Guide
How to use a video background in Teams with OBS
Teams does not accept a custom MP4 through Add new in background effects. To use a moving video scene, loop the file in OBS Studio and select OBS Virtual Camera as your Teams camera.
Updated
Can you upload a video as a Teams background?
Not through the normal custom-background uploader. Microsoft's instructions list JPG, PNG and BMP images for Add new. Teams also has built-in effects, but those do not make a downloaded MP4 an accepted custom background file.
If you only want a normal background replacement, use a supported still image. If you want a moving scene, the method below sends an OBS scene as your camera feed. Check your organisation's rules before using a virtual camera in work meetings.
Make the looping scene in OBS
- Install OBS Studio from the official OBS website and save the MP4 in a folder you will keep.
- Create a scene. In Sources, add a Media Source, choose the local MP4 and enable Loop.
- Fit the video to your scene canvas. Start with a 1920 x 1080 canvas and a landscape clip.
- To show yourself too, add a Video Capture Device for your webcam and place it above the background in the Sources list. Resize it for a picture-in-picture layout.
- In the Controls dock, choose Start Virtual Camera. OBS sends the scene as a webcam feed; you do not need to start a stream or a recording.
Our OBS background guide explains Media Source looping and scene order in more detail.
Choose it in Teams
- Open the Teams camera or device settings before joining your meeting.
- Select OBS Virtual Camera as the camera, then inspect your preview.
- Turn off Teams background effects while testing so they do not replace the scene you built in OBS.
- Keep OBS running during the call. Stop the virtual camera when you finish, or change Teams back to your normal webcam.
If OBS Virtual Camera is missing, check that it has started, reopen Teams and review your device permissions. Installation and permissions vary by operating system. A managed work computer may block virtual cameras; ask your administrator rather than trying to bypass that restriction.
Does this remove the room behind me?
Not by itself. An ordinary webcam source is an opaque rectangle. Putting it above the loop makes a picture-in-picture scene, not an automatic cut-out of your body.
For a background behind your body, use a green screen with an OBS Chroma Key filter on the webcam, or separate background-removal software. Lighting and the webcam image affect the result. Preview it before a real meeting.
Camera and microphone are separate
OBS Virtual Camera supplies video. Select your normal microphone in Teams and test it there. The InfinityLooper MP4s are silent, so they do not add music or sound to your call.
Frequently asked questions
Can I add an MP4 directly in Teams background effects?
No. The custom upload accepts supported still-image files. Use OBS Virtual Camera for a video scene, or a still image for the native background-replacement feature.
Is OBS Virtual Camera free?
Yes. OBS Studio is free and includes Virtual Camera. The video loops linked here are free downloads with Google sign-in, subject to the free plan's allowance.
Why does my webcam cover the moving background?
A normal webcam source includes the whole camera image. Resize it for picture-in-picture, or use a green screen and Chroma Key to make its background transparent.
Does the virtual camera send my microphone audio?
No. Choose and test your microphone separately in Teams. These video loops have no audio track.
Browse video scenes for Teams with OBS, or use Zoom's native video background workflow if you are meeting in Zoom.
Official instructions
Microsoft's Teams background instructions list accepted custom image formats. The OBS Virtual Camera guide explains which scene is sent and how to start or stop the camera.
