Microsoft is readying an update for collaboration platform Teams that will bring one of the most popular features to a wider pool of users.
As per two new entries in the Microsoft 365 product roadmap, Microsoft is extending the ability to replace and blur the background of a video call to people running on virtual desktops from Citrix and VMware.
The update is currently under development, but should begin to roll out to relevant Microsoft Teams users at some point next month.
Microsoft Teams backgrounds
Since the transition to remote working, practically all major video conferencing vendors have rolled out virtual background functionality, which allows users to block out the room behind them with an overlay of their choice.
A more subtle option is to blur the background, which has the double effect of obscuring anything incriminating that might be laying around a bedroom or home office and focusing the attention on the person’s face.
Although Microsoft Teams has offered such a feature for a while now, it has traditionally been available to users of its desktop and mobile clients only.
After bringing background effects to the web client and those running Teams on Azure Virtual Desktop or Windows 365 earlier this year, the feature will now be made available to users of Citrix and VMware virtual desktops too.
The broad objective is to ensure the meeting experience is consistent for all Microsoft Teams users, no matter which client or hardware they are using the dial in.
Beyond the virtual backgrounds feature, Microsoft has made a number of recent additions to Teams with this goal in mind, including the ability to benefit from end-to-end encryption when dialling in from the office, combine work and business accounts and access screen-sharing controls across all clients.
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