There’s a new client-side API for Microsoft Teams!

February 2023 brought a surprise for Teams Developers everywhere, with an announcement from Microsoft of a new API which can be used to control the Microsoft Teams client.

That actually isn’t the announcement Microsoft made, though. What they announced was a plugin for the Elgato Stream Deck, a popular programmable button console for streamers and gamers.

In order to make this work though, users will need to do the following: “click on the ellipses within Teams (next to your profile), select settings, choose privacy, and click manage API at the bottom of the menu. Toggle on to enable API and generate the API token and copy this API to input into Stream Deck.”

This tells me two things:

• This is a new API. There isn’t anything like this today.
• This API can be used to control (some) client features of Microsoft Teams.

What will be really interesting will be if developers can figure out (or if Microsoft wants to document) how other 3rd party applications can use this API to achieve similar integrations. Don’t worry, I’m going to find this out as soon as I can – stay tuned!

The publicly stated capabilities of this integration are:

• Toggle camera on/off
• Toggle mute on/off
• Toggle record on/off
• Toggle background blur on/off
• Leave the meeting
• Display live reactions including applause, laugh, like, love, and wow
• Raise or lower hand

It’s not clear wether that is all that the API can do, or whether this is just the functionality set which is offered via the StreamDeck plugin.

Is it available now?

Good question.

The StreamDeck plugin IS available now at : Microsoft Teams – Plugins (elgato.com). However, Microsoft have said that “this functionality is rolling out” through February 2023 – which likely relates to the ability in the client to generate the API key.

I’m an admin. Can I turn this off?

There was no information about admin controls. I’ve asked, and will update when I know more.