Microsoft is bringing animated avatars to Teams in May

In May, Microsoft Teams will get animated avatars, which can be used if the user cannot or does not want to use his or her camera. Those avatars can mimic facial expressions based on the user’s voice and can display reactions.

Company indicates in a roadmap that the Teams avatars will be available worldwide in May for Windows and Mac users. These are avatars that can be modified by the user and can display reactions.

The avatars were announced in November 2021 and are part of Microsoft’s mixed reality platform Mesh. The avatar is in view from about shoulder height, similar to how most people video call. Microsoft says the avatars can display facial expressions based on audio cues and response buttons. The company said it should also be able to track the user’s head and mouth movements with the camera to use for the avatars. It is not clear whether this possibility will also be in the avatars from May.