How to Change Your Background in Microsoft Teams

Microsoft Teams is a great tool for online video meetings, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Sometimes, you need your camera on - but someone is standing close by, your room is a mess, or you just don't want others to see your house. In such situations, you can use a virtual background to help hide your surroundings. Read this wikiHow to learn how to do this.

[Edit]Steps

1. Join your meeting with your camera off. There's an option to switch your camera on as you join the meeting, but if there is a glitch, the virtual background might take some time to show up, which can reveal your surroundings. It's better to join the meeting first before turning your video on.
   
2. Click . On the panel that's on top of your Microsoft Teams tab, you'll find three dots next to the "Raise your hand/Reactions" option. Click the dots. It will open a dropdown menu.
   
3. Click on "Apply background effects". This will open a sub-page at the side of your meeting tab.
   
4. Click the background that you'd like to use. Teams will have a few default backgrounds. Take a look at your options and choose the one that you'd like.
   
5. Click on . Preview your video to make sure the background is the right one. Others in the meeting won't be able to see what you've previewed.
   
6. Turn your video on. Make sure that you've clicked "Apply and turn on video" as your background will not be seen if you just click on the camera icon.