Microsoft Teams Avatars: Now create own 3D avatar to represent you in meetings - Here's how

Microsoft Teams Avatars: US tech giant Microsoft has announced that it is now rolling out 'Avatars' for public preview. Microsoft Teams users can now create a 3D avatar to represent themselves in meetings without turning their cameras on.

The users can represent themselves the way they want to show up by choosing the avatar fits their specific meeting— from casual, professional, or day-to-day.

"Avatars for Microsoft Teams offers an alternative to the current binary option of video or no video. Avatars for Teams gives you that much-needed camera break, while still allowing you to collaborate effectively," it said in a blogpost on Monday.

The company had previously announced the release of the private preview in October last year, and with the current version, it has now made a few updates to the previous iteration.

Microsoft has improved performance and enhanced the appearance of avatar's skin and hair by adding a new lighting system into the latest public trial version.

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"Our first step toward more realistic avatars is a new lighting system. This has improved performance and enhanced the appearance of avatar skin and hair," the company added in the blogpost.

Also, the new version will include a multitude of new customisation options, like bindis and hearing aids,  the company said.

Now, if the users react using the Teams emoji reactions, their avatar will mimic that reaction with their body. For instance, if they use the raised hand reaction, their avatar will also raise their hand.

Microsoft Teams: How to create your avatar?

There are two ways to access the Mesh avatar builder in Microsoft Teams: add the app from the Teams home screen or access the builder from within a Teams meeting.

From the Teams home screen, select the three dots above the Store icon on the left sidebar to launch a search bar. 

In the search bar, type “Mesh avatars” and select the corresponding app.

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From within a Teams meeting, select the three dots to the left of the Camera icon in the top bar. Select “Effects and avatars”. 

Then, select “Avatars” from the right column and select “Open Avatars App” in the top “Your Avatar” section.

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