virtual background for MS Teams

Create a custom background for MS Teams virtual meetings

One feature of Zoom that many have enjoyed while staying safer at home is the ability to set a custom background. Did you know that you can also set a custom background for MS Teams in a couple of easy steps?

  1. Find or create a 1920×1080 pixel file in either JPEG or PNG format. For example, the UW Alumni Association offers a selection of UW themed backgrounds on their website.
    Note: If creating your own, or re-using a background image intended for use in Zoom, flip the image horizontally, especially if it contains text – Teams backgrounds appear as mirror reflections. Most image editing applications make doing this pretty easy.
  2. Copy your custom background image file to the appropriate folder. This differs depending on if you’re using Windows or macOS.
    • macOS
      1. Browse to the Finder’s Go menu, and select Go to Folder….
      2. Copy and paste ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Teams/Backgrounds/Uploads and press Go. The Uploads folder will open.
    • Windows
      Windows users can find the Uploads folder at C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Teams\Backgrounds\Uploads

That’s all there is to it!