Having extensive experience using Microsoft Teams to conduct live events, I recognize the significance of being able to view the participants. It is vital to have an understanding of who is present at your virtual conference, company-wide gathering, or webinar. In this guide, I will walk you through the steps of seeing attendees in Microsoft Teams live events, sharing my own thoughts and interpretations.
Understanding Attendee Visibility in Microsoft Teams Live Events
When it comes to Microsoft Teams live events, there are two types of participants: presenters and attendees. Presenters are the individuals who actively engage in the event, such as delivering presentations or answering questions. On the other hand, attendees are the participants who join the event to listen and watch, without being able to actively contribute.
By default, Microsoft Teams live events are designed to prioritize the presenter’s view. This means that attendees’ videos, names, and profile pictures are not visible to other attendees or presenters. However, organizers have the option to change this setting and allow presenters to see attendees.
Enabling Attendee Visibility as an Organizer
To enable attendee visibility in a Microsoft Teams live event, follow these steps:
- Start by scheduling a live event in Microsoft Teams. Once you have filled in the event details such as date, time, and event title, click on the “Next” button.
- In the “Invite attendees” section, select the desired option based on your event’s privacy requirements. You can choose to invite specific individuals or make the event public by selecting “Everyone” or “People in your organization” as attendees.
- Scroll down to the “Event options” section and click on “Edit” next to “Who can bypass the lobby?”. Choose whether you want attendees to join the event directly or wait in the lobby until admitted by a presenter.
- Next, click on “Edit” next to “Attendee visibility” and select “Show” to allow presenters to see the attendees.
- Review the other event settings such as presenter permissions, Q&A options, and recording preferences, and make any necessary adjustments.
- Finally, click on “Save” to save the event settings.
Once you have enabled attendee visibility, presenters will be able to see the attendees’ videos, names, and profile pictures during the live event.
Viewing Attendees as a Presenter
As a presenter in a Microsoft Teams live event, you can easily view the attendees by following these steps:
- Join the live event session as a presenter by clicking on the event link or opening it from your Microsoft Teams calendar.
- Once you are in the live event, click on the “Show participants” button located in the control bar at the top of the screen.
- A panel will slide out from the right side of the screen, displaying a list of all the attendees who have joined the event.
- From this panel, you can scroll through the attendee list, view their videos (if enabled), and see their names and profile pictures.
Having this visibility allows presenters to gauge audience engagement, interact with specific attendees, and tailor their presentation accordingly.
Conclusion
Being able to see the attendees in a Microsoft Teams live event is a valuable feature that enhances the overall experience for both presenters and organizers. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily enable attendee visibility and view the participants during your live event. Remember to consider the privacy requirements of your event when enabling attendee visibility, and utilize this feature to create more engaging and interactive virtual meetings and conferences.