Using a custom background

During meetings it is sometimes advantageous to blur your background, I'm some cases it can also be useful to use a background picture as well.  As of around October 2020 Teams now allows you to add your own custom backgrounds.  This will guide will show you how to do that.

Step 1 - You need to be already in a meeting to add a custom background.  The quickest way to do this is to go to the Calendar tab of Teams and in the top right click on Meet Now.  This will start a meeting with just you in it!  Great for testing out features and practicing your meeting skills!

Step 2 - Once you are in a meeting, click on the more actions button and click on Apply Background effects.  If you are on the new meeting experience this will be in the top right, otherwise it will be near the hang up button in the middle of your screen

Some older devices do not support background effects so might not show this option

Step 3 - Click on Add new

Step 4 - Find the file that you wish to add and upload. Once you have added your custom background, it should appear in the list of backgrounds for you to choose from.

Step 5 - Click on the background you want to use and click apply

Once you have added your picture, it will now always be available for you during your future meetings.

Adding a custom background is unique to the computer you are on, if you use multiple computers you will need to add it for each computer you use when needed.