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You can change your Microsoft Teams background before joining a meeting from the pre-join screen. Turn on your camera first, open the background controls, choose a built-in image, blur your room, or upload your own picture. The selected background normally remains active for later Teams meetings and calls until you change it or select None.
Change your background in Microsoft Teams on desktop
These steps apply to the current work or school version of Microsoft Teams.
- Open Calendar in Teams.
- Select the meeting, then select Join.
- On the pre-join screen, switch on the Camera toggle. Background controls may be unavailable while your camera is off.
- Select Effects and avatars.
- Choose a background from the available options.
- To blur your room, select the arrow beside Blur, then choose Standard blur or Portrait blur.
- To use your own image, select More video effects > Add new, then select the image on your computer.
- Select Join now.
Microsoft lists JPG, PNG, and BMP as supported desktop image formats. If the upload does not appear, convert the picture to one of those formats and try again.
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Remove the background before joining
Open Effects and avatars, select None, and then select Join now. This turns off the background effect rather than merely replacing it with another image.
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Change your background in Teams Free on desktop
Teams Free uses slightly different labels and navigation:
- Select Meet on the far-left side of Teams.
- Find the meeting and select Join.
- Turn on the Camera toggle on the pre-join screen.
- Select Video effects.
- Under Backgrounds, select a supplied background or Blur.
- For a custom image, select More video effects > Add new.
- Select None if you want to remove the effect.
- Select Join now.
Change your background before a Teams meeting on a phone
The mobile controls are available from the pre-join screen in the Teams app.
- Open Calendar in Teams.
- Tap the meeting and then tap Join.
- On the pre-join screen, tap Background effects.
- Tap an effect to preview it. You can choose a supplied background, use Add new to upload an image, or tap None to remove the effect.
- Tap Done.
- Join the meeting.
Depending on the mobile version and account type, the button may be labelled Change background instead of Background effects. In Teams Free, tap the X at the top after selecting the effect, then tap Join now.
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Use an AI-generated Teams background
Some Teams accounts include a Decorate effect. It can generate a replacement background based on a theme rather than using a fixed image.
- On the desktop pre-join screen, open Effects and avatars.
- Select Decorate. Your camera turns off while the options are generated.
- Select Start.
- Choose a theme such as Clean up, Fancy, Greenhouse, Celebration, or Surprise me.
- Select Generate. You can select Generate more if you want additional results.
- Select Apply and turn on video.
The Decorate option is not necessarily available in every Teams account or organization.
Change the background after joining
If you forgot to choose a background before joining, you can usually change it during the call:
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- Select More actions (…) in the meeting toolbar.
- Go to Video effects and settings > Video effects.
- Choose a background, blur option, uploaded image, or None.
- Apply the selection and close the settings panel.
Some older instructions call this menu Background filters or Apply background effects. Those labels may still appear in older or education-specific versions, but the current general desktop path is More actions > Video effects and settings > Video effects.
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| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Effects and avatars, Video effects, or Background effects is missing | Turn on the camera first. If the control remains missing, the feature may not be supported on that device or account. |
| The background button is greyed out | On Teams Free especially, the camera must be enabled on the pre-join screen. |
| You are using Linux | Microsoft does not support Teams background effects on Linux. |
| You are using optimized virtual desktop infrastructure | Background effects are unavailable in optimized VDI environments. |
| The mobile effect will not load on Android | Microsoft requires Teams Android version 1416/1.0.0.2021143402 or later, Android 10 or later, and a supported GPU such as Qualcomm Adreno 610 or later, Arm Mali-G71 or later, or Arm Mali-T720 or later. |
| The video becomes choppy after enabling an effect | Background processing uses system resources. Teams Free lists at least 2 GB of RAM and a dual-core processor from 2018 or later for backgrounds and AR filters. |
Tips for a better custom background
- Use a landscape image with the important content near the center, where your head and shoulders will not cover it.
- Avoid small text, detailed patterns, and images with a person who could be mistaken for you.
- For business meetings, use a simple, well-lit image rather than a distracting scene.
- Check the preview before joining. Teams may mirror your camera preview, so logos or text can look reversed to you even when they appear correctly to other participants.
- Remember that the effect persists across Teams meetings and calls. Select None when you no longer want it.
Teams Premium can also provide organization-branded meeting backgrounds, including branded logos or images, when that capability has been configured and licensed by the organization.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.FAQ
Why can’t I change my Teams background before joining?
Turn on the Camera toggle on the pre-join screen and then open Effects and avatars, Video effects, or Background effects. If the control is still missing, your device, account, Linux installation, or virtual desktop environment may not support background effects.
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Where does Teams save my custom background?
You do not need to upload the image for every meeting. After you select it, Teams keeps the background active for later meetings and calls until you choose another effect or select None.
What image types can I upload to Teams?
For desktop Teams, Microsoft lists JPG, PNG, and BMP files as supported custom background formats.
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Can I blur my background instead of using an image?
Yes. On desktop, open Effects and avatars and choose Standard blur or Portrait blur from the arrow beside Blur. Mobile versions provide a Blur option where supported.
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Does Microsoft Teams background replacement work on Linux?
Microsoft’s current support documentation says background effects do not work for Linux users.
The Bottom Line
Before joining, turn on your camera, select Effects and avatars on work or school Teams—or Video effects in Teams Free—and choose a background, blur option, or JPG/PNG/BMP image. On mobile, use Background effects or Change background. Select None later to turn the effect off.
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