It’s About Time

Since the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been using Microsoft Teams for work-related communication including messaging and web conference calls on my Mac. On a typical work day, I spend several hours in web conferences and usually have my camera on, as do my co-workers. In December 2021, I upgraded my 2016 Intel-based MacBook Pro to a 2021 Silicon (M1) MacBook Pro. Unfortunately Microsoft Teams has remained an Intel-only app, and M1/M2 Mac users have been asking Microsoft to create a Silicon-compatible version of Teams ever since the M1 processor was introduced in November 2020. While Silicon Macs can use Rosetta to run Intel apps in emulation, there are efficiency gains (e.g., faster speed and less power consumption) with universal binary apps that run natively on Silicon Macs.

There is finally some good news for Silicon Mac users who rely on Teams. On July 13, 2022, Microsoft added “Native Apple Silicon Support” to its roadmap with a general availability release date of September 2022.

On August 3, 2022, Microsoft published a blog to announce the availability of Teams optimized for Apple silicon. They state, “We are rolling out a production grade universal binary version of Teams, which means it will run natively on the entire Mac lineup, including those with Apple silicon. For Mac users, this means a significant boost in performance, ensuring efficient use of device resources and an optimized Teams experience even when using multiple high-resolution monitors during calls or meetings.” Unfortunately they do not provide a download link for the universal version but instead state, “All Mac users will be automatically upgraded with their most recent update to Teams. The generally available (GA) version of the native Teams app on Mac with Apple silicon is being rolled out to customers in increments over the coming months.”

Members of the Office Insider Program may have been testing beta versions of the universal Teams app for many months now, but for regular folks, the Teams universal update is coming soon. Feel free to leave a comment if you’re not in the Insider Program and have received the Teams universal update before September.