Tips for better meetings

Preview your video

When you're in a meeting, preview your video before you turn on your camera: 

1. Hover over Turn camera on to preview your video.

2. Preview how you'd like to appear:

   • Select Blur my background to blur your background.

   • Select More background effects to preview a custom background or add your own.

3. When you're ready, select Apply and turn on video.

Share your screen

• Select Share content to present your screen. You can share:

  • Your desktop

  • Window

  • PowerPoint presentation

  • Whiteboard

Raise your hand and show reactions

Under Reactions, choose how to engage in a meeting:

• Select Raise hand to let others know you'd like to speak up without interrupting the conversation.

• Choose a reaction like Applause or Heart to show how you feel.

Spotlight a video

When a featured speaker's talking, spotlight their video so it's the main one everyone sees.

• Right-click whose video you want to spotlight, select Spotlight > Spotlight once more to confirm.

Choose a video layout

There are different video layouts for your meeting. On the meeting controls, select More options (...) and choose one:

• Gallery: This is the default view that shows a 3x3 video layout.

  Note: If there's more than nine people, Teams prioritizes anyone with their video turned on, or those speaking the most.

• Large gallery: This is a 7x7 video layout that lets you see up to 49 other people at once.

  Note: 10 people must have their camera turned on. If no one's sharing video, Large gallery cannot be selected from the menu.

• Together mode: This layout lets you feel like you're in the same shared space with everyone in the meeting. Select Change scene to change the background for everyone.

  Note: Together mode is available if there's at least five people in a meeting.

Create breakout rooms

Create and open breakout rooms to let attendees hold smaller, more focused discussions.

1. On the meeting controls, select Breakout rooms.

2. Choose how many rooms you need and how to assign participants.

3. Select Create rooms > Start rooms.