoted reply already exists as a feature on some of the best iPhone and best Android phones in Teams for iOS and Android – but it has yet to make the leap to Teams chat on the desktop for one-to-one, group, or meeting chats for desktop users.

Microsoft announced the new desktop feature in a blogpost, saying that the feature "is a great way to add context and clarity with who you are conversing with whether it is a recent message or from one earlier in the conversation." It's also easy to use, with users simply opening a message and then clicking the Reply button to attach a response to a particular message.

Still not available for channels on Teams

Currently, the feature is only available for Teams chat and not for channels, with Microsoft adding that it’s supported for Teams chats with external Teams users except not on Skype for Business and Skype for Consumer. 

If you're interested in all things Microsoft Teams, then it's worth checking other improvements to the platform this year, including a new feature that blocks out nearby noise interference on its video software using AI-controlled noise suppression and an essential new upgrade for regular users of the platform.