Microsoft Teams for students

• If there's a team for your module, you’ll be invited to join it
• Most students can’t create teams or add channels
• Student societies can request a team: email unionhelpdesk@kent.ac.uk

You can still use the video calling, file sharing and other functions of Teams below.

This 4-minute video tutorial on using Teams at Kent is a great introduction and tells you all you need to know.

Download the Teams app

For extra features that you're likely to need, you should download the Teams app to your computer or mobile instead of using the web version.

• Download the desktop or mobile Teams app - to log in, enter your Kent username followed by @kent.ac.uk, in this format: username@kent.ac.uk

• You can also get the mobile version from your app store

Even if you're not a member of a specific team, you can use Microsoft Teams to make a video or audio call, chat using text and share files with others.

Make calls to:

• Your lecturers (search for them easily)
• Other Kent students (not just those on your module)
• Non-Kent contacts

If you have their email address, you can chat to them.

Start an audio or video call

From a mobile or tablet: click Chat in the menu, then click the pen/paper icon in the right menu to start a chat. Or:

1. Click Calls in the left menu in the Desktop app
2. Click Contacts to find someone at Kent

Calling non-Kent contacts

• How to call a phone number
• View or add contacts in Teams

Share files in the chat window

You can share files and work on them with others. 

• Files shared in Teams will be saved to your Kent OneDrive for easy online access 
• You can see who is editing your document in real-time
• View a file's version history and restore previous versions from OneDrive

Schedule a meetup

Arrange to chat with other students or your lecturer using the calendar in Teams. 

1. Click Calendar in the left menu in Teams 
2. + New Meeting button
3. Add Title, attendees, time etc 
4. Save to send out invites to attendees and put the meeting in your calendar 
5. To start the meeting, click on it from your Calendar in either Teams or Outlook 

Meet now 

• The Meet now button on the calendar tab creates a private meeting space where you can invite attendees
• To start a text, audio or video call, use the Chat section of Teams

Start a text chat

There are two ways to start a chat:

• Click the Chat icon in the left menu
• Click the pen and paper icon at the top of Teams, next to the search box

Once the Chat section is open, click New chat and add contacts as needed.

Join a meeting in a channel 

If you’re invited to a meeting in a specific team, a notification is posted in the channel. To join, open that channel and click Join. 

Present your work to others 

• You can present content with the Share button at the bottom of the screen.
• You can present your Desktop, a Window or a PowerPoint. 

The PowerPoint option will show any presentation stored in a team. You can present others with the Window option if you have them open.

• Microsoft Teams training videos
• Book onto a live Teams training session
• Teams guide (PDF)

Microsoft 365 apps: what they do and how to access them.

Microsoft support

• Microsoft Teams training videos
• Book onto a live Teams training session
• Teams guide (PDF)

Get in touch

Get in touch to ask for help, or send us your feedback so we can improve this advice. All feedback is welcome!