If you’ve ever felt like you’re spending too long searching for files or digging through your inbox for a contact’s phone number, Microsoft has just quietly launched something that might make your day a little easier.
By Lauren, Service Desk Manager at b2b IT Services – Personic is part of the b2b Group.
They’re called Microsoft 365 mini-apps, and two of them – Search and People – are already starting to make life simpler for teams like ours.
The new Search mini-app
This handy little feature lives right on your Windows 11 taskbar and pulls in your Microsoft 365 data — think recent files, emails, calendar invites, and contacts — all in one place. No more bouncing between Outlook, Teams, and OneDrive trying to find that elusive quote or meeting link.
It’s quick, clean, and surprisingly helpful for those “where did I save that?” moments we all have.
It’s like a personal assistant built into the taskbar, I’ve already found myself using it when someone rings and I need to pull up their info fast, it’s just there.
The People mini-app
If you’re using Microsoft Teams, you might have already spotted this one. It’s essentially a contact manager built into Teams – but a proper one.
You can now add and organise your contacts (clients, suppliers, colleagues — whoever), and even pin the app to keep it in easy reach. No more scrabbling through email threads to remember someone’s job title or direct dial.
Having client contact details in Teams just makes sense. You’re probably chatting with them there already – now everything else is in the same place.
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Microsoft recommends pinning both the People and File Search apps to your taskbar for immediate access. This simple step can transform your workflow by reducing the number of clicks needed to access key functions.