Microsoft Teams will relocate its notorious raise hand button from the main toolbar starting in June, aiming to eliminate those awkward interruptions when users accidentally signal they have a question during meetings.
The change moves the feature under the Reactions menu, grouping it with emoji responses rather than keeping it as a standalone control. Microsoft says this redesign specifically targets "mis-clicks" that occur when people confuse the two adjacent buttons on crowded toolbars.
A broader toolbar customization update accompanies the hand-raising fix, letting users pin, unpin, and reorder meeting controls to their preference. The Leave button also shifts position to prevent accidental meeting exits when sessions conclude.
These modifications appear on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap with rollout scheduled for June 2026. The company acknowledges the new layout "may feel different at first" but claims it's "designed to be faster and easier to use."
For Teams' 320 million monthly active users, the adjustment addresses one of remote work's most cringe-inducing moments, unintentionally halting presentations or discussions by raising a virtual hand instead of sending an emoji reaction. Support forums have filled with complaints about the easily confused interface elements.
The toolbar redesign arrives alongside other Teams updates including performance improvements for lower-end devices and enhanced external participant reporting features within meetings.
