Together Mode is a Microsoft Teams meeting view that places all participants in a shared virtual environment — a lecture theatre, coffee shop, or similar space — so everyone appears to be in the same room. It reduces visual fatigue in long meetings and makes group discussions feel more natural than the standard grid of boxes.
What Together Mode Does
Together Mode uses AI to cut out each participant’s image from their background and place them side by side in a virtual scene. Unlike the standard gallery view (a grid of individual video tiles), Together Mode creates a unified image where everyone is seated together. Participants can see each other’s reactions more naturally, which improves engagement in longer meetings.
Together Mode works best with five or more participants. With fewer people, the standard view is usually clearer.
Requirements
- Together Mode is available in Teams meetings of at least 5 participants (some environments may show it with 2+)
- Participants need to have their cameras on — those without cameras appear as a photo or initials placeholder in the scene
- It requires a reasonably capable PC — it uses more processing power than the standard gallery view
How to Switch to Together Mode
During a Teams meeting:
- Click the View button in the meeting toolbar (usually shows the current layout name or a grid icon)
- Select Together mode from the view options
Alternatively, click the three-dot menu (more options) at the top of the meeting and look for the view options there. The exact location varies slightly depending on your Teams version.
Changing the Scene
As a meeting organiser or presenter, you can change the virtual background scene for all participants:
- While in Together Mode, click the scene selector at the bottom of the view
- Choose from the available scenes — options typically include a lecture theatre, coffee shop, conference room, and seasonal or branded scenes
- Click a scene to apply it — all participants switch to the new scene simultaneously
Scenes are updated by Microsoft periodically, and some organisations with Teams Premium licences have access to custom branded scenes.
Seating Participants
By default, Teams automatically assigns seats in the virtual scene. As the organiser, you can reassign who sits where:
- In Together Mode, click on a participant’s image in the scene
- Drag them to a different seat, or use the seating options if available
This is particularly useful in training or classroom settings where you want specific people grouped together.
Individual vs Meeting-Wide Setting
When you switch to Together Mode, you are changing your own view by default. Only the organiser or presenter can force all participants into Together Mode simultaneously using the scene controls. Participants can always switch back to their preferred view independently.
Tips for Better Together Mode Meetings
- Good lighting matters more than usual — AI segmentation works better when your face is clearly lit. Avoid sitting with a bright window behind you.
- Stable camera position — sudden movements or tilting your camera can cause segmentation artefacts
- Use it for engagement, not every meeting — Together Mode is most valuable for training sessions, team standup calls, and meetings where participation and energy matter. It is less suitable for detailed presentations.
- Encourage cameras on — participants without cameras do not benefit from the shared presence effect
Switching Back to Gallery View
To exit Together Mode, click View again and select Gallery or Large gallery. Gallery gives the standard grid of video tiles. Large gallery is similar but fits more participants on screen before switching to a scrollable list.
