What do clown emojis, Kermit the Frog, and pairs of Mike Wazowski themed Adidas Originals have in common? Well, they’re all chaotic images I’ve used as a background in professional meetings over Microsoft Teams.
Maybe you work from home and are a stay-at-home parent or pet owner, or perhaps you want to add your company logo or spice up an afternoon meeting with an inside joke from the Slack DMs. Or, maybe you’re just a filthy animal and would prefer to hide your day-old mugs of coffee around your desk instead of cleaning them up. Well, no matter your reason, you need a background.
But how exactly do you change your Microsoft Teams background; what exactly are the specs required to do it and recommended size for custom backgrounds; and how do you blur those food-stained trackies in the background before your 10:30 meeting?
Here’s everything you need to know about changing a Microsoft Teams background.
How do I change my Microsoft Teams background?
First, let’s get into the basics. Before you join a Microsoft Teams meeting, select the icon next to the microphone switch.
That will open up a “background settings” pop-up on the right-hand side. From there you’ll see a list of pre-existing background options and an “Add new” icon to add your own custom images.
How do I change my Microsoft Teams background in the middle of a call?
If you want to change your background in the middle of a call, you’ll want to click the three dots icon on the top right (next to the hand and video symbols).
From there, you’ll see a list of settings and features, select “apply background effects.” That will take you to the same background settings pop up as if you were not in the call yet. Once you’ve picked your new background, hit apply.
P.S.: You can preview a background before changing it to it here. Given my own experience and the types of images I’ve used in the past, I would strongly recommend doing this.
What are the system requirements to change my background?
There are no specific requirements for changing your background in Microsoft Teams, however, the service is limited to PC and Mac software.
Can I change my Microsoft Teams background on my tablet or mobile device?
Unfortunately, background images are currently limited to PC and Mac users. You can, however, blur your background on iOS devices.
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What is the recommended size for a custom background?
When uploading a custom image for your Microsoft Teams background, it’s recommended to upload images that have an aspect ratio of 16:9 and a resolution of at least 1920 x 1080.
Key takeaway here: the higher the resolution, the better your image will look behind you.
What is the recommended file type for a custom background on Microsoft Teams?
When uploading a custom image as your Microsoft Teams background, make sure the image file is either a jpg, png or bmp.
How do I blur out my background in Microsoft Teams?
If you don’t want things in your actual background to show up on your camera feed, you can blur everything around you.
To blur out your background, access the background settings like above and click the “Blur” image. The icon should be a greyed-out silhouette and next to a black image with a Ø sign.
How do I turn off my background?
If you want to remove your Microsoft Teams background, select the image with a Ø sign.
You can learn more about Microsoft Teams backgrounds here.
Now you’re all set.