Adding custom Brock backgrounds to Microsoft Teams

Monday, May 04, 2020 | By Evelyn Smith

With all of us working and learning from off-campus, you might be missing familiar library and campus spaces. We are. But fear not, we’ve found a way to get a little bit of Brock onto your screens during Microsoft Teams meetings and lectures.

We’ve pulled together some favourite images of the Library as well as the Brock campus for you to experiment with.

While Microsoft plans to roll out a customization option for Teams later this month, if you’re like us and just can’t wait, here are the step-by-step instructions:

Install Custom Backgrounds in Microsoft Teams – Windows Users

Find an image you want to use. Some of our favourites are below.
Right click on your Start button and open the ‘Run’ command window. Copy and paste the following folder address:
%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Teams\Backgrounds\Uploads
Shrink the Upload folder to one side of your screen then open your downloads folder (with the images) on the other side. Drag the downloads over to the Teams\Backgrounds\Uploads file.
Launch Teams, go the calendar option and click “meet now”. You will be in a meeting with yourself.
From the meeting bar, click on the ‘more actions’ three dots -> Show background effects and then scroll through the images until you find your chosen background. Check it off, then hit “Apply”.

Install Custom Backgrounds in Microsoft Teams – Mac Users

Find an image you want to use. Some of our favourites are below.
Close or minimize all programs and go to your desktop.
Visit your system library by following these steps:
1. Finder bar on your Mac
2. Go To
3. Library -> Application Support -> Microsoft -> Teams -> Backgrounds -> Uploads
Shrink the Upload folder to one side of your screen then open your downloads folder (with the images) on the other side. Drag the downloads over to your Upload folder.
Launch Teams, go the calendar option and click “meet now”. You will be in a meeting with yourself.
From the meeting bar, click on the three dots -> Show background effects and then scroll through the images until you find your chosen background. Check it off, then hit “Apply”.

Images for download: