Microsoft adds new features to Teams every month, and this month won't be an exception. One of the long-requested features that Teams users are expected to get this month is the ability to react to messages and posts with multiple emojis. In addition, the software giant is working on another feature, but unlike emoji, it's meant to address a more pressing problem in Teams: time management.

Different people interpret effective time management differently, but for meeting presenters, it's about getting key points covered on time. The upcoming Teams feature won't help you decide what to speak, but it'll keep track and manage your speaking time for a smoother online meeting.

Microsoft Teams is finally getting a timer feature

To help you manage your time effectively during online meetings, Microsoft is working towards adding an on-screen Countdown Timer to Teams. The timer does exactly what you expect it to do: it shows the total time allotted to the meeting as well as elapsed time, helping users pace their speaking accordingly.

According to details revealed on the Microsoft 365 Roadmap page (Feature ID: 494842), Teams will allow users to add a timer that can run up to 100 minutes in any meeting. Also, the timer feature will be available in the meeting window for all participants.

While it's not clear whether meeting presenters will have the option to prevent participants from viewing the Countdown Timer, Teams will offer several controls, such as stop, pause, and to be able to add more time. Again, Microsoft hasn't shared information about whether it'll allow extending the timer beyond 100 minutes.

Users have long been asking Microsoft to add this feature to Teams. Over 90K Teams users wanted to know whether they could add an on-screen timer during a Teams meeting on the Microsoft Community portal. We also see several feature requests for the Countdown Timer on Microsoft's Feedback portal, the oldest one of which has almost five thousand upvotes.

When is Microsoft planning to introduce Countdown Timers to Teams?

The Countdown Timer is one of those features that Teams users have been requesting Microsoft to add for years. The company has taken years to confirm that it's working on it, but it won't keep you waiting for long to get your hands on it. As per the Roadmap page, the general availability is July this year. While Microsoft keeps its promise most of the time, release timelines on the Roadmap page are subject to change, so don't be surprised if it gets delayed by a couple of months.