Microsoft Teams is the video call platform used by more corporate teams than any other. Every client meeting, every job interview, every all-hands call — your background is visible to everyone in the room. Setting a professional background takes under 60 seconds and makes an immediate difference to how you are perceived.
This guide covers the Teams desktop app, browser version and mobile app on both iOS and Android.
Before You Start — Teams Background Requirements
Windows:
- Windows 10 version 1903 or later
- Teams desktop app (backgrounds work best in the app, not the browser)
- Integrated GPU with DirectX 9 or later
- 4GB RAM minimum (8GB recommended)
Mac:
- macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later
- Apple M1, M2, or M3 — or Intel Core i5 (2015 or newer)
- Teams desktop app
Mobile:
- iPhone running iOS 14 or later
- Android phone running Android 8.0 or later
Important for company accounts: Your organisation's IT administrator may have disabled virtual backgrounds. If the option is not visible or is greyed out, contact your IT team and ask them to enable background effects in the Teams admin centre.
How to Set a Teams Background Before a Meeting
Setting your background before joining is the cleanest approach — no disruption to an ongoing call.
- Open Microsoft Teams on your desktop
- Click Calendar in the left sidebar
- Find your upcoming meeting and click Join
- On the pre-join screen (the screen where you preview your camera before entering), look for the Background effects button — it shows a person icon with a sparkle effect
- A panel opens on the right side of your screen
- To use a ReadySteadyLive background, click Add new (the + icon at the top of the panel)
- Browse to your downloaded background file and select it
- Click Apply and join now
Your background selection is remembered for future meetings. You will not need to set it again unless you want to change it.
How to Set a Teams Background During a Live Meeting
You can change your background at any point during a meeting without leaving the call.
- In an active Teams meeting, click the three dots (...) in the meeting control bar at the top of the screen
- Select Effects and avatars (on older versions this may say Apply background effects)
- The background panel opens on the right
- Click Add new to upload a ReadySteadyLive image, or select one already in your library
- Click Apply — the change takes effect within 2–3 seconds
The transition is smooth in Teams. Most participants will not notice when you switch.
How to Add a Custom Background in Teams — Step by Step
- Open the background effects panel using either method above
- Click the + (Add new) button at the top of the backgrounds section
- A file browser opens — navigate to your ReadySteadyLive download folder
- Select the background image you want to use
- Teams accepts JPG, PNG, and BMP files
- The image is added to your personal background library and saved permanently
You can add as many backgrounds as you like. They stay in your library until you manually remove them.
Which file to upload from your ReadySteadyLive pack:
| Folder | Resolution | Recommended for |
|---|---|---|
| 1-FullHD-1920x1080 | Full HD | All modern Windows and Mac computers |
| 2-HD-1280x720 | HD | Older computers or if backgrounds appear choppy |
| 3-Medium-960x540 | Medium | Low-spec devices or slow connections |
| 4-Mobile-480x270 | Mobile | Teams mobile app on iOS or Android |
Start with the Full HD folder for the best quality.
How to Set a Teams Background on iPhone
- Open the Microsoft Teams app on your iPhone
- Join a meeting
- On the pre-join screen, tap the wand/effects icon (magic wand with sparkles)
- Tap Background effects
- Tap the + icon to add an image from your camera roll
- Select your ReadySteadyLive background image
- Tap Done
If you are already in a meeting on iPhone:
- Tap the three dots (...) at the bottom of the screen
- Tap Effects and avatars
- Select or upload your background
How to Set a Teams Background on Android
- Open the Microsoft Teams app on your Android phone
- Join a meeting
- Before joining, tap Background effects on the preview screen
- Tap the + icon and select an image from your gallery
- Tap Apply
During an active meeting on Android:
- Tap the three dots (...) in the meeting controls
- Tap Background effects
- Select or upload your background
Fixing the Most Common Teams Background Problems
Problem: Background effects option is missing or greyed out
Most likely cause: Your organisation's IT administrator has disabled background effects via Teams admin policies.
Solution: Contact your IT team and ask them to go to Teams Admin Centre → Meeting Policies → enable Video filters. Once enabled, the option will appear for your account within a few minutes.
Second possibility: You are using the Teams browser version. Virtual backgrounds require the Teams desktop app. Download the app at teams.microsoft.com.
Problem: Background looks blurry or the edge around me flickers
Solution 1 — Use a higher resolution file. Select the Full HD file from the 1-FullHD-1920x1080 folder. Low-resolution images become pixelated when Teams scales them up.
Solution 2 — Improve your lighting. Teams' AI background detection needs to see you clearly against your background. Face a window or use a ring light. Avoid calling from rooms with behind-you lighting (windows behind you) as this makes you dark and the AI struggles to separate you from the background.
Solution 3 — Wear a contrasting colour. If your background is cream or beige, avoid wearing similar colours. The AI uses colour contrast to define your outline.
Problem: My custom background disappeared after a Teams update
Teams occasionally resets custom backgrounds after major updates. Simply re-upload your image using the Add new button. To avoid losing your library, keep your ReadySteadyLive download folder accessible on your computer at all times.
Problem: Background keeps turning off during long calls
Solution: Your device is likely switching to battery saver mode which reduces processing power. Plug your laptop in before calls and disable battery saver mode in your system settings.
Problem: Teams browser version has no background option
Background effects are only available in the Teams desktop app and mobile app. The browser version (teams.microsoft.com) has limited or no background support depending on your browser. Download the Teams desktop app to access the full feature set.
Rolling Out Teams Backgrounds to Your Entire Company
If you manage a team and want everyone using consistent, professional backgrounds, here is the fastest approach:
Step 1: Purchase the ReadySteadyLive Organisation licence — one payment covers your entire company.
Step 2: Create a shared folder in SharePoint or OneDrive with the background files and this guide.
Step 3: Send staff the shared folder link with a message: "Use these backgrounds for all external calls — setup takes 60 seconds, guide attached."
Most companies are fully rolled out within 30 minutes. No IT involvement required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Teams backgrounds require a green screen? No. Teams uses AI to separate you from your background on all modern hardware. A green screen improves edge accuracy but is not required.
Can I use a video background in Microsoft Teams? Yes. Teams supports MP4 video backgrounds. Upload them the same way as images via the Add new button. Video backgrounds require more processing power.
Can my IT admin see what background I use? No. Background effects are processed locally on your device. Your IT administrator can enable or disable the feature but cannot monitor which background you use.
Why does my Teams background work on my laptop but not my desktop? Teams background settings are per device and per account. You need to set your background separately on each computer you use Teams on.
What is the maximum file size for a Teams background? Teams accepts background images up to 20MB. All ReadySteadyLive backgrounds are well within this limit.
Your ReadySteadyLive Teams Setup Checklist
- Teams desktop app is installed and up to date
- Background uploaded from the 1-FullHD-1920x1080 folder
- Background visible and applied in the pre-join preview
- Face is well lit — facing a window or ring light
- Wearing clothes that contrast with background colours
- Laptop plugged in for long meetings
- Tested on the specific device you'll use for the call
Need help? Contact us and we'll get you set up within one business day.