With a window behind you or in a dark room, people in a Teams meeting often see you as a silhouette. Microsoft Teams has two built-in video filters that help: Adjust brightness and Soft focus. This article shows where to find them before and during a meeting, and what else you can do for a better picture.
What do the filters do?
- Adjust brightness: Teams automatically corrects your video in low light or backlight.
- Soft focus: a subtle smoothing effect for your face. A slider sets the strength.
Before the meeting
- Select Join. You arrive at the pre-join screen.
- Select Video effects and settings (or the gear next to your camera).
- Turn on Adjust brightness and, if you like, Soft focus.
During the meeting
- Select the arrow next to Camera at the top, or More (...).
- Choose Video effects and settings.
- Turn the filters on and drag the soft focus slider as you like.
Teams remembers your choice for future meetings. The same options are also under Settings > Devices next to your camera.
Windows Studio Effects
On a Copilot+ PC or a laptop with an NPU, Windows has its own camera effects, such as automatic framing, eye contact and background blur. Find them in Quick Settings (Windows + A) > Studio effects. They work in every app, including Teams. Avoid blurring twice in Windows and Teams: it costs processing power.
More tips for a better picture
- Put your camera at eye level and face the window rather than sitting with your back to it.
- A small LED light behind your screen helps more than any filter.
- Video looks mirrored? Read how to mirror your video in Teams.
- Background noise? Turn on noise suppression.
Nederlandstalige versie: Verlichtingscorrectie en zachte focus inschakelen in Microsoft Teams