Microsoft Teams already allows you to blur your background in video calls, but it could be set to add a more substantial way to get rid of background noise. According to a report from Petri's Brad Sams, Microsoft is gearing up to launch a feature that will let you customize your background, and it's coming later this year.
Background blurring can already be incredibly useful in situations where you may be taking a call with your boss from your home office, in a shared workspace, a coffee shop, or anywhere else where what's going on behind you may be distracting. The ability to outright replace your background takes that a step further, ensuring that the focus stays completely on you throughout a video call.
The option to blur your background during a call initially debuted in Teams late last year. More recently, it also made its way to Skype, opening it up to a wider audience. It will be interesting to see if the custom background feature will follow the same trajectory, eventually making its way to Skype users as well.
Microsoft has yet to announce the feature, so there's no firm timeline on when to expect it to arrive. According to Sams, however, the company is planning to launch custom backgrounds later in 2019.
Dan Thorp-Lancaster is the Editor in Chief for Windows Central. He began working with Windows Central as a news writer in 2014 and is obsessed with tech of all sorts. You can follow Dan on Twitter @DthorpL and Instagram @heyitsdtl. Got a hot tip? Send it to daniel.thorp-lancaster@futurenet.com.
