(Updated) Microsoft Teams | Search with key query language

Message Center ID: MC1130388
Microsoft Teams
Stay Informed
Feature update User impact
August 2025 September 2025
Desktop Mac

Summary

Microsoft Teams now supports structured, SQL-like search queries (e.g., from:, in:, is:) for precise filtering of messages, files, and conversations across platforms. Rolled out globally by August 2025, this feature requires no admin action but encourages user awareness and training for adoption.

Details

Updated August 26, 2025: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.

Introduction

We’re introducing a new way to search in Microsoft Teams using structured, SQL-like query commands in the search bar. This enhancement allows users to filter messages, files, and conversations more precisely using keywords such as from:username, with:username, in:channel, or is:type (message, file, group chat, channel). This feature is especially useful for developers and power users who prefer to express specific search intent to narrow down search results and easily find what they are looking for.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 496590.

When this will happen

Targeted Release: We began rolling out in early August 2025 and expect to complete by early August 2025 - Completed

General Availability (Worldwide): We began rolling out mid-August 2025 and expect to complete by mid-August 2025 - Completed

General Availability (GCC, GCCH, and DoD): We began rolling out late August 2025 and expect to complete by late September 2025.

How this affects your organization

This feature enhances the search experience in Microsoft Teams by enabling structured, SQL-like queries. It will be available on the following platforms at launch:

  • Teams Web
  • Teams Desktop
  • Teams Mac

Users will be able to filter messages, files, and conversations using commands such as is:, in:, from:, and with:. This applies to all Teams content that is accessible to the user, including private chats, shared channels, and files.

Once available, the feature will be on demand—users can begin typing one of the supported commands in the search bar to activate it.

If a user enters an unsupported or malformed query, the system will default to standard search results. Users can also leverage query suggestions to help formulate correct queries.

This update provides a faster, more accurate way to locate content, especially in large or complex Teams environments.

What you can do to prepare

No admin action is required. You may wish to:

  • Inform users about this new capability.
  • Encourage users to try structured search queries.
  • Share training materials or internal documentation to support adoption.

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

Related Roadmap Items

Change History

August 26, 2025 at 10:30 PM Updated
Summary
Previous
Microsoft Teams now supports structured, SQL-like search queries (e.g., from:, in:, is:) for precise filtering of messages, files, and conversations across platforms. The feature rolled out globally by August 2025, requires no admin action, and improves search accuracy, especially in complex environments.
New
Microsoft Teams now supports structured, SQL-like search queries (e.g., from:, in:, is:) for precise filtering of messages, files, and conversations across platforms. Rolled out globally by August 2025, this feature requires no admin action but encourages user awareness and training for adoption.
Last Updated Date
Previous
2025-08-22T16:41:19.413Z
New
2025-08-26T21:23:46.507Z
Body Content
Previous

Updated August 22, 2025: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.

Introduction

We’re introducing a new way to search in Microsoft Teams using structured, SQL-like query commands in the search bar. This enhancement allows users to filter messages, files, and conversations more precisely using keywords such as from:username, with:username, in:channel, or is:type (message, file, group chat, channel). This feature is especially useful for developers and power users who prefer to express specific search intent to narrow down search results and easily find what they are looking for.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 496590.

When this will happen

Targeted Release: We began rolling out in early August 2025 and expect to complete by early August 2025 - Completed

General Availability (Worldwide): We began rolling out mid-August 2025 and expect to complete by mid-August 2025 - Completed

General Availability (GCC, GCCH, and DoD): We began rolling out late August 2025 and expect to complete by late September 2025.

How this affects your organization

This feature enhances the search experience in Microsoft Teams by enabling structured, SQL-like queries. It will be available on the following platforms at launch:

  • Teams Web
  • Teams Desktop
  • Teams Mac

Users will be able to filter messages, files, and conversations using commands such as is:, in:, from:, and with:. This applies to all Teams content that is accessible to the user, including private chats, shared channels, and files.

Once available, the feature will be on demand—users can begin typing one of the supported commands in the search bar to activate it.

If a user enters an unsupported or malformed query, the system will default to standard search results. Users can also leverage query suggestions to help formulate correct queries.

This update provides a faster, more accurate way to locate content, especially in large or complex Teams environments.

What you can do to prepare

No admin action is required. You may wish to:

  • Inform users about this new capability.
  • Encourage users to try structured search queries.
  • Share training materials or internal documentation to support adoption.

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

New

Updated August 26, 2025: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.

Introduction

We’re introducing a new way to search in Microsoft Teams using structured, SQL-like query commands in the search bar. This enhancement allows users to filter messages, files, and conversations more precisely using keywords such as from:username, with:username, in:channel, or is:type (message, file, group chat, channel). This feature is especially useful for developers and power users who prefer to express specific search intent to narrow down search results and easily find what they are looking for.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 496590.

When this will happen

Targeted Release: We began rolling out in early August 2025 and expect to complete by early August 2025 - Completed

General Availability (Worldwide): We began rolling out mid-August 2025 and expect to complete by mid-August 2025 - Completed

General Availability (GCC, GCCH, and DoD): We began rolling out late August 2025 and expect to complete by late September 2025.

How this affects your organization

This feature enhances the search experience in Microsoft Teams by enabling structured, SQL-like queries. It will be available on the following platforms at launch:

  • Teams Web
  • Teams Desktop
  • Teams Mac

Users will be able to filter messages, files, and conversations using commands such as is:, in:, from:, and with:. This applies to all Teams content that is accessible to the user, including private chats, shared channels, and files.

Once available, the feature will be on demand—users can begin typing one of the supported commands in the search bar to activate it.

If a user enters an unsupported or malformed query, the system will default to standard search results. Users can also leverage query suggestions to help formulate correct queries.

This update provides a faster, more accurate way to locate content, especially in large or complex Teams environments.

What you can do to prepare

No admin action is required. You may wish to:

  • Inform users about this new capability.
  • Encourage users to try structured search queries.
  • Share training materials or internal documentation to support adoption.

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

August 22, 2025 at 6:30 PM Updated
Title
Previous
Microsoft Teams | Search with key query language
New
(Updated) Microsoft Teams | Search with key query language
Summary
Previous
Microsoft Teams is introducing SQL-like structured search queries (e.g., from:, in:, is:) to filter messages, files, and conversations more precisely. Rolling out August 2025 on Web, Desktop, and Mac, this feature enhances search accuracy without admin action needed. Users can activate it by typing supported commands in the search bar.
New
Microsoft Teams now supports structured, SQL-like search queries (e.g., from:, in:, is:) for precise filtering of messages, files, and conversations across platforms. The feature rolled out globally by August 2025, requires no admin action, and improves search accuracy, especially in complex environments.
Last Updated Date
Previous
2025-08-06T23:31:55.270Z
New
2025-08-22T16:41:19.413Z
Tags
Previous
Feature update,User impact
New
Updated message,Feature update,User impact
Body Content
Previous

Introduction

We’re introducing a new way to search in Microsoft Teams using structured, SQL-like query commands in the search bar. This enhancement allows users to filter messages, files, and conversations more precisely using keywords such as from:username, with:username, in:channel, or is:type (message, file, group chat, channel). This feature is especially useful for developers and power users who prefer to express specific search intent to narrow down search results and easily find what they are looking for.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 496590.

When this will happen

  • Targeted Release: We began rolling out in early August 2025 and expect to complete by early August 2025.
  • General Availability (Worldwide, GCC, GCCH, and DoD): We began rolling out mid-August 2025 and expect to complete by mid-August 2025.

How this affects your organization

This feature enhances the search experience in Microsoft Teams by enabling structured, SQL-like queries. It will be available on the following platforms at launch:

  • Teams Web
  • Teams Desktop
  • Teams Mac

Users will be able to filter messages, files, and conversations using commands such as is:, in:, from:, and with:. This applies to all Teams content that is accessible to the user, including private chats, shared channels, and files.

Once available, the feature will be on demand—users can begin typing one of the supported commands in the search bar to activate it.

If a user enters an unsupported or malformed query, the system will default to standard search results. Users can also leverage query suggestions to help formulate correct queries.

This update provides a faster, more accurate way to locate content, especially in large or complex Teams environments.

What you can do to prepare

No admin action is required. You may wish to:

  • Inform users about this new capability.
  • Encourage users to try structured search queries.
  • Share training materials or internal documentation to support adoption.

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

New

Updated August 22, 2025: We have updated the timeline. Thank you for your patience.

Introduction

We’re introducing a new way to search in Microsoft Teams using structured, SQL-like query commands in the search bar. This enhancement allows users to filter messages, files, and conversations more precisely using keywords such as from:username, with:username, in:channel, or is:type (message, file, group chat, channel). This feature is especially useful for developers and power users who prefer to express specific search intent to narrow down search results and easily find what they are looking for.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 496590.

When this will happen

Targeted Release: We began rolling out in early August 2025 and expect to complete by early August 2025 - Completed

General Availability (Worldwide): We began rolling out mid-August 2025 and expect to complete by mid-August 2025 - Completed

General Availability (GCC, GCCH, and DoD): We began rolling out late August 2025 and expect to complete by late September 2025.

How this affects your organization

This feature enhances the search experience in Microsoft Teams by enabling structured, SQL-like queries. It will be available on the following platforms at launch:

  • Teams Web
  • Teams Desktop
  • Teams Mac

Users will be able to filter messages, files, and conversations using commands such as is:, in:, from:, and with:. This applies to all Teams content that is accessible to the user, including private chats, shared channels, and files.

Once available, the feature will be on demand—users can begin typing one of the supported commands in the search bar to activate it.

If a user enters an unsupported or malformed query, the system will default to standard search results. Users can also leverage query suggestions to help formulate correct queries.

This update provides a faster, more accurate way to locate content, especially in large or complex Teams environments.

What you can do to prepare

No admin action is required. You may wish to:

  • Inform users about this new capability.
  • Encourage users to try structured search queries.
  • Share training materials or internal documentation to support adoption.

Compliance considerations

No compliance considerations identified, review as appropriate for your organization.

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