Microsoft Teams: A new default home screen and an enhanced custom background feature for Teams Rooms on Windows

Originally posted by Microsoft May 18, 2023 Uncategorized 0 Comments

The latest version of Teams Rooms on Windows app 4.17 update includes new and improved home screen features, including:  

• New default home screen experience with modern UI update 
• Enhanced custom background feature for Teams Rooms Pro users. 

This message is associated with Microsoft 365 Roadmap ID 124774

When this will happen:

Roll out begins mid-June and is expected to be completed by late July. 

How this affects your organization:

New default home screen

The refreshed home screen with modern UI/UX updates for Teams Rooms on Windows was released as ‘opt-in’ in 4.16 app version to allow IT Admins to prepare for changes (M365 Public Roadmap #117952). 

In June with the 4.17 app release, the modernized home screen becomes the default experience. Please see this documentation for important checks and changes. 

Enhanced custom background (Teams Rooms Pro SKU only)  

On Teams Rooms with the new home screen experience and Teams Rooms Pro license: IT admins will have the option to specify up to 3 background images and identify which image is applied on the main room display, extended room display, and room console, using the following XML settings:  

<Theming>  

<ThemeName>Custom</ThemeName>  

<CustomBackgroundMainFoRDisplay>file1.jpg</CustomBackgroundMainFoRDisplay>  

<CustomBackgroundExtendedFoRDisplay>file2.jpg</CustomBackgroundExtendedFoRDisplay>  

<CustomBackgroundConsole>file3.jpg</CustomBackgroundConsole>  

</Theming>  

Please carefully review the following input requirements for this feature to work as expected:  

• Images must be in PNG, JPG, JPEG, and BMP format  
• <CustomBackgroundMainFoRDisplay> – this XML setting specifies background for the right side of the dual display which has the calendar; input in this setting is required regardless of whether the device is in single or dual display mode 
• <CustomBackgroundExtendedFoRDisplay> – this XML setting specifies background for the left side of the dual display which has the time and room info; input in this setting is required when dual display setting is ON 
• <CustomBackgroundConsole> – this XML setting specifies background for the room console; input in this setting is optional  

To avoid cropping of background images, use the following image dimensions (based on 1080p display standards) for each screen aspect ratio respectively: 

• 16:9 – 1920 x 1080 px (minimum image dimension required for room displays) 
• 21:9 – 2560 x 1080 px 
• 3:2 – 1920 x 1280 px 
• 16:10 – 1280 x 800 px (minimum image dimension required for room consoles) 

If a 4K image with a 3840 x 2160 px dimension is applied to a 4K display, the full image will be shown. However, if the dimensions of the image and the display do not match, the image scales to fill the frame while preserving the image aspect ratio (without letterboxing) and/or the image is cropped from the center. For example:  

• If a 1080p image (1920 x 1080 px) with 16:9 aspect ratio is applied on a 21:9 display, the image scales to fill the frame without distorting the image, and is cropped from the center
• If a 4K image (3840 x 2160 px) is applied on a 1080p display, the image is cropped from the center  

Note that once these new custom background XML settings are applied, the legacy custom theme settings will be disregarded. For more information, please see the Microsoft Learn site for the updated custom background guidelines to be published closer to the release.  

What you need to do to prepare:

Kindly notify your users about this new experience and update your training and documentation as appropriate.  

Message ID: MC556772