This guide introduces you to the SMS and MMS messaging experience within Microsoft Teams, whether you're using the Unified Connector App or the legacy SMS Connector App. As an end user, you'll learn how to access the SMS interface, send and receive messages (including multimedia), and understand how your conversations appear in Teams. This is the ideal starting point if you're new to text messaging in Teams or need a quick refresher on the core features.
IMPORTANT UPDATE
To simplify deployment and ongoing management, we are consolidating four separate connector applications into a single Unified Connector App.
This approach reduces complexity for both enterprise administrators and end users by eliminating the need to install, configure, and manage multiple Microsoft Teams applications. With the Unified Connector App, organizations benefit from a single installation that supports PBX, SMS, Call, and Chat services, resulting in a more streamlined setup experience, fewer configuration points, and a more consistent user interface.
Additional benefits of this consolidation include simplified updates and version control, improved reliability through shared services, reduced administrative overhead, and a clearer support and troubleshooting model.
Starting with ConnecttoTeams Portal upgrade 2.18.4, the Unified Connector App also includes AI support, allowing users to perform actions such as sending SMS messages using plain, everyday language directly from the Chat tab — no special commands or navigation required.
Recommendation
The CallApp and Chat services are now available exclusively through the Unified Connector App.
New enterprise deployments are therefore strongly encouraged to use the Unified Connector App for PBX and SMS, rather than relying on standalone connector apps.
The end of life date for PBX and SMS Connector Apps will be announced soon.
Before You Begin
Your Enterprise Admin must enable your Teams user for the SMS service.
Your Enterprise Admin must configure your user for SMS and assign a phone number to your user or an SMS group that you are a member of.
Your organization's Global Admin (GA) must have deployed the app your organization is using, which could be any of the following:
The Unified Connector App. For steps, refer to: Deploy and Sync the Unified Connector App.
The legacy SMS Connector App. For steps, refer to: Deploy and Sync the SMS App to a Microsoft Teams Organization.
Know When the App Is Ready
Whether you're using the Unified Connector App or the legacy SMS Connector App, follow these steps to check when the app is ready for use.
In Microsoft Teams, navigate to the Teams app catalog.
Under Built for your org, locate the app.
Note: The app name may vary if it has been customized by your service provider.
The app is ready when the button says “Open”.
Once available, select Open to start using the app.
For quicker access in the future, you can optionally pin the app to your Microsoft Teams sidebar.
If the button continues to display Add for more than 24 hours, contact your enterprise administrator and request that they upgrade the app in the Enterprise portal by increasing the version number and redeploying the app.
SMS and MMS (Texting): End User Experience
Here are the different ways you can use the SMS Connectors to send and receive text messages:
1. SMS Page Within the App
Whether you're using the Unified Connector App or the legacy SMS Connector App, the included SMS page serves as your central hub for managing text (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages directly within Microsoft Teams app.
From this page, you can:
View, send, and receive SMS and MMS messages
Broadcast messages to multiple recipients
Send group texts (if supported by your assigned SMS number)
Manage your Outlook Contacts directly within the app
How to Access the SMS Page
In the Unified Connector App:
Refer to the article , specifically Section 5: Functional Navigation Icons, for steps on accessing the SMS page.In the Legacy SMS Connector App:
1. Go to Apps > Built for your org and select the legacy SMS Connector app.
Click Open to launch it.
If you've previously pinned the app, you can simply click its icon in the Teams sidebar.
2. Once the app is open, navigate to the SMS tab to begin managing your messages.
For complete instruction on using the SMS page, see Using the SMS Page within the App.
2. Teams Group Chat (Unified Connector App)
When using the Unified Connector App, SMS conversations appear directly in your Teams group chat. This means messages sent and received via SMS are accessible in the same space where you collaborate with teammates, enabling a unified communication experience within Microsoft Teams.
The SMS/MMS messages are presented just like a regular chat. The chat name follows the format source(destination).
Search for the chat thread tied to your SMS number or associated Outlook contact’s name. Send your message and view incoming texts just like a normal chat. Send MMS just like a normal chat with file attachment.
To reply to an SMS, simply respond in the group chat—your message will be sent back to the original sender’s phone number ("source" number). To send an MMS, just attach a file to your message before sending.
3. Channels Within Teams (Legacy SMS Connector App)
If you're using the legacy SMS Connector App, SMS messages are delivered to a designated Teams channel. These messages are visible to all members of the team.
There are 2 ways to a message from this channel:
By clicking on the Respond to Message button. This will launch the SMS Composer modal, where you can type and send your response.
For detailed steps, see Using the SMS Composer.By using the @ from the chat screen – Note: this can only be done in Channel associated to the other party’s SMS phone number.
Tip
Pin the card representing the SMS/MMS linked conversations for easier access to it when the normal chat messages grows in quantity
For better experience, the team name may be renamed. Follow this guide on how to rename an SMS team - Renaming and Restoring Deleted SMS Teams and Channels . It is important not to delete a team dedicated to SMS because it will cause failure of the delivery of SMS message to the intended Teams user. The above-mentioned help page also discusses how to restore in the event an SMS team is deleted.
4. AI-Powered Chat Tab (Unified Connector App)
The Unified Connector App includes an AI-powered Chat tab that allows Teams users to send SMS text messages using natural, everyday language. This feature provides a conversational interface where you can simply describe what you want to do, and the AI assistant will handle the rest.
How It Works
The AI-powered Chat tab is available directly within the Unified Connector App. Instead of navigating to the SMS page or composing messages manually, you can type a plain-language request in the Chat tab, and the AI will compose and send the SMS or MMS on your behalf.
Example Requests
You can use natural language to perform SMS actions, such as:
• “Send a text to 555-123-4567 saying I’ll be 10 minutes late.”
• “Text +1-555-123-4567 that the meeting has been moved to 3 PM.”
• “Send an SMS from +1-203-111-2222 to 1-555-123-4567 with the message: Please call me when you’re available.”
• “Send a group text from +1-203-111-2222 to 555-123-4567, 555-123-4577 and 555-123-4587 with the message: Our meeting with client ABC will push through tomorrow.”
Messages sent via the AI-powered Chat tab will appear in the relevant Teams group chat, just like any other SMS conversation described in Number 2 above.
Important: Do not begin your messages with these words
The Chat tab also supports traditional commands that use the following reserved keywords:
echo
help
invite
initiate
When using natural language to instruct the AI, do not begin your message with any of these keywords, as the app will interpret it as a traditional command rather than an AI prompt.
In a future update, these reserved keywords will be removed, and the Chat tab will fully support natural language processing for all inputs without restriction.
New Message Notifications
Users gets notified when there are new SMS and MMS messages via the Microsoft Teams Activity Feed.
Here is a new message notification shown in Microsoft Teams desktop app.
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