How to Change Teams Background: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

To change your Teams background, join a meeting and click Background filters on the pre-join screen. It takes less than 30 seconds and works on desktop, mobile, and web browsers.

You can blur your surroundings for privacy, select from Microsoft's professional backgrounds, or upload custom images that match your brand.

This guide covers every method on how to change your Teams background before or during meetings, plus troubleshooting steps when backgrounds don't work.

How Do You Change Teams Background Before a Meeting Starts? (Desktop)

The easiest place to set your background is the meeting pre-join screen. You can see your camera preview, adjust lighting, and choose a background before anyone else enters the call.

How Do You Access Video Effects on the Pre-Join Screen?

Teams shows a preview of your camera when you join your meeting, but before you actually enter the call. Look under the preview window and turn your camera on if it is off.

You’ll see an option labeled ‘Background filters’ under your camera preview. Select it to open the ‘Background settings’ panel on the right side. This is where you manage blur, standard backgrounds, and your own uploaded images before the meeting starts.

How Do You Blur Your Background in Teams?

In the ‘Background settings’ panel, look for the ‘Standard blur’ option near the top of the gallery on the right. Select it to soften everything behind you while keeping your face in focus.

The preview updates immediately, so you can check the result before joining the meeting. This works well when you want privacy without using a full background image.

How Do You Choose a Teams Background?

The ‘Background settings’ panel includes a collection of built-in backgrounds. Scroll through the images on the right side and select one to preview it behind you.

Teams applies the background right away, so you can decide whether it matches the tone of your call. If you want something clean and neutral, look for office or home-style scenes near the top of the gallery.

How Do You Upload a Custom Background Image in Teams?

Select ‘Add new’ at the top of the Background settings panel if you want to use your own image.

Teams opens your file browser so you can pick an image from your computer. After you choose the file, it appears in your background gallery with the rest of the options. Select it once, and Teams will keep it available for future meetings.

Make sure your image has a landscape orientation so it fills the screen evenly.

How Do You Change Teams Background During a Meeting? (Desktop)

You can switch your background even after the meeting has started. Maybe your lighting suddenly changed, someone walked into the room, or you want to shift from casual to more professional once a client joins. You can also change your background as a quick joke with your team. Teams lets you switch backgrounds without pausing or leaving the meeting.

Where Do You Find "More Actions" in Teams Meeting Controls?

During the meeting, look at the toolbar at the top of the meeting window and open the three-dot ‘More’ menu. Select ‘Video effects and settings’ to access your background options.

How Do You Use the "Video Effects and Settings" Panel?

The ‘Video effects and settings’ panel shows your preview at the top and your background options below it.

Scroll through the standard Teams backgrounds, select ‘Blur’ for a softer look, or choose ‘Add new’ if you want to upload an image from your device. The preview updates instantly, so you can see how each option looks.

After selecting your background, click ‘Apply’ at the bottom of the panel. The change takes effect immediately, and you return to the meeting with the new background active.

How Do You Change Teams Background on Mobile? (iOS and Android)

Teams also lets you change your background using the iOS and Android mobile apps. The layout shifts slightly depending on screen size, but the process is the same.

How Do You Access Background Effects on the Teams Mobile App?

Open the Teams app and join your meeting, but stay on the pre-join screen. Turn on your camera to see your video preview. Tap the ‘Change background’ icon at the top of the screen to open the background panel.

You can choose ‘Blur’, select one of the standard Teams backgrounds, or use ‘Add new’ to upload an image from your phone. Join the meeting normally after you’ve picked your background.

Confirm your background, then join the meeting.

You can change or remove the background at any time during the call by tapping the screen, opening the meeting controls, and selecting ‘Change background’ again.

What are the Limitations and Requirements for Mobile Devices?

Teams supports background effects on most current iOS and Android devices, but the exact options depend on your device’s processor and available memory. The app shows fewer background options on older phones, and some models only support blurring, not custom images.

Screen size and display ratio also affect how background images render. A background that looks perfect on a 1080p laptop looks cropped or stretched on a phone.

For the best results, use a clear background with minimal detailing in the areas near your outline, since the mobile camera has to separate you from the background in real time.

If you upload a custom background from your phone and it’s zoomed or off-center, resize the image to a vertical orientation before uploading so Teams realigns it.

Can You Use Background Effects in Teams for the Web? (Browser)

Yes, Microsoft Teams supports background effects in your web browser, although the options are more limited than in the desktop app. You can still blur your background or choose from standard Teams backgrounds, but Safari and Firefox do not support custom image uploads.

How Do You Change Backgrounds in a Browser?

On the pre-join screen, turn on your camera to see your video preview. At the bottom of the preview window, select ‘Background filters’. This opens the Background settings panel on the right side of the screen, where you can scroll through available backgrounds.

Use ‘Blur’ for a private look or choose one of the built-in images to place a scene behind you.

The video preview updates immediately, so you can confirm your choice before joining.

Browser Support and Feature Differences

The desktop app offers the widest support for custom backgrounds. The browser version relies on your browser’s ability to handle video processing. Some browsers enable full effects, while others limit or block them.

• Microsoft Edge and Google Chrome support blur and standard backgrounds.

• Custom background uploads work in the latest versions of Edge and Chrome, as long as your hardware is powerful enough.

• Safari and Firefox do not support background effects in Teams for the Web.

The Teams desktop app is still the best option for full access to background uploads, high-quality effects, and smoother performance.

Can I Create A Custom Teams Background?

Custom backgrounds replace your real environment with an image, making your video calls look more professional. You can choose from Microsoft’s default backgrounds or upload your own images, as long as they meet the required size and format guidelines. Backgrounds work best when the image is clear, uncluttered, and not overly bright or distracting.

Why Change Your Microsoft Teams Background?

More than 32.6 million Americans work remotely, which means a huge share of daily collaboration now happens on video. Your background becomes part of how you show up in every meeting, whether you’re joining from a home office, a shared space, or your kitchen table.

Changing your Microsoft Teams background helps you stay professional and in control of what others see on screen. A custom background can:

• Hide distractions or clutter behind you

• Present a consistent, professional look for meetings

• Add personality or branding to calls by displaying company logos or colors

• Create visual separation when working from home

• Help maintain privacy when you share your workspace

What are the Recommended Teams Background Image Specifications? (Dimensions & Size)

The best background images use 1920 × 1080 resolution with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Keep the file size under 1 MB so Teams loads it quickly and applies it without lag. Choose images with soft lighting and simple shapes so your background subtly enhances the call rather than competing for attention.

What File Formats Are Supported for Teams Backgrounds?

Microsoft Teams supports JPG, PNG, and BMP files for custom backgrounds. Stick to these formats for the best results. Animated files don’t work, and images with heavy transparency create harsh edges around you. Simple, non-transparent images look the smoothest on camera.

How Do You Remove a Custom Background You Uploaded?

Open Microsoft Teams and join a meeting or start a test call. Open your background settings and scroll until you see your uploaded image. Click the three dots on the thumbnail and select Remove. The background disappears from your list, and Teams stops showing it in future calls.

Pro Tip: Customize the Notta Bot Name to Match Your Teams Theme

A custom background sets the tone of the meeting, and your tools should follow that same direction. When you use Notta for meeting transcription, you can rename the bot so it appears under a name that reflects your brand or the way you want to present yourself. The participant list then matches the atmosphere you’ve created.

Open Notta, select your profile in the top right corner, and choose ‘Meeting Bot’ from the menu. Enter the name you want the bot to use and save your changes. The bot will display the new name the next time it joins a Teams call.

Advanced Features: Using AI and Manual Uploads

Once you’re comfortable with the basic background options, you can take things a step further. Teams supports AI-generated backgrounds and custom background libraries, which can help you create a more consistent look or match a specific theme. These tools work well for client calls, workshops, and team branding.

Can You Use the "Decorate" Feature for AI-Generated Backgrounds?

The Decorate your background feature appears only in the new Teams desktop app with Microsoft 365 Business, Enterprise, or Teams Premium licenses. It uses AI to restyle your real room instead of replacing it, which keeps your lighting natural and avoids the flat “green screen” look.

(Image source: Microsoft)

To try it, turn on your camera on the pre-join screen, open ‘Effects and Avatars’, select ‘Video effects’, then choose ‘Decorate’ and apply a theme. If you don’t see the Decorate option, your account or Teams version does not support this feature.

Can I Manually Add Backgrounds to the Teams "Uploads" Folder? (Windows)

Teams keeps all custom backgrounds in a local ‘Uploads’ folder. Adding images to this folder lets you manage backgrounds in bulk, reuse them across devices, or add several at once without uploading each file through the background panel. This method works well for brand kits, seasonal themes, and team-wide background sets.

On Windows, use the keyboard shortcut ‘Windows’ + ‘R’ to open the Run dialog. Copy and paste the following folder location into the dialog box, then click 'OK':

%LocalAppData%\Packages\MSTeams_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalCache\Microsoft\MSTeams\Backgrounds\Uploads

This command opens Windows Explorer and displays the correct folder. Copy and paste your background images into the ‘Uploads’ folder. (Note: If the 'Uploads' folder does not exist, create it manually using the 'New Folder' command.)

Close and relaunch Teams. Your backgrounds will appear in the background gallery the next time you join a meeting.

Can You Manually Add Backgrounds to the "Uploads" Folder on Mac?

Yes, you can manually add backgrounds on a Mac by adding your custom images into Teams’ ‘Uploads’ directory, so they show up alongside the built-in backgrounds.

Open ‘Finder’ and press ‘Command’ + ‘Shift’ + ‘G’ to open the Go To Folder command. Copy and paste the following folder path and press Enter to jump there instantly:

~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.teams2/Data/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/MSTeams/Backgrounds/Uploads

Drag your images into the ‘Uploads’ folder and relaunch Teams. The new backgrounds appear in your background gallery automatically.

Troubleshooting: Why Can't I Change My Teams Background?

You may not be able to change your background in Microsoft Teams if your device does not support video filters, your camera is blocked, or your organization has restricted custom backgrounds. Most issues resolve once you enable camera permissions, update Teams, or confirm your meeting policy settings.

Background effects help create a cleaner, more professional look, so it's frustrating when the option disappears or stops working. A few common device settings and account rules are responsible for most of these issues. Here’s how to identify the problem and fix it.

"Show Background Effects" Option is Missing or Grayed Out

Teams hides the background menu when the app can’t access your camera or when the meeting mode does not support effects. On top of that, the web version only supports backgrounds in Edge and Chrome.

Solution: Open your system’s camera privacy settings and allow Teams to access the camera. Restart Teams and use the desktop app instead of the browser. Rejoin the meeting and open ‘Background effects’ again.

My Custom Background is Flipped or Mirrored

Your video preview mirrors your own view to make gestures and orientation feel natural, similar to a front-facing phone camera. Other participants see the image in the correct orientation.

Solution: You don’t need to change anything. The background is displayed correctly to everyone else on the call.

My Device Doesn't Support Background Effects

Teams needs enough graphics power to blur or replace your background in real time. Older devices or systems under heavy load may not be able to run these effects smoothly.

Solution: Close any other apps that use the camera or GPU. Update your graphics drivers and install the latest version of Teams. Use ‘Blur’ instead of a full custom background if your device still struggles.

Your Organization's IT Policies May Be Blocking Custom Backgrounds

Work and school accounts may have policies that restrict the use of custom backgrounds. In that case, you can use the built-in Teams backgrounds but not your own images.

Solution: Ask your IT administrator to enable custom backgrounds in the Teams meeting policy settings. Only an admin can make this change on managed accounts.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How do I change my Teams background without being in a meeting?

To change your Teams background before joining a meeting, open Microsoft Teams and go to ‘Settings’. Select ‘Devices’, choose your ‘Camera’, and open ‘Background effects’ from that panel. Pick one of the default options or upload your own image. The background you choose will automatically appear the next time you join a call.

What are the best dimensions for a custom Teams background?

The best dimensions for a custom Teams background are 1920 × 1080 pixels. This size keeps the image sharp and fits Teams’ default video framing. Smaller images may look blurry or stretched.

Why does my Teams background look mirrored or backward to me?

Your Teams background looks mirrored because Teams flips your video preview by default, similar to a physical mirror. The mirroring only affects what you see on your own screen. Other people in the meeting see your background in the correct orientation.

Can I use animated backgrounds (GIFs) in Microsoft Teams?

No, you can’t use animated backgrounds in Teams. Teams only supports static image files such as JPG and PNG. If you upload a GIF, it will appear as a still image.