Teams Room "Room Controls" button for controlling lighting/shades/video switchers, etc.

Joe Free 11

Hello, I am a control system developer. I write code that controls custom in-room hardware like lighting, shades, video switchers, etc., in order to deliver Microsoft Teams Rooms with a little more functionality than a basic system.

Some of the big control system manufacturers like Crestron and Extron have developed applications which can be installed on a Teams Room PC, which enable a special button at the bottom-right of the teams interface that looks like a typical "settings" icon. When users press that button, a custom UI appears that allows the user to control other equipment in the room.

I'm looking for any kind of documentation that would show me how to develop such an application myself, so that when my application is installed, the custom Room Controls button appears on the Teams UI. I've done a fair amount of searching, and I can't seem to find any information on how these companies have integrated with Teams in this way.

Thanks in advance!

Yuki Sun-MSFT 40,866 Reputation points

2022-02-21T05:11:16.807+00:00

Hi @Joe Free ,

Welcome to Microsoft Q&A!

Then please understand that the "office-teams-windows-itpro" tag is for general questions about Microsoft Teams client. Since from the description your question is more related to developing an application, I'll add the "office-teams-app-dev" tag under your thread so that their community can look into this as well. Thanks for your understanding.
Nivedipa-MSFT 2,806 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-02-21T11:30:17.607+00:00

@Joe Free - We are investigating your query. We will get back to you once we have any update.
Joe Free 11 Reputation points

2022-02-21T18:25:44.237+00:00

Thank you. I noticed the tag was added by mistake and I couldn't seem to change it after I posted the question.
Joe Free 11 Reputation points

2022-02-21T18:26:16.797+00:00

Thank you!
Nivedipa-MSFT 2,806 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-02-22T11:10:03.063+00:00

@JoeFree - Currently MS Teams doesn't have support for controlling lighting/shades/video switchers.
Could you please raise an user voice here:
https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/filters/new
Joe Free 11 Reputation points

2022-03-02T14:28:56.597+00:00

Microsoft Teams Rooms provide some sort of API for third-party control systems to integrate with the system. I am a control system programmer, and I configure Teams Rooms to operate external devices like lighting/shades, etc. all the time. What I'm trying to figure out is HOW do the companies like Crestron and Extron enable the little "settings" button on the Teams Room user interface that gives me the ability to do so. For additional reference, please see this link: Extron and Microsoft Teams, and notice the little icon at the bottom-right of the Teams User-interface. This only shows up once you install Extron's application on the Teams Room PC. I want to know how they did that so I can write my own application that does it.
Jon Bullard 6 Reputation points

2022-04-28T20:53:48.16+00:00

this link doesn't work.
Joe Free 11 Reputation points

2022-04-28T21:04:15.917+00:00

I just tried it and it does work for me. The address is www.extron.com/article/microsoft. Scroll down a little and you'll see info about how Extron installs software to make the room controls button appear.
Jon Bullard 6 Reputation points

2022-04-28T21:08:40.01+00:00

not your link, the one above to voice our opinions. It's frustrating because keeping this control hidden from us forces us to buy a system that these OEM's can't provide. In the end, the customers are the ones hurt by this. Zoom has it built in, why doesn't Teams? Why are they forcing us to go through a manufacturer that can't deliver?

1 answer

Nivedipa-MSFT 2,806 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-02T12:56:49.54+00:00

Currently MS Teams doesn't have support for controlling lighting/shades/video switchers.

Could you please raise an user voice here:

https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/forum/ad198462-1c1c-ec11-b6e7-0022481f8472
Please sign in to rate this answer.
Joe Free 11 Reputation points

2022-03-02T14:27:55.627+00:00

Microsoft Teams Rooms provide some sort of API for third-party control systems to integrate with the system. I am a control system programmer, and I configure Teams Rooms to operate external devices like lighting/shades, etc. all the time. What I'm trying to figure out is HOW do the companies like Crestron and Extron enable the little "settings" button on the Teams Room user interface that gives me the ability to do so. For additional reference, please see this link: Extron and Microsoft Teams, and notice the little icon at the bottom-right of the Teams User-interface. This only shows up once you install Extron's application on the Teams Room PC. I want to know how they did that so I can write my own application that does it.

Nivedipa-MSFT 2,806 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-03T05:40:25.84+00:00

@Joe Free - Currently only OEMs can load "page 2" extensions. Crestron has such extension.

Joe Free 11 Reputation points

2022-03-04T20:34:28.57+00:00

So If I'm a software company and I want to create a software solution, then there is no way for me to do this? I was hoping to write an application that enables this button, with supporting software on the PC which can control the devices in the room.

Logan Sie 1 Reputation point

2022-03-14T07:45:36.743+00:00

I have same question. I take care some software services of my company's products which are already Teams certificated. I would like to know if we want to provide a room control in MTR for some extra services, what should I start for it?

Nivedipa-MSFT 2,806 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-15T17:38:41.577+00:00

Currently there is no any API or supporting software available which can control the devices in the room.
You can raise an user voice here:
https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/filters/new

Nivedipa-MSFT 2,806 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-03-15T17:38:52.133+00:00

Currently there is no any API or supporting software available which can control the devices in the room.
You can raise an user voice here:
https://microsoftteams.uservoice.com/forums/555103-public/filters/new

Joe Free 11 Reputation points

2022-05-03T11:43:05.64+00:00

This link doesn't work.

Nivedipa-MSFT 2,806 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2022-05-13T09:30:23.653+00:00

Hi @Joe Free - You can use below link:
https://feedbackportal.microsoft.com/feedback/forum/ad198462-1c1c-ec11-b6e7-0022481f8472
I have updated in answer section also.

Pavel-Toman-2870 1 Reputation point

2022-05-13T13:55:36.713+00:00

Hello, we also have same problem.
We have our custom developed application for Teams and we need to show this app in Microsoft Teams Rooms. How can we achieve that? Is there any support person, that we can contact? Extron have very similar solution, but i am unable to find, how they did it..
Thank you for any help.

Raymundo Macaraya 0 Reputation points

2024-02-01T11:15:28.29+00:00

@Nivedipa-MSFT so you mean Jimmy Vaughan is only having an illusion? I heard in one of his trainings that MS Team rooms are capable of doing these kinds of things. He said it can be automated in Teams Room.
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