How to Blur Background in Microsoft Teams

Whether you're working from home, a shared office, or your favorite café, keeping your video call environment professional can be a challenge. Distractions in the background can make virtual meetings feel unpolished—or even unproductive. That’s why knowing how to blur your background in Microsoft Teams is a simple but powerful way to stay focused and present your best self online.

At Custom Virtual Offices, we’re all about helping remote professionals look their best in every virtual interaction. In this guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to blur your background in Microsoft Teams, whether before or during a meeting, and offer tips to ensure you always look polished and prepared.

Why Blur Your Background in Teams?

Blurring your background serves a few important purposes:

• Maintains a professional appearance, even if you’re working from a less-than-perfect environment.

• Reduces visual distractions, keeping your team or clients focused on you and what you’re saying.

• Protects your privacy, especially in shared living spaces or public areas.

It’s a built-in feature in Microsoft Teams, which means no extra tools or downloads are necessary—just a few clicks and you’re good to go.

How to Blur Background in Teams Before a Meeting

If you're joining a call and want to set your background before entering the meeting:

1. Open Microsoft Teams.

2. Click on your upcoming meeting and select Join.

3. On the pre-join screen, toggle on your camera.

4. Select the background settings icon (it looks like a person with sparkles).

5. From the sidebar, click Blur.

6. Hit Join Now, and you’ll enter the meeting with a blurred background.

This is the easiest way to ensure you’re set up before anyone sees your environment.

How to Blur Background in Teams During a Meeting

Forgot to blur your background before the call started? No problem.

1. While in the meeting, click the three dots (More actions) on the meeting toolbar.

2. Select Apply background effects.

3. Choose Blur, then click Apply.

   
   

Your background will instantly soften, giving you a clean, distraction-free look in real time.

Troubleshooting Tips

If the blur feature isn’t working, here are a few things to check:

• System compatibility: Background effects require specific hardware capabilities. Make sure your device supports them.

• App version: Update Microsoft Teams to the latest version to ensure all features are available.

• Camera permissions: If your camera isn’t working correctly, Teams may not apply effects properly.

Still having trouble? Consider using a static image background as an alternative (we’ll get to that next).

Alternatives to Blurring: Custom Virtual Office Backgrounds

Want to take things up a notch? Instead of blurring your background, you can upload a branded image that reflects your company or personal brand.

At Custom Virtual Offices, we design professional virtual backgrounds tailored to your brand—perfect for remote teams, freelancers, or business owners who want to stand out.

To upload a custom background in Teams:

1. Follow the same steps for background effects.

2. Click + Add new.

3. Upload your image, then select it to use in your meeting.

   
   

It’s a simple upgrade that makes a lasting impression.

Whether you're blurring your background or using a custom design, looking professional online is easier than ever. Microsoft Teams gives you the tools, and Custom Virtual Offices helps you take it further with background solutions customized with your brand’s logo.

Explore our Virtual Background Services and make every call a polished one.