(Updated) Microsoft Teams in VDI: User uploaded custom background images for the new VDI solution

Users on the new VDI solution for Microsoft Teams can now upload custom background images via the "Video effects and Settings" option. This feature is available for Azure Virtual Desktops, Windows 365, and Citrix when connecting from a Windows endpoint. Rollout will occur from April to June 2025.

Updated June 13, 2025: We have updated the timeline below. Thank you for your patience.

With this new feature, users on the new VDI solution for Teams (SlimCore based) can now replace their background entirely with any image they want by uploading it through the "Video effects and Settings" option.

This is currently supported for Azure Virtual Desktops, Windows 365 and Citrix, when connecting from a Windows endpoint.

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 410366

[When this will happen:]

Targeted release: We will begin rolling out early April 2025 and expect to complete by mid-April 2025.

General Availability (Worldwide, GCC): We will begin rolling out mid-April 2025 and expect to complete by late April 2025.

General Availability (GCCH, DOD): We will begin rolling out early May 2025 and expect to complete by late June 2025 (previously late May).

[How this will affect your organization:]

Users need to upload the background via Teams button 'Add New' (although the file can reside on the user's device, and Teams would then rely on Client Drive Mapping / Drive Redirection in that case).
The file is subsequently uploaded to the user's OneDrive folder, fetched by SlimCore on the endpoint, and stored in the user's profile on the endpoint (e.g. for Azure Virtual Desktops or Windows 365: AppData\Local\Microsoft\TeamsVDI\avd-tfw-<guid>\downloads)

[What you need to do to prepare:]

Make sure you are using the new VDI solution based on SlimCore, see here for more details.