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Does Teams Essentials include breakout rooms?

Microsoft Teams Essentials is a streamlined version of Microsoft Teams designed for small businesses and organizations that need basic collaboration tools. It offers core features such as chat, video meetings, file sharing, and calendar integration, but it does not include some of the more advanced features found in higher-tier plans like Microsoft Teams (Business Standard or Enterprise plans).

One of the features not included in Teams Essentials is Breakout Rooms. Breakout Rooms are a functionality that allows meeting organizers to split participants into smaller groups during a meeting, which is particularly useful for workshops, training sessions, or team discussions. This feature is available in more advanced Microsoft Teams plans, such as Microsoft Teams (Business Standard or Enterprise plans).

If Breakout Rooms are a critical requirement for your organization, you may need to consider upgrading to a higher-tier Microsoft Teams plan that includes this functionality. Teams Essentials is best suited for organizations that need basic collaboration tools without the need for advanced meeting or administrative features.

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Comments (45)

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Meraz Xavier 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials is great for small teams, but the lack of breakout rooms is a significant drawback for larger meetings.

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Waara Juliana 2025-04-05 20:34:33

I was disappointed to find that breakout rooms aren't included in Teams Essentials. It's a must-have for effective collaboration.

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Sherstyuk Rasmus 2025-04-05 20:34:33

For the price, Teams Essentials offers good value, but the absence of breakout rooms limits its usefulness for workshops.

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Burke Beth 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Breakout rooms are essential for training sessions, so it's unfortunate they're not part of Teams Essentials.

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Sanders Vojin 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials is a solid choice for basic meetings, but if you need breakout rooms, you'll have to upgrade.

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Dittmer Jasmine 2025-04-05 20:34:33

The lack of breakout rooms in Teams Essentials makes it less versatile compared to other plans.

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Cano Peyton 2025-04-05 20:34:33

I wish Microsoft had included breakout rooms in Teams Essentials—it would have made it perfect for my needs.

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Paskevich Flor 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials is budget-friendly, but the missing breakout feature is a dealbreaker for my team.

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Fleming Philip 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Breakout rooms are a key feature for us, so we had to look beyond Teams Essentials.

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Nguyen Väinö 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials works well for simple meetings, but the lack of breakout rooms is a noticeable gap.

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Thamm Mustafa 2025-04-05 20:34:33

If you don't need breakout rooms, Teams Essentials is a great, affordable option.

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Heikkila Elisabeth 2025-04-05 20:34:33

The absence of breakout rooms in Teams Essentials is frustrating for educators and trainers.

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Lewis Josif 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials is a good starting point, but the lack of breakout rooms means it's not suitable for all use cases.

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Shelton Hannah 2025-04-05 20:34:33

For small businesses, Teams Essentials is sufficient, but breakout rooms would have been a nice addition.

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Robertson Enea 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Breakout rooms are a standard feature in many platforms, so their exclusion in Teams Essentials is surprising.

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Vieira Vivan 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials is a decent entry-level plan, but the missing breakout rooms limit its functionality.

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Rivera Petros 2025-04-05 20:34:33

I hope Microsoft considers adding breakout rooms to Teams Essentials in future updates.

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Esch Rasmus 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials is cost-effective, but the lack of breakout rooms means it's not ideal for collaborative sessions.

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Fontai Rafael 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Breakout rooms are crucial for team discussions, so Teams Essentials falls short in this aspect.

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Vidaković Mary 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials is a good fit for casual meetings, but professional settings may need more features like breakout rooms.

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Brown Emil 2025-04-05 20:34:33

The simplicity of Teams Essentials is appealing, but the absence of breakout rooms is a downside.

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Ortiz Carko 2025-04-05 20:34:33

If breakout rooms aren't a priority, Teams Essentials is a solid, affordable choice.

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Jacobs Miguel 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials meets basic needs, but the lack of breakout rooms is a significant limitation.

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Gauthier Anaya 2025-04-05 20:34:33

For larger teams or training sessions, the missing breakout rooms in Teams Essentials are a problem.

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Olsen Emilie 2025-04-05 20:34:33

Teams Essentials is a practical option, but the exclusion of breakout rooms reduces its versatility.