By default, Windows 11 comes with some apps already added to its Taskbar. When you log in, you’ll see the Start menu, Windows search, Widgets, Edge, Windows store, and a few others. The new Microsoft Teams Chat icon is also added to the Taskbar and started when you log on to Windows 11. Microsoft wants you to use the new Teams Chat to connect with friends and family. However, if you feel like this is just too much and you already have other means to reach your contacts, you can remove Teams Chat from the taskbar or uninstall it together in Windows 11. Windows 11 also can remove apps from the Taskbar with ease, and the steps below are going to show you. You can go through the apps on the Taskbar and remove or disable those that are less important to you. To get started with hiding or uninstalling apps in Windows 11, follow the steps below:
How to hide Microsoft Teams Chat from Taskbar in Windows 11
To hide the new Team Chat from the Taskbar, you do that from the System settings pane. Windows 11 has a centralized location for the majority of its settings. From system configurations to creating new users and updating Windows, all can be done from its System Settings pane. To get to System Settings, you can use the Windows key + I shortcut or click on Start ==> Settings as shown in the image below: Alternatively, you can use the search box on the taskbar and search for Settings. Then select to open it. Windows Settings pane should look similar to the image below. In Windows Settings, click Personalization, and select Taskbar on the right pane of your screen shown in the image below. On the Taskbar items list, find Teams Chat and toggle the button to the Off position to remove Teams Chat from the Taskbar in Windows 11. You can also do this with other apps you want to hide on the Taskbar. Doing that will hide the new Teams Chat from the Taskbar in Windows 11
How to Uninstall Microsoft Teams Chat in Windows 11
If you want to completely uninstall the new Teams Chat app so that it’s not started automatically in Windows 11, use the steps below. Go to the Start menu ==> Settings. From the Settings pane, select App and click Apps & features as highlighted below. On the Apps & features settings pane, under the App list, you’ll see apps that are available and running in the background. Some of these are needed, like the weather app – to get timely weather info, Alarms & Clock – to receive important event reminders, and others. To uninstall the new Teams Chat, click on the ellipsis (three vertical dots) next to Microsoft Teams on the list, then select Uninstall as shown in the image below.
How to Disable Microsoft Teams Chat in Windows 11
If you simply want to hide and disable Teams Chat and not uninstall, then use this method. To disable and stop the Teams Chat app from running in the background, locate the apps that you want to stop and click on the ellipsis (three vertical dots) next to them and select ‘Advanced options from the menu. In the Advanced option, under Background apps permissions, choose to Never run this app in the background. Then toggle the button to the Off position to disable Run at log-in. This is disabled and stops Teams Chat from starting up and running in the background. That should do it! Conclusion: This post showed you how to hide, uninstall or disable the new Teams Chat in Windows 11. If you find any error above, please use the comment form below to report.