At present, we embark on the subsequent chapter of the Microsoft Groups story with the general public preview of the brand new Microsoft Groups app for Home windows.

From its inception in 2017, our imaginative and prescient for Groups has at all times been to convey collectively all of your communication and collaboration instruments in a single place, from chat and conferences to apps and recordsdata. Whether or not used for work, faculty, or life, over 280 million folks depend on Groups each month to remain productive and linked with colleagues, companions, prospects, buddies, and household. Groups has additionally enabled wonderful innovation from third-party unbiased software program distributors (ISVs), company builders, and system integrators—leading to over 1,900 apps within the retailer in addition to over 100,000 customized apps that combine seamlessly with the Groups platform. These purposes, when mixed with a broad ecosystem of Groups licensed units and rooms, enable you to keep productive and within the move of labor.

We now have been listening to your suggestions which has culminated in a reimagining of Groups from the bottom up. The brand new app is constructed on a basis of velocity, efficiency, flexibility, and intelligence—delivering as much as two instances quicker efficiency whereas utilizing 50 p.c much less reminiscence so it can save you time and collaborate extra effectively. We now have additionally streamlined the consumer expertise in order that it’s less complicated to make use of and simpler to seek out every little thing in a single place. These enhancements additionally present the muse for game-changing new AI-powered experiences, reminiscent of Copilot for Microsoft Groups, introduced earlier this month.¹

Whereas we now have already been making a gentle stream of enhancements within the present Groups apps, the most important breakthroughs will solely be obtainable with new Groups. Beneath is a abstract of probably the most important areas of enchancment however you possibly can deep dive into the complete record in our Tech Group weblog.

The brand new Microsoft Groups: Sooner, less complicated, extra versatile, and smarter

Sooner. Our North Star for brand new Groups is to make it twice as quick whereas utilizing half the system sources. To realize this, we now have made a ground-up funding to overhaul the platform to optimize the info, community, chat, and video structure for velocity and efficiency. We’re under no circumstances accomplished optimizing the efficiency of latest Groups, however we now have already seen very promising knowledge even from the general public preview construct rolling out right now. We now have labored with the unbiased benchmarking agency GigaOm to quantify among the efficiency good points, which stories that each app launch and be a part of assembly are already twice as quick, and reminiscence consumption has decreased by half when testing the brand new Groups preview in contrast with basic Groups.²

Easier. We’re at all times searching for methods to offer a less complicated but feature-rich expertise for our numerous and rising consumer base. That’s why we’re excited to roll out enhancements to the core Groups expertise that can make it simpler so that you can keep on prime of your notifications, seek for data, handle your messages, and manage your channels—all with fewer clicks. For extra data on the design journey of latest Groups, check out this weblog submit from Microsoft Design.

Extra versatile. We all know that a lot of our prospects have organizations that span a number of tenants and accounts. That’s why we now have made a significant funding in our help for these situations. We now have improved our authentication mannequin, synchronization, and notification methods to offer a seamless and constant expertise. For instance, many shoppers must collaborate with folks throughout organizational boundaries, which typically means they use Groups throughout a number of tenants or accounts. As a substitute of logging out and in of various tenants and accounts, now you can keep signed in throughout all of them—receiving notifications irrespective of which one you’re at the moment utilizing.

Smarter. The brand new Groups would be the basis for next-generation AI experiences, together with these we’ve beforehand introduced, reminiscent of clever recap and Copilot for Microsoft Groups. We’ll use AI to take the work out of working collectively by getting you in control on what occurred earlier than you joined a gathering or chat and answering your questions all within the move of the dialogue. We’re solely simply starting to see the potential of AI inside Groups, and we may have tons extra to share sooner or later.

We’re focusing on the final availability of latest Groups later this 12 months in 2023. Within the meantime, we encourage our industrial prospects utilizing Home windows to attempt the general public preview, which is rolling out beginning right now. We intend to increase the preview launch to a broader set of consumers, together with these utilizing Macs later this 12 months. Whereas customers in our Public Preview program may have entry to new Groups instantly, our broader set of economic prospects will want an admin to first opt-in, after which customers will see a easy toggle to modify to the brand new Groups. You’ll additionally be capable of swap again to basic Groups at any time.

Get began right now

At present marks the brand new period of Microsoft Groups, and we’re simply getting began. Because the world continues to evolve, Groups is right here to be your trendy office. For a sneak peek of all the brand new experiences we’re constructing on new Groups, watch the video under.

Whereas new Groups is a giant leap ahead within the Groups journey, it’s not the one factor we’re saying right now. For a deep dive into the 50-plus extra new options coming to Groups, you’ll want to try this Tech Group weblog submit which summarizes all of the bulletins we’re making this week at Enterprise Join.

Thanks for utilizing Groups—we’re thrilled to introduce the quicker, less complicated, and extra versatile app beginning right now. I’d encourage you to attempt it out and share your ideas with us. We stay up for listening to from you and serving to you get probably the most out of Groups.

For those who’re an admin, discover ways to allow the brand new Groups right now.

¹Introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot—A complete new strategy to work, Colette Stallbaumer, Microsoft 365 Weblog. March 16, 2023.