Meet My Mini-Me!

The Awesome World of Microsoft Teams Avatars

4 min readApr 3, 2023

Motivation

The new Avatar feature in Microsoft Teams is a game-changer for virtual meetings. Gone are the days of staring at a grid of static profile pictures, wondering who is speaking. With Avatars, you can create a fun and engaging virtual presence that reflects your personality and mood.

What is an Avatar?

Avatars are customizable, cartoon-like representations of yourself that you can use in Teams meetings and chats. You can choose from a range of hairstyles, clothes, accessories, and backgrounds to create an Avatar that looks just like you. Or, if you’re feeling creative, you can go wild and create an Avatar that’s completely different from your real-life self.

But Avatars are more than just a fun way to express yourself. They also make virtual meetings more engaging and interactive. With Avatars, you can see who is speaking in real-time, as each Avatar lights up when its owner is speaking. This makes it easier to follow conversations and keep track of who is saying what.

Avatars also make it easier to form connections with your colleagues, even when you’re not in the same room. By creating Avatars that reflect their personalities and interests, team members can get a sense of each other’s unique identities, which can help build stronger relationships and foster a more positive work culture.

But the fun doesn’t stop there. Microsoft Teams also offers a range of virtual backgrounds that you can use to create a custom backdrop for your Avatar. From cityscapes to nature scenes to wacky abstract designs, there’s a background for every mood and occasion.

And if you’re feeling really adventurous, you can even use the 3D animation feature to bring your Avatar to life. With 3D animation, your Avatar can dance, wave, and even do a little jig, adding an extra layer of fun and interactivity to your virtual meetings.

Creating the Avatar

Alright, buckle up because we’re about to dive into the Avatar-Editor in Microsoft Teams. When you first start the editor, you’ll be asked to choose a “Base Avatar” that looks kinda like you. But don’t worry, that’s just to give you a head start. In the editor, you can customize your Avatar to look exactly how you want it to. This is your chance to let your creativity run wild and create an Avatar that’s truly one-of-a-kind. And hey, with the “Base Avatar” as a starting point, you can save yourself some time and effort. So let’s get started and make some epic Avatars!

If you’ve ever used an Avatar-Editor before, you’ll feel right at home with this one. All the parameters — body shape, face shape, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hairstyle, and clothes — can be customized to your heart’s content. This is your chance to create an Avatar that looks just like you or maybe even better than you (I won’t tell anyone). So grab a photo of yourself for reference (even though you know what you look like, I won’t judge), take your time, and let your creative juices flow. Trust me, the end result will be worth it!

Alright, I gave the Avatar-Editor a whirl and here’s what I came up with on my first attempt. I gotta say, it doesn’t exactly look like me, but maybe that’s because I didn’t try hard enough (don’t judge me). But hey, the good news is that you can create up to three Avatars and save them for later. So don’t be discouraged if your first attempt isn’t perfect. Give it another shot (or two) and let your creativity shine!

I must admit, I may appear a tad grumpy — but can you blame me? It’s Monday, and even my avatar feels the struggle. Don’t worry Mini-Me, we’ll power through the week together!

Summary

In conclusion, the new Avatar feature in Microsoft Teams is a game-changer for virtual meetings. With Avatars, you can create a fun and engaging virtual presence that reflects your personality and mood, making meetings more interactive and enjoyable. So why not give it a try and see how Avatars can transform your virtual meetings today!