New features are coming fast on Microsoft 365 and you have trouble following the official roadmap ?
👀 Every month, I publish a new infographic presenting a tip, a new feature on Microsoft teams / Microsoft 365 Copilot / Microsoft Loop / Microsoft 365 solutions that you can use today on your platform. Today is about Personal meeting templates in Microsoft Teams.
Tired of wasting time configuring the same meeting settings in Microsoft Teams—how many clicks does it take before you lose count ?
Ever feel like scheduling a meeting in Microsoft Teams is a mini project in itself ?
You’re not alone.
Every time you set up a call, you’re faced with the same checklist :
who can skip the lobby,
should chat be on or off
can people use reactions
who’s allowed to record?
It’s easy to forget a setting—like leaving chat open during a confidential client call or forgetting to enable recording for a training session.
And if you run recurring meetings, the repetition can be frustrating and time-consuming. That’s where personal meeting templates come in. They let you save your favorite settings once and reuse them instantly, so you don’t have to start from scratch every time.
Personal meeting templates in Microsoft Teams are a game-changer for anyone who schedules meetings regularly.
Available exclusively with Teams Premium, these templates let you pre-save your favorite meeting settings—like lobby controls, chat permissions, and recording options—and reuse them in seconds.
No more clicking through the same options every time!
The best part ?
They’re accessible through the new Teams calendar and work seamlessly on both the desktop app and the web version
But how is it different from meeting templates
created by admins ?
Both personal and admin templates aim to streamline scheduling in Microsoft teams, but they serve very different purposes. Let's examine this using a small table :
| Personal meeting template (end user) | Admin (organizational) meeting template |
#️⃣ Ownership & Scope | Created and used by individuals.Lives under Your templates in the new Teams Calendar.Does not enforce settings on others.
| Created in the Teams admin center by administrators (often with Teams Premium).Can be exposed tenant‑wide or to specific users/groups using meeting template policies.Can lock or hide meeting options to enforce compliance.
|
#️⃣ Management & Governance | Each user can keep up to 40 personal templates.No documented admin view into a user’s personal templates.Delegates who manage your calendar can create and use personal templates on your behalf.
| Admins can create up to 50 custom templates and decide which templates are visible to which users via meeting template policies.Changes to admin templates can apply to new and even already scheduled meetings created from that template, depending on the option.
|
What meeting options can an end-user configure in their personal meeting template ?
An end-user with a Teams Premium license can customize their own meeting template by applying the following settings, if desired. Let’s take a look together :
👥 Meeting Access
- Who can bypass the lobby ?
- People dialing in can by pass the lobby Y/N
- Who can admit from the lobby ?
- Reject anyone who can't bypass the lobby Y/N
- Annonce when people dialing in join or leave Y/N
- Require unverified participants to verify their info before joining Y/N
🔒 Advanced protection
- Turn off copying and forwarding of meeting chat and transcripts Y/N
- End-to-End encryption Y/N
- Apply a watermark to shared content Y/N
- Prevent screen captures Y/N
- Detect sensitive content during screen sharing Y/N
🛠️ Roles
- Who can present ?
- Enable language interpretation Y/N
🙋 Participation
- Allow mic for attendees Y/N
- Allow camera for attendees Y/N
- Meeting Chat
- Q&A
- Allow reactions Y/N
🎙️ Recording and Transcription
- Record and Transcribe automatically Y/N
- Who can record and transcribe ?
- Who has access to the recording and transcript ?
How to create your own personal meeting template ?
The process is very simple and is carried out through the Microsoft Teams calendar
Open Calendar in Microsoft teams.
Click the ▼ next to New event → choose Create template.
In Meeting options, set your preferences (examples: who can bypass the lobby, whether meeting chat is available before/during/after, whether reactions are on, whether organizers/co‑organizers can record, and more).
Click Save as template, then give your meeting template a clear name (e.g., “Prospect call – chat during, no recording”) and optional description.
Click Save. Your personal meeting template is now available under Your templates.
With the rollout of Personal Meeting Template in Microsoft Teams, some users may have futher questions. I’ve selected for you the most frequently asked questions that could arise for both end-users and administrators.
✅ Can I use a personal meeting template for a 1:1 meeting ?
Yes. Personal templates can be applied to any meeting scheduled through the new Teams calendar, including 1:1 meetings. Just select your template when creating the event.
❌ Can I use a personal meeting template for a channel meeting ?
No. Channel meetings don’t use the same scheduling flow as calendar events, so personal templates aren’t supported there. Channel meetings are created directly in the channel and don’t offer the template picker.
❌ Can I use a personal meeting template for a group chat meeting ?
No. Group chat meetings are started ad hoc from the chat interface, not from the calendar, so templates can’t be applied. Personal templates only work when scheduling via the new Teams calendar.
📌 Can I create a personal meeting template while scheduling a meeting ?
Yes! If you’re setting up a meeting and think, “This configuration is perfect,” you can save it as a template right then. Just start a new event, set your meeting options, then click Save as template and name it.
👥 What if someone manages my calendar—can they use templates too ?
Absolutely! Delegates can create personal templates and use them when scheduling meetings for you. For best results, Microsoft recommends they create templates in their own calendar first.
✏️ If I edit a template, will it update meetings I’ve already scheduled ?
No. Edits only apply to future meetings created from that template. Existing meetings—including recurring series—won’t change.
🗑️ Can I recover a template after deleting it ?
No. Once deleted, a personal meeting template cannot be recovered. You’ll need to recreate it manually.
🔑 Do I need a special license to use personal meeting templates ?
Yes. This feature requires Microsoft Teams Premium.
📱 Are personal templates available on mobile ?
Not yet. They’re only accessible through the new Teams calendar on desktop and web.
🔒 Can I include sensitivity labels in my personal meeting templates ?
No. Personal templates don’t support sensitivity labels. Admin templates can include them, and labels can override template settings.
📂 Is there a limit to how many templates I can create ?
Yes. You can store up to 40 personal templates. If you hit the limit, delete one before creating another.
🔄 Do edits to a template affect previously scheduled meetings ?
No. Edits aren’t retroactive—only future meetings created from the template will use the updated settings.
🤝 Can I share my personal templates with other users ?
Not directly. There’s no export or sharing feature. Delegates can schedule on your behalf, but for shared configurations, admins should create organizational templates.
👀 Can admins see my personal templates ?
No. Microsoft doesn’t provide an admin view of personal templates. Governance relies on licensing and admin templates for policy control.
⚙️ Can admins disable personal templates through policy ?
Not specifically. Policies manage organizational templates, but personal templates are controlled by Teams Premium licensing.
🙋 Do meeting participants need Teams Premium to join ?
No. Attendees can join meetings created from a personal template without a Premium license. The organizer’s license covers the template features.
Personal meeting templates are a big win for anyone who schedules meetings often. They make the process faster, more consistent, and give users the flexibility to set things up exactly how they want. Plus, they help people get familiar with important security options—a great step toward safer, more compliant meetings.
But here’s the catch: some of those settings, especially the security features, can feel confusing for end-users. That’s where admins come in. They shouldn’t just create organizational templates—they should also play an educational role, helping users understand what these options mean and why they matter.
Clear communication is essential too. If admins don’t share which organizational templates already exist, users might create duplicates, leading to confusion and inconsistent experiences. When admins provide guidance and best practices, and users know when to use personal templates versus organizational ones, this feature becomes a true productivity booster—not a source of complexity.
If you liked this tip and infographic on Microsoft Teams and think it will be useful to others as well, feel free to share it.
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