Can we still manage signers under the sign language view?

Hi @Rebecca Suskin,  

Good day to you! Welcome to Microsoft Q&A forum. 

We understand how important the Sign Language View feature is for interpreters and participants who rely on sign language during meetings. Based on your observation and recent updates to Teams, I’d like to provide some clarity. 

Microsoft Teams has recently updated the Sign Language View experience to improve consistency and accessibility. While the core functionality remains allowing users to prioritize signers on screen some interface elements have been relocated. 

Sign Language Mode - July 2025 Update Highlights 

1. Real-Time AI Detection 
   Teams now uses AI to detect sign language in real time. Signers are automatically elevated to active speaker status, even without voice input. 
2. Self-Identification Options 
   Participants can label themselves as: 
   • Signer (Deaf/HoH using sign language) 
   • Sign Language Interpreter  These roles are visually marked in the participant list (e.g., waving hand icon, interpreter tag). 
3. Enhanced Visibility & Video Quality 
   • Signers’ video feeds are shown in center stage 
   • Maintained at highest quality 
   • Remain visible even during screen sharing 
4. UI Changes to Managing Signers 
   The old “Manage signers” list has been replaced. The new workflow includes: 
   • Pre-meeting setup in Accessibility Settings (preferred signers) 
   • In-meeting controls via participant list and self-identification 
5. Persistent Experience 
   Once configured, preferred signers remain prioritized across all meetings. 

Managing Signers in Microsoft Teams (Post-Update) 

1. Enable Sign Language Mode 
   Go to Settings > Accessibility and turn on Sign Language Mode. 
   You can also enable it during a meeting via More actions (···) > Settings > Accessibility. 
2. Self-Identify (Optional but Recommended) 
   Mark yourself as a Signer or Sign Language Interpreter to ensure visibility and proper tagging in the meeting. 
3. Add a Signer During a Meeting 
   • Open the Participants panel 
     • Click ··· (More options) next to the interpreter’s name 
       • Select “Make a signer” to prioritize their video feed 
         • You can designate up to two signers at a time 
4. Remove a Signer 
   Use the same menu to select “Stop making a signer” or “Remove from signers” 
5. Pre-define Preferred Signers 
   In Settings > Accessibility, use the Manage preferred signers option to add interpreters you frequently work with. 
   This list persists across meetings (only works for people within your organization). 
6. Spotlight for Everyone 
   To make an interpreter visible to all participants, use the Spotlight feature (separate from Sign Language Mode). 
   This must be done by the meeting organizer or presenter. 

The ability to add or remove signers is still available, it’s now integrated into the participant menu and settings, rather than a separate pop-up. The new AI detection, self-ID, and persistent settings make the experience smoother and more inclusive. 

For reference: Use Sign language mode in Microsoft Teams meetings - Microsoft Support 

Please let us know if you need further clarification or assistance. I really appreciate your patience and look forward to assisting you further.       

We hope you have a great day!     

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.  

Hi @Rebecca Suskin - This is the guide for Sign Language Mode. I don't think you can directly designate someone as a signer, only they can designate themselves as a signer from within preferences in their accessibility settings.

If you like this ability to designate your signers, please provide feedback via the Enterprise Disability Helpdesk and also via the feedback mechanism from within Teams. The guide mentions how to do that, or use this link. I want to make sure this feedback is captured in all the right channels.

Thanks!

Hi @Rebecca Suskin,    

I hope you're having a good week so far. 

I'm reaching out again to follow up on your issue and check if everything has been resolved. My goal is to ensure your experience remains smooth and hassle-free. If you're still encountering any problems or have run into new challenges, please let me know which steps you're currently stuck on and happy to provide further help whenever you need it.  

If you have any further questions, feel free to tag me in your reply so I can assist you directly. 

Looking forward to your update! 

Hi @Rebecca Suskin

Thank you for sharing this feedback—we appreciate your patience as we work to improve Sign Language support in Teams. Here is where you can learn more about the changes we're making: https://microsoft.design/articles/centering-sign-language-in-ai-and-design/

We recently updated how sign language interpreters are managed in meetings, which may have led to some confusion. Previously, Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing (D/HH) users could manually add internal or external interpreters through a "Manage Signers" option. We removed this feature because interpreters can now self-identify through Accessibility settings. This new approach allows us to automatically highlight a signer on the main stage whenever they begin signing, just like someone who is speaking aloud. Interpreters, however, will remain off-stage since their role is supportive rather than primary.

In the coming months, we're adding a new "Manage Interpreters" feature. It will work similarly to the previous "Manage Signers" option, giving you the ability to designate interpreters explicitly. We recognize that selecting your own interpreters is an important and personal choice. This improvement will also help Teams accurately attribute comments in meeting transcripts, distinguishing clearly between the Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing participant and their interpreter.

We acknowledge that this change feels like a step back before moving forward, but we're committed to delivering an improved experience soon. If there are other specific areas that aren't working as you expect, please let us know - we would like to hear from you!

Michelle