MS Teams: Change Background Image

Article Type: How To

MS Teams instructions included in this article:

Change your background before a meeting starts

  • Step 1) Open any Teams meeting from your calendar and select link Click here to Join the meeting.
    • Note: You can click the Join the meeting link without actually joining the meeting in order to make your background image changes - simply select the Cancel button in Step 4 of this section (rather than selecting Join now button); additionally, by selecting Cancel, attendees will not receive notification you have joined the meeting.

  • Step 2) The video / audio options window will display.
    • Make sure video toggle is turned to on, then select Background filters.

  • Step 3) The Background settings pane will display background options:
    • Blur to blur your background, or select an available image.
    • To choose an image of your own:
      • select + Add new. Browse to, and select your image file.

  • Team Image Requirements:
    • Min Size: 360 x 360
    • Max Size: 2048 x 2048 px
    • File type: jpeg, jpg, png, bmp
    • Aspect ratio: Greater than 4
  • Step 4) Once you select a background option it will display in the preview. Once displayed in the preview window, you can then select Cancel, or Join now to proceed to your meeting. Your new background will now persist in all your meetings until you change it again.
    • Note: When previewing a personal image file, images and image text may appear backwards, however meeting attendees will see this image reversed.

Change your background during a meeting

  • Step 1) From your meeting controls select, the three-dot ellipses > Apply background effects.

  • Step 3) The Background settings pane will display background options:
    • Blur to blur your background, or select an available image.
    • To choose an image of your own:
      • Select + Add new. Browse to, and select your image file.

  • Team Image Requirements:
    • Min Size: 360 x 360
    • Max Size: 2048 x 2048 px
    • File type: jpeg, jpg, png, bmp
    • Aspect ratio: Greater than 4
  • Step 4) Select a background option, then select Preview > Apply. Others won't see your video while using preview. Your new background will now persist in all your meetings until you change it again.
    • Notes about selecting your own image file:
    • If you opted to select your own image file, and do not quickly select Preview or Apply, the background settings pane may close; should this happen, you can simply select Background settings again and your image should be available at the bottom of the Background settings pane for selection.
    •  When previewing a personal image file, images and image text may appear backwards, however meeting attendees will see this image reversed.

Delete Personal Team Background Images

  • Step 1) To remove personal background images from the Teams background settings gallery:
    • Before a meeting has begun, while in the video / audio options window, select Background filters. 
    • During a meeting, from your meeting controls select, the three-dot ellipses > Apply background effects.
  • Step 2) Hover over the image you would like to remove > click on the three-dot ellipses displayed in the upper right of the image > click Remove.

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