Microsoft Teams offers free premium version due to Coronavirus

Microsoft is making its collaboration platform Teams available to all for free for six months to help people connect with their companies, schools, and colleges using the Internet.

On March 10, Microsoft will release an update to the free tier of Teams that will lift restrictions for how many users can be included in a team and allow users to schedule video calls and conferences.

The free version of Microsoft Teams includes unlimited chat and search, group and one-on-one audio and video calling, and 10GB of team file storage along with 2GB of personal file storage per person. Users also get real-time collaboration with Office apps for Web, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.

Microsoft has recently begin promoting Teams as the place for employees to access from anywhere, likely as the result of the increased demand from working from home. A Microsoft employee from Shanghai also shared some tips for those who will be taking their work to their homes.

Whether you’re a freelancer, a small business owner, or part of a team inside a larger organization, you can start using Microsoft Teams today. The free version includes the following for up to 300 people:

• Unlimited chat messages and search.
• Built-in audio and video calling for individuals, groups, and full team meetups.
• 10 GB of team file storage plus additional 2 GB per person for personal storage.
• Integrated, real-time content creation with Office Online apps, including built-in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote.
• Unlimited app integrations with 140+ business apps to choose from—including Adobe, Evernote, and Trello.
• Ability to communicate and collaborate with anyone inside or outside your organization, backed by Microsoft’s secure, global infrastructure.

You can get Microsoft Teams for free here.