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Quick Answer

In an active Teams meeting, click the Rooms icon in the top toolbar, choose how many rooms you need, select whether to assign people automatically or manually, and click Create Rooms.

How to Use Breakout Rooms in a Teams Meeting ​

Applies to: Microsoft Teams (Desktop, Web)
Article Type: How-To
Last Updated: 2026-03-09

Summary ​

Breakout rooms split a Teams meeting into smaller groups for focused discussions, brainstorming, or workshops. As the meeting organizer, you can create and manage breakout rooms without needing any admin privileges. This article explains how to set up, manage, and close breakout rooms.

Prerequisites ​

  • This requires being the meeting organizer (the person who scheduled the meeting).
  • Microsoft Teams desktop or web app. Breakout rooms are not available on mobile for the organizer.

Instructions ​

1. Create Breakout Rooms Before a Meeting ​

Pre-configure rooms so they are ready when the meeting starts.

  1. Open the meeting in your Teams Calendar.
  2. Click Breakout rooms at the top of the meeting details.
  3. Choose the number of rooms you need (up to 50).
  4. Select an assignment method:
    • Automatically — Teams distributes participants evenly.
    • Manually — You assign specific people to each room.
  5. Click Create rooms.
  6. If you chose Manually, click each room and use Assign participants to add people.

2. Create Breakout Rooms During a Meeting ​

Set up rooms on the fly while the meeting is in progress.

  1. Click the Breakout rooms icon on the meeting toolbar.
  2. Choose the number of rooms and the assignment method.
  3. Click Create rooms.
  4. Assign participants if using manual assignment.
  5. Click Open rooms to move participants into their rooms.

3. Manage Open Breakout Rooms ​

Monitor and interact with active breakout rooms.

  1. From the Breakout rooms panel, you can:
    • Join any room to check on progress.
    • Make an announcement — sends a message to all rooms simultaneously.
    • Set a timer — automatically closes rooms after a set duration.
    • Reassign participants — move people between rooms.
  2. Click Close rooms to bring everyone back to the main meeting.

4. Close Breakout Rooms ​

End the breakout session and return all participants to the main meeting.

  1. Click Close rooms in the Breakout rooms panel.
  2. All participants are moved back to the main meeting.
  3. Chat history from each breakout room remains accessible to participants after the meeting.

Troubleshooting ​

INFO

Only the meeting organizer can create and manage breakout rooms. Co-organizers and presenters cannot control breakout rooms unless the organizer assigns them the co-organizer role.

Symptom / ErrorPotential CauseSolution
Breakout rooms icon not visibleYou are not the meeting organizerOnly the person who scheduled the meeting can create breakout rooms. Ask the organizer to set them up.
Participant did not move to their roomParticipant is on mobileMobile users see a prompt to join the room. They must accept it manually.
Cannot assign specific peopleUsing Automatic assignmentSwitch to Manual assignment by clicking Reassign participants in the room settings.