Microsoft is rolling out several new changes to rapidly improve Microsoft Teams while so many people are working remotely.

Among the changes under way:

• Raise a hand: By the end of May, Teams meeting participants will be able to use a hand icon in the meeting controls bar to virtually “raise a hand,” which will notify the presenter that their attention is needed. Participants may also lower their own hand, or the presenter may lower them instead.
• New video layout: By mid-May, Teams will be increasing the number of participants who may be shown on-screen to 9.
• Change your background: Background effects are already available. Now, using the meeting controls during a meeting or in the meeting options presented before joining, a background effect may be selected that will attempt to block out everything but the meeting participant from their video feed. Learn how to do it.