How to Make External Calls in Teams?

Updated on:

May 8, 2026

By:

Use this interactive demo to learn how to place external calls directly in Microsoft Teams.

Quick summary

Microsoft Teams allows users to call external contacts by searching with an email address and selecting the contact from a dropdown. This two-step process enables seamless external communication without leaving the Teams interface.

Steps

Search for the external contact using their email ID and select their name from the dropdown list.
Click the Call option to initiate the external call directly within Microsoft Teams.

📌 Why this matters

Making external calls directly within Microsoft Teams eliminates the need to switch between communication tools, keeping workflows unified and efficient. This feature is essential for teams that regularly collaborate with clients, vendors, or partners outside their organization. By enabling external calls through a simple email-based search, Teams reduces friction in cross-organizational communication. For businesses evaluating unified communications platforms, this capability positions Microsoft Teams as a complete solution for both internal and external calling needs.

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