How to Set a Skype Video Call Background

Skype background effects let you blur the room behind you or replace it with an image during a video call. This guide covers what to check first, how to turn the effect on before or during a call, how to confirm what other people see, and what to do when the option does not appear.

Before you start

Check whether Skype still works for you. Microsoft announced in 2025 that it was retiring Skype and directed users to the free version of Microsoft Teams. If your Skype app no longer signs in, use the steps below as a reference only. The equivalent setting in Teams is described later in this guide. Confirm the current status on your own device rather than relying on this note.

Use the desktop app on Windows or Mac. Background effects were offered in the Skype desktop app. The browser version and older builds may not show them, so install the latest version available to you.

Check your processor. Microsoft's documentation listed a processor with AVX2 support as a requirement for background blur. On computers without it, the option can be missing or unavailable. This requirement means the effect is processed on your own computer, so it adds load to your processor during calls.

Confirm camera permission and the selected camera. Your operating system must allow Skype to use the camera. On Windows this is in the camera privacy settings, and on macOS it is in Privacy & Security under Camera. Inside Skype, the selected camera in the Audio & Video settings must be the camera you actually use.

Treat custom images as data you are sharing. Do not assume how uploaded background images are stored or synced. Check Microsoft's current privacy information, and do not upload images that show personal details you would not want others to see.

Prepare a suitable image if you plan to replace your background. Use a landscape image whose aspect ratio matches your camera, which is usually 16:9 for webcams. Its pixel dimensions should be at least as large as the video resolution, for example 1920 x 1080 for a 1080p camera. A common file format such as JPG or PNG is the safest choice. Do not rely on transparency, because transparent areas may be filled with a solid color. Avoid heavily compressed images, since their artifacts become more visible after the call video is compressed again.

Step-by-step instructions

Set a default background before a call

1) Open Skype, select your profile picture, and open Settings.

2) Open Audio & Video. Make sure the camera preview shows your image. If it does not, pick the correct device in the camera selector.

3) Under Choose background effect, select None, Blur, one of the built-in images, or the add option to upload your own image. Labels can differ slightly between versions.

4) Close Settings. The selected effect is used in your next video calls until you change it.

Change the background during a call

While your video is on, hover over the video button, or open the More menu (three dots), then choose the background effect option and pick blur, an image, or None. The change applies to your outgoing video right away.

Turn the effect off

To undo the change, return to the same background effect list and select None. If you uploaded an image you no longer want, hover over it in the list and use the remove option if your version shows one.

Phones and tablets

Background options on the Skype mobile apps were more limited and varied by version. If the More menu in a mobile call has no background effect option, use the desktop app instead.

If you have moved to Microsoft Teams

In Teams, you can open the video effects or background settings from the camera options on the pre-join screen or from the More menu during a call. There you can choose blur, a built-in image, or your own upload. Menu names change between Teams versions, so look for the word effects or background.

Check the output

Use the preview in the Audio & Video settings before an important call. Move as you normally would: turn your head, raise your hands, and lean toward and away from the camera. Then check whether your hair, shoulders, and fingers stay visible and whether parts of the room show through at the edges.

Your own preview may be mirrored. Text in a background image can therefore look reversed to you even if other people see it the right way round. The reliable way to confirm what others see is a short call with someone you trust.

Expect some quality limits. The image is scaled and cropped to fit the video frame. Sharpness depends on the call's resolution and bitrate, which change with your connection. Small text and fine patterns often blur after encoding. If you record a call, play the recording back to see how the effect appears in it.

Lighting has a large effect on edge detection. Even light from in front of you separates you from the background better than a bright window behind you, which often causes flickering outlines.

Common problems and next steps

The background option is missing or greyed out: update the desktop app, make sure you are not in the browser version, and check that your processor supports AVX2. If Skype itself is no longer available, set the background in Teams instead.

The camera preview is black: check the operating system camera permission for Skype, close other apps that may be using the camera, and confirm the selected camera in Audio & Video. Background effects only work once the camera itself shows a picture.

Edges flicker or parts of you disappear: improve front lighting, increase the contrast between your clothing and the wall behind you, and sit a little further from the camera so your outline is fully in frame. Blur usually hides small edge errors better than a replacement image.

The custom image looks stretched, cropped, or soft: replace it with a 16:9 image at a higher resolution, and keep important content near the center, because the edges may be cropped and your body covers the middle and lower part.

Video becomes choppy after you enable the effect: background processing uses your processor. Close demanding apps, connect a laptop to power, and see whether blur or a simple image runs more smoothly than a detailed one. If the call stays choppy, turn the effect off for that call.

You use a virtual camera or streaming tool as the capture source: Skype applies its effect on top of whatever that source sends. If the tool already removes or replaces your background, set the Skype effect to None to avoid processing the video twice. If the effect appears doubled or cut off, use only one of the two.