Teams on Linux with a tiling window manager doesn't minimize to systray when closing the window

zjeffer 36 Reputation points
2020-09-18T17:42:31.173+00:00

I use bspwm on Arch Linux and I have the following problem with Microsoft Teams:

1) Open Teams for Linux.
2) Close using keyboard shortcut or X in top right of the Teams window.
3a) If On close, keep the application running is checked in options, (2) will not do anything at all. This is unexpected behaviour.
3b) If it isn't checked, the whole application will close (expected behaviour).

So (3a) happens because the functionality to minimize the application to the systray doesn't seem to work properly. The expected behaviour should be: the application window closes, but the application keeps running in the background (launchable through the systray).

After searching online, it seems the functionality works on full desktop environments like GNOME or KDE, but doesn't work on (tiling) window managers like i3 or bspwm.

In the logs, this is what happens when I close Teams:

Fri Sep 18 2020 19:47:55 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time) <1393837> -- info -- Focusing main window 
Fri Sep 18 2020 19:47:55 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time) <1393837> -- info -- Is foreground set to true 
Fri Sep 18 2020 19:47:56 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time) <1393837> -- info -- Saved window state to {"monitorId":1251303547765213,"x":0,"y":0,"width":1280,"height":750,"isMaximized":true,"isFullScreen":false} 
Fri Sep 18 2020 19:47:56 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time) <1393837> -- info -- Preventing app from exiting and minimizing. 
Fri Sep 18 2020 19:47:56 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time) <1393837> -- info -- Main window is minimizing. 
Fri Sep 18 2020 19:47:56 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time) <1393837> -- info -- Blur main window 
Fri Sep 18 2020 19:47:56 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time) <1393837> -- info -- Is foreground set to false 
Fri Sep 18 2020 19:47:56 GMT+0200 (Central European Summer Time) <1393837> -- event -- duration: 1.312999963760376, name: desktop_foreground_duration, vdiMode: 0, eventpdclevel: 2,  

EDIT: I tried Teams in an Ubuntu VM and got the exact same logs, but in Ubuntu the feature does work.

Skype for Business Linux
Skype for Business Linux
Skype for Business: A Microsoft communications service that provides communications capabilities across presence, instant messaging, audio/video calling, and an online meeting experience that includes audio, video, and web conferencing.Linux: A family of open-source Unix-like operating systems.
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Accepted answer
  1. Sharon Zhao-MSFT 25,056 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor
    2020-09-21T03:09:06.607+00:00

    @zjeffer ,

    This seems a bug in Teams for Linux when using tiling windows.

    TizianoMller has reported this phenomenon in this thread.

    We will work on this problem. If there is any update on this issue, I will share with you as soon as possible.


    If the response is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.

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    5 people found this answer helpful.

4 additional answers

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  1. yrogory 1 Reputation point
    2021-03-18T09:39:43.693+00:00

    Bug is still present in teams 5 (running i3 on arch). Will this be fixed?

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  2. LinuxOnlySinceLate90s 1 Reputation point
    2022-01-19T08:35:04.967+00:00

    This is a more general issue:
    The "Teams" application disables the regular window decorations (title and boarders) of the Linux window manager in use in order to enforce its own proprietary visuals.
    When enabling these standard decorations for the "Teams" window, the window does not update its contents when resizing using the standard actions. Obviously, all resize events from the window manager get ignored (at least on the system I tested with, which is Plasma/KDE on Debian).
    In recent earlier releases of the "Teams" software that used to work but no longer.
    My "Teams" version at the time of writing is 1.4.0026453.

    If anyone is aware of an issue for that on the official MS issue tracker please let me know.

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  3. Shahtout, Hisham 1 Reputation point
    2022-05-22T15:31:52.49+00:00

    I have the same problem and it is quite annoying. All resize events are ignored

    I am on 1.5.00.10453 (64-bit) on Plasma/KDE

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  4. Luca Ioviero 1 Reputation point
    2022-07-22T06:47:35.667+00:00

    Same problem here. Kubuntu 22.04 (Plasma / KDE) . Teams version 1.5.00.10453 . Any workaround?

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