How to blur the background in Microsoft Teams

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Knowing how to blur the background in Microsoft Teams can be very useful when you don’t want other team members to see your background. Microsoft Teams gives you two options: you can blur the background before or during a meeting. You can also customize your background by changing it with any photo on your device.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to blur the background in Microsoft Teams before and during a meeting. We will also answer some common questions on this topic.

How to blur the background in Microsoft Teams before a meeting?

The best thing about this option is that you will stay in focus, meaning you won’t be blurred along with the background. However, if someone else accidentally walks behind you, it will look blurry.

Many Team users prefer to blur the background before joining a meeting to feel more prepared and less distracted. We’ll show you how to do it on different devices.

On Mac

If you are a Mac user and want to blur the background before starting a meeting, follow the steps below:

1. Launch Microsoft Teams.
2. Start a new meeting or join one.
   
3. Navigate to the person icon below your video preview.
   
4. Select Blur in Background settings.
   
5. Gonna Join now.
   

You also have the option to change the background by replacing it with any image you want, but we’ll talk about that later.

On the desk

If you want to blur your background in Microsoft Teams, follow the steps below:

1. Open Microsoft Teams on your desk.
   
2. Start a new meeting or join a call. You’ll see a preview of yourself in a small window.
   
3. Click on the person icon in the bottom menu. Background settings will open on the left side of the screen.
   
4. Click on the Blur option, which is the second image.
   
5. When the background is blurred, go to Join now.
   

Now you can join or start a new meeting without having to worry about your background.

On Chromebook

Blurring the background on a Chromebook is a relatively simple process. You can do it in a few quick and easy steps. This is how you do it:

1. Open Microsoft Teams on your Chromebook.
2. Start a new meeting or join one that is already in progress.
3. A pop-up window will appear. You will be able to see yourself and your background.
4. Go to the person icon below your image and click on it.
5. In it Background settingsfind the Blur image and click on it.
6. Click Join now.

That’s all about it. If you change your mind, you can blur the background, but we’ll get to that later.

On Android

Using the mobile app version of Microsoft Teams is very simple. If you own an Android device, here’s how you can blur the background before starting a meeting:

1. Open the Microsoft Teams application on your Android.
   
2. Gonna Meet in the bottom menu.
   
3. Play the Meeting now button.
   
4. Select Start meeting.
   
5. Gonna background effects at the top of your screen.
6. Choose Blur.
   
7. Gonna Made.

On iPhone

If you want to blur the background before a meeting in Microsoft Teams on your iPhone, follow the steps below:

1. Start the Microsoft Teams app on your iPhone.
   
2. Find the Meet option at the bottom of the screen.
   
3. Go to the Meeting now option and select Start meeting.
   
4. Tap on the three points in the lower right corner of your screen.
   
5. Select Start video with blur.
   
6. Tap on Join now.

How to blur the background in Microsoft Teams during a meeting?

Microsoft Teams also offers the option to blur the background while a meeting is already in progress. This can be useful for situations where something unexpected happens and you don’t want others to see your background.

We’ll show you how to blur the background during a meeting in Microsoft Teams on different devices.

On Mac

To blur the background in Microsoft Teams on your Mac during a meeting, follow the steps below:

1. Launch Microsoft Teams on your Mac.
2. Start a new meeting or join one.
3. Hover over the screen and go to the bottom toolbar.
4. Click on the three points in the toolbar.
   
5. Gonna Show background effects.
   
6. Proceed to Blur option.
   
7. Click Advance to make sure everything is okay and then click Apply.
   

On the desk

To blur your desktop background while the meeting continues, here’s what you need to do:

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
   
2. During your meeting, move your cursor around the screen until you see the bottom toolbar.
3. Go to the three points in the top toolbar.
   
4. Select Apply background effects from the list of options.
   
5. In Background settingsfind the Blur option and click on it.
   
6. Select Advance to check if it works.
   
7. Gonna Apply.
   

That’s all about it. You can go back and restore your previous background if you wish.

On Chromebook

The process of blurring the background during a Microsoft Teams meeting is even easier than doing it before the meeting starts. Here’s how you can do it on your Chromebook:

1. Open Microsoft Teams.
2. Start a new meeting or join one that has already started.
3. Move the cursor across the screen to display the toolbar.
4. Click on the three points in the bottom toolbar.
5. Select Show background effects.
6. Gonna Blur and then Advance to see what it looks like.
7. When you’re done, click Apply.

If you want to change the background back to how it was, simply go to Show background effects and click on the None option.

On Android

If you are an Android user, follow the steps below to blur the background during a meeting in Microsoft Teams:

1. Launch the app on your phone.
   
2. Call someone or have someone call you.
   
3. Play the three points at the bottom of your screen.
   
4. Select Blur my background.
   

On iPhone

If you have an iPhone, here’s how you can blur the background during a meeting:

1. Open the Microsoft Teams app on your iPhone.
   
2. Start a video chat or have someone call you.
3. Play the three points at the bottom of your screen.
   
4. Select Blur my background.
   

That’s all! You have successfully blurred your background.

Additional FAQs

Can you customize backgrounds in Microsoft Teams?

In addition to the option to blur the background in Microsoft Teams, you can also customize it. Here’s how you would do it on a desktop computer:

1. Open Microsoft Teams.

2. Start a video chat.

3. Hover over the screen and go to the toolbar.

4. Click the three points in the toolbar.

5. Go to Show background effects.

6. Choose one of the Microsoft Teams backgrounds or upload your own.

7. Select Add new if you want to upload one from your device.

8. Go to Advance and then Apply.

If you want to customize your background in Microsoft Teams on your mobile device, follow the steps below:

1. Launch the application.

2. During a video chat, go to More options.

3. Tap background effects.

4. Choose an image as your background or upload one from your phone.

5. Select Made.

Why can’t I blur my background in Teams?

The blur feature and the option to customize the background may not be available on your device. For example, these two features are not available on Linux. It is also not possible to use these features if you are using an optimized virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI).

Make your Microsoft Teams background presentable

Now you know how to blur the background on different devices before and during a meeting in Microsoft Teams. You also know how to customize your background and upload images from your device. Knowing how to change your background in Microsoft Teams can be very useful and can be done in a couple of quick steps.