Linux users get a Microsoft Teams progressive web app

Nov 8, 2022 16:18 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft hasn’t given up on the progressive web app push, and the company’s most recent project on this front is specifically aimed at Linux.

That’s right, the software giant has released a new goodie for Linux users. Microsoft Teams is now available on Linux as a PWA, and this is obviously huge news given there’s a huge difference between the Linux and Windows versions of Microsoft teams desktop clients.

The PWA should therefore provide users with more advanced functionality, with Microsoft suggesting that the app is supposed to serve as a temporary solution until a more advanced desktop client goes live for Linux.

“Linux customers who rely on Microsoft Teams for collaboration and communication needs told us they want the full richness of Teams features available for their users in a secure way. This can now be achieved using the Teams PWA. Additionally, the PWA enables us to ship the latest Microsoft Teams features faster to our Linux customers and helps us bridge the gaps between the Teams desktop client on Linux and Windows. The PWA experience is available for both Edge and Chrome browsers running on Linux,” the software giant announced this week.

Of course, all the essential features are still there, including reactions, custom backgrounds, system notifications, and so on.

In other words, it feels nearly like a fully featured desktop client (though it obviously isn’t the real deal, and Microsoft should undoubtedly continue the work on this front).

“The PWA offers access to more capabilities, including custom backgrounds, gallery view, reactions, the raise-a-hand feature in meetings, as well as large gallery and Together mode views. The PWA also provides desktop-like app features, such as system notifications for chat and channel, a dock icon with respective controls, application auto-start, and easy access to system app permissions,” Microsoft says.