Set your own custom Teams background for macOS

Overview

You've probably seen friends, or colleagues in various video conferences using custom backgrounds to replace their background with something more interesting. Read on to learn how to set your own custom backgrounds.

How do I use this technology?

Microsoft Teams first stared supporting custom backgrounds, known as Background Effects, in April 2020; however, it only provides options to choose from pre-selected backgrounds. Microsoft is scheduled to roll out the ability to set your own custom backgrounds in May, or early June. If you can wait, you should do that.

If you're confident in navigating your Mac's file system, then you can use the following steps to add your own custom backgrounds to the list of availalbe options. Be warned though - this technique is entirely unsupported by Microsoft.

Before we begin make sure you have one, or more, images that you want to use as your custom background. These must be in JPG or PNG format. You should ensure you own the rights to the photo, so if you don’t have any suitable landscapes around, check out one of royalty-free sites available online. You'll want to make sure you download in a suitable size (such as 1920×1280). Alternativly you can use one of UAA's campus Video Conferencing background images.

On the Mac, backgrounds are stored within each person's Microsoft Team's support folder.

1. Quit Microsoft Teams.
2. Go to the Mac's desktop.
   
   
    
3. Click the Go menu.
   
   
    
4. Select Go to folder... (or press Shift+Command+G).
   
   
    
5. In the Go to folder dialog
   
   
   
   paste the following:
    

   ~/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Teams/Backgrounds/Uploads

6. Click Go.
7. In the Finder the Microsoft Teams Uploads folder will open.
   
   
    
8. Copy the image you want to use as a custom background into the Uploads folder.
   
   
    
9. Relaunch Teams, join your meeting, and select your background image. For a step by step guide see the How to set a background in a Micrososft Teams video conference.

Is there any additional information I should know about?

For additional assistance contact the IT Services Technical Support Center via phone at (907) 786-4646, toll-free at (877) 633-3888, email us at uaa.techsupport@alaska.edu, or visit the Services section to open a support ticket.