Topic Last Modified: 2014-01-20

The following tables compare the features and capabilities of Lync 2013 clients in the following categories:

These tables indicate the features that are available to Lync users in an on-premises deployment of Lync Server 2013. The same features are also available to Lync Online and Office 365 users unless otherwise indicated.

Important:
See Mobile Client Comparison Tables for details about feature availability in Lync 2013 mobile clients.
Note:

Enhanced Presence Support

Feature/capability Lync 2013 Lync Windows Store app Lync 2013 Basic Lync Web App Lync 2010 Attendant Lync Phone Edition Communicator for Mac 2011 Lync for Mac 2011

Publish and view status

1

View status based on calendar free/busy information

1

View status notes and Out of Office messages

1

Add a custom location

Add a custom note

1

Use a photo from any public site for My Picture

2

1 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, Lync 2010 Attendant is not supported.

2 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, this feature is not available.

Contacts and Contact Groups Support

Feature/capability Lync 2013 Lync Windows Store app Lync 2013 Basic Lync Web App Lync 2010 Attendant Lync Phone Edition Communicator for Mac 2011 Lync for Mac 2011

View Contacts list

1

Modify Contacts list

1

Tag contacts for status change alerts

1

Control privacy relationships

1

Search the corporate address book

1

Search Microsoft Outlook contacts

1

Manage contact groups

1

Expand distribution groups

1

Search for Response Groups

2

1

Display recent contacts group

1

Display current conversations group

1

Display alternate contact views (for example, tile)

1

Sort contacts by Group, Relationship, or New (people who’ve added you to their Contacts list)

Sort by group

1

Sort contacts by Status (availability)

1

1 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, Lync 2010 Attendant is not supported.

2 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, this feature is not available.

IM Support

Feature/capability Lync 2013 Lync Windows Store app Lync 2013 Basic Lync Web App Lync 2010 Attendant Lync Phone Edition Communicator for Mac 2011 Lync for Mac 2011

Initiate IM with a contact

1

Navigate among multiple IM conversations/Track multiple conversations in a single tabbed window

1

Log IM conversations in Outlook

1

Saved in Communicator for Mac

Saved in Lync for Mac

Initiate an email to a contact

1

Use prepared conversation templates

1

Spelling checker

Skill search (with SharePoint Server integration)

2

2

1, 2

Persistent Chat (Group Chat) integration

3

3

Escalate a Persistent Chat room to a Lync Meeting with one click

3

Inline pictures of sender and receiver in IM window

1 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, Lync 2010 Attendant is not supported.

2 On-premises Lync Server 2013 and on-premises SharePoint 2013 is required for skill search.

3 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, Persistent Chat is not available.

Conferencing Support

Note:
  • Lync meeting features are not available in Lync Online Standalone Plan 1.

  • In Lync-to-Lync sessions, a Lync Online Plan 1 user can participate in desktop sharing and application sharing if they are invited by a user who has access to sharing features.

  • For details, see the Lync Online Service Description at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=282430.

Feature/capability Lync 2013 Lync Windows Store app Lync 2013 Basic Lync Web App Lync 2010 Attendant Lync Phone Edition Communicator for Mac 2011 Lync for Mac 2011

Add computer audio

(requires plug-in)

1

Add video

(requires plug-in)

View multiparty video (gallery view)

Use in-meeting presenter controls

Access detailed meeting roster

1

Participate in multiparty IM

1

Share the desktop (if enabled)

(requires plug-in)

2

2

Share a program (if enabled)

(requires plug-in)

View only

Add anonymous participants (if enabled)

Use dial-in audio conferencing

3

3

3

3

1

Initiate a Meet Now meeting

Add and present Microsoft PowerPoint files

View only, annotations not available4

Navigate Microsoft PowerPoint files

Add and edit OneNote meeting notes

Edit only (not add)

Use a whiteboard

Conduct polls

Upload files to share with others

Schedule a meeting or conference

Outlook or Lync Web Scheduler

Outlook or Lync Web Scheduler

Outlook or Lync Web Scheduler

Lync Web Scheduler

Outlook

Create public meetings with static meeting IDs from Outlook

Q&A Manager

1 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, Lync 2010 Attendant is not supported.

2 Participants cannot control desktops that are shared by Lync for Mac 2011 or Communicator for Mac 2011 users. Lync for Mac 2011 and Communicator for Mac 2011 users can control desktops shared by Windows users.

3 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, this feature requires an audio conferencing provider.

4 The Lync for Mac 2011 client cannot view Microsoft Office 2013 PowerPoint presentations when they have been shared in a conference by the Lync Web App 2013 client.

Telephony Support

Note:
Lync Voice features are limited to certain Lync Online subscription plans. For details, see the “Lync Voice Features” topic in the Lync Online Service Description at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=282430.

Feature/capability Lync 2013 Lync Windows Store app Lync 2013 Basic Lync Web App Lync 2010 Attendant Lync Phone Edition Communicator for Mac 2011 Lync for Mac 2011

Initiate a voice call

2

2

1

Click to call a contact

2

2

1

Transfer a call

2

2

1

Manage call forwarding

3

1

Manage team call settings

3

1

Manage delegates

3

Initiate a call to a Response Group

3

1

Support emergency services (E9-1-1)

3

3

1

Connect to voice mail, set up or change greeting

3

1

Make calls on behalf of another contact (manager/delegate scenario)

3

Handle another's calls if configured as a delegate

3

1

Manage a high volumes of calls

1

Call park

3

Group call pickup

3

1 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, Lync 2010 Attendant is not supported.

2 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, this feature is available for PC to PC calls only.

3 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, this feature is not available.

External Users Support

Feature/capability Lync 2013 Lync Windows Store app Lync 2013 Basic Lync Web App Lync 2010 Attendant Lync Phone Edition Communicator for Mac 2011 Lync for Mac 2011

Initiate IM with a public contact

1

Initiate IM with a federated contact

1

Conduct two-party or multiparty calls with external users

2

2

1

1 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, Lync 2010 Attendant is not supported.

2 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, this feature is not available.

Recording

Feature/capability Lync 2013 Lync Windows Store app Lync 2013 Basic Lync Web App Lync 2010 Attendant Lync Phone Edition Communicator for Mac 2011 Lync for Mac 2011

Client-side recording of audio, video, application sharing, desktop sharing, and uploaded content

1

Client-side recording of file transfers, shared OneNote pages, and PowerPoint annotations

2

Select preferred recording resolution

1 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, recording is unavailable in certain Lync Online standalone plans. Recording requires full Lync 2013 client rights. For details, see the Lync Online Service Description at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=282430.

2 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, recording of file transfers, shared OneNote pages, and PowerPoint annotations is unavailable.

Archiving, Compliance, and Logging Support

Feature/capability Lync 2013 Lync Windows Store app Lync 2013 Basic Lync Web App Lync 2010 Attendant Lync Phone Edition Communicator for Mac 2011 Lync for Mac 2011

Archiving of IM conversations in Outlook Conversation History

2

2

2

1

Saved in Communicator for Mac

Saved in Lync for Mac

Client-side archiving of audio, video, application sharing, desktop sharing, and uploaded content

2

Client-side archiving of file transfers, shared OneNote pages, and PowerPoint annotations

3

Access sign-in logs from Lync icon in the task bar

1 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, Lync 2010 Attendant is not supported.

2 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, this feature requires Exchange Online and is controlled by the user’s Exchange mailbox In-Place Hold attribute.

3 For Lync Online and/or Office 365 users, archiving of file transfers, shared OneNote pages, and PowerPoint annotations is unavailable.