How to Create a Microsoft Teams Meeting Link for Guests [5 Best Methods]

If someone outside your organization, a client, a vendor, a job candidate, or just a friend, needs to join your Teams meeting, you don’t need to add them as a full Teams user. You just need to share a meeting link. That’s it.

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through every method to create a Microsoft Teams meeting link for guests, explain what guests can and can’t do, and make sure you never leave someone stuck at a digital door asking, “How do I join?”

What Is a “Guest” in Microsoft Teams?

Before diving in, let’s be clear about what we mean by a “guest.”

In Microsoft Teams, a guest is anyone who joins your meeting without being part of your organization’s Microsoft 365 tenant. This could be:

• An external client or partner
• A freelancer you hired
• A friend who doesn’t have a Microsoft account at all
• Someone joining from their phone via a browser

The good news? Guests can join a Teams meeting without installing the app and without creating a Microsoft account. They just need the meeting link and a browser like Chrome or Edge.

Create a Microsoft Teams Meeting Link for Guests

Now I will show you different ways to create a Microsoft Teams meeting link for guest users.

Method 1: Create a Teams Meeting Link from the Calendar (Desktop App)

This is the most common way to do it, and honestly, the one I use the most. Here’s how:

Step 1: Open Microsoft Teams on your desktop.

Step 2: Click on Calendar in the left-hand sidebar.

Step 3: Click the New button in the top-right corner.

Step 4: Fill in the meeting details:

• Title – Give your meeting a name (e.g., “Project Kickoff Call”)
• Date and time – Set when you want the meeting to happen
• Duration – How long it’ll run

Step 5: In the Add required attendees field, type the guest’s full email address (e.g., john@externalcompany.com). You can add multiple guests here.

Step 6: Click Send.

Once you send the invite, Microsoft Teams automatically generates a meeting link and sends it to everyone you added, including external guests. They’ll receive an email with a “Click here to join the meeting” link.

Pro tip: Even if you don’t know the guest’s email yet, you can still create the meeting, copy the link from the calendar event, and share it later via WhatsApp, Slack, or any other channel.

How to Copy Just the Meeting Link in Teams

Sometimes you don’t want to use the invite email. You just want to grab the link and paste it wherever you want — a Slack message, a WhatsApp group, or a simple email you write yourself.

Here’s how to do that:

1. Open Calendar in Teams
2. Click on the meeting you just created to open its details
3. At the top of the meeting detail panel, click Share → then Copy join link

Now you have the link in your clipboard. Paste it wherever you need.

Method 2: Create a Teams Meeting Link from Outlook

If you live in Outlook and rarely open the Teams app, you can create a Teams meeting directly from your Outlook calendar. Teams and Outlook are synced — a meeting scheduled in one automatically appears in the other.

Here’s how to do it from Outlook on the web or desktop:

Step 1: Open Outlook and go to your Calendar.

Step 2: Click New Event (or New Meeting).

Step 3: In the meeting editor, click Teams meeting toggle or look for the Add online meeting button (it may say “Teams Meeting” as a button in the toolbar if you’re using Outlook desktop).

Step 4: Add your guest’s email address in the To field.

Step 5: Add the subject, date, time, and any notes in the body.

Step 6: Click Send.

Your guest will receive a calendar invite with the Teams meeting link embedded in it. They don’t need a Teams account to click that link and join.

Method 3: Start an Instant Meeting and Share the Link in Teams

Sometimes you don’t want to schedule anything in advance. You want to start a meeting right now and quickly share the link with someone.

Here’s how to do that:

Step 1: In Teams, click the Calendar tab.

Step 2: Click Meet now (you’ll usually find it near the top-right area).

Step 3: Give your meeting a name if needed, then click Start meeting.

Step 4: Once the meeting starts, look for the People icon or Invite option.

Step 5: Click Copy meeting link and share it via email or chat.

This method is best when you’re jumping on a quick call and need to pull someone in fast. Just remember: the guest needs to join before you leave the meeting, since it ends when the last host exits.

Method 4: Create a Meeting Link from a Chat in Microsoft Teams

This is a neat trick that most people don’t know about. If you’re already chatting with someone in Teams and want to set up a meeting, you don’t have to go to the Calendar at all.

Step 1: Open a chat conversation in Teams.

Step 2: Click on the More options (…) button at the top of the chat window.

Step 3: Select Schedule a meeting.

Step 4: Fill in the details and click Send.

This automatically links the meeting to that chat thread, and both parties get the meeting link. It’s especially handy for one-on-one external calls.

Method 5: Create a Teams Meeting Link from the Mobile App

If you’re on the go and only have your phone, no problem. You can create a Teams meeting link from the mobile app, too.

Step 1: Open the Microsoft Teams app on your phone (iOS or Android).

Step 2: Tap the Calendar icon at the bottom.

Step 3: Tap the + or New event button (usually top-right).

Step 4: Add a title, date, time, and the guest’s email under Add participants.

Step 5: Tap Done to send the invite.

Your guest will receive the same email with the join link, regardless of whether you scheduled it from a desktop or a mobile device.

What the Guest Experience Looks Like

It’s worth knowing what your guest actually sees when they receive that link. This helps you set expectations and troubleshoot if someone says, “I can’t join.”

When a guest clicks the Teams meeting link:

1. Their browser opens, and they land on a page that asks: “How do you want to join?”
2. They’ll see two options:
   • Download the Windows app (optional)
   • Continue on this browser (no download needed)
3. They click Continue on this browser, and a pre-join screen appears
4. They type their name (since they don’t have a Teams account)
5. They click Join now
6. Depending on your settings, they either join directly or land in the Lobby waiting for you to admit them

The guest doesn’t need a Microsoft account, a Teams license, or anything extra. Just a link and a browser.

Managing Guest Access: The Lobby Feature

One thing worth knowing as the meeting organizer is the Lobby setting. By default, external guests are placed in a virtual waiting room (the lobby) before they can enter the meeting. You have to manually admit them.

You can change who bypasses the lobby by:

1. Opening your meeting details in Teams Calendar
2. Clicking Meeting options (you’ll see a link at the top)
3. Under Who can bypass the lobby, choose:
   • Everyone – Anyone with the link joins immediately
   • People in my org – Guests wait in the lobby
   • Only me – Everyone waits for you to admit them
   • People I invite – Only those directly invited bypass the lobby

I usually set it to People I invite when I’m hosting client calls. It keeps things tidy and prevents random people from popping in.

Meeting Options Worth Knowing About

When you create a meeting for guests, here are a few options you’ll want to configure:

• Who can present? – Set this to “Only me” if you don’t want guests to accidentally share their screen
• Allow mic for attendees – You can mute everyone by default and unmute when needed
• Record automatically – Turn this on if you need a recording but make sure to inform guests (legal requirement in many regions)
• Allow chat – You can allow or restrict in-meeting chat

To access these options, open the meeting in your Calendar and click the Meeting options link before the meeting starts.

Common Issues and Quick Fixes

Quick Recap: Which Method Should You Use?

Situation	Best Method
Scheduled meeting with known guests	Calendar → New Meeting
You use Outlook more than Teams	Outlook → Teams Meeting toggle
Quick impromptu call right now	Meet Now → Copy link
Already chatting with the guest in Teams	Chat → Schedule Meeting
You’re on your phone	Teams Mobile App

Final Thoughts

Microsoft Teams meeting link for a guest is genuinely simple once you know the options available. The most important thing to remember is that your guest doesn’t need a Teams account — just a link and a browser. You can share that link from the Teams calendar, Outlook, a chat, or even your phone.

The one extra step I’d always recommend is checking your Meeting Options before the call — especially the lobby settings. It takes 30 seconds and saves a lot of confusion during the meeting itself.

Also, you may like:

• Make Microsoft Teams Dark Mode
• Microsoft Teams Team vs Channel
• Change Your Name in Microsoft Teams
• Set Microsoft Teams to Record Automatically