Avatars for Microsoft Teams began rolling out to public preview yesterday, March 27; it was originally released to private preview in October, and has been updated after several months of testing.

“A day of hybrid meetings can be exhausting, especially when you’re distracted by how you or your background looks. According to our research, video usage is highly correlated to meeting participation, inclusiveness, and effectiveness. However, only ~30% of participants meet with their video on,” said Avery Salumbides, product marketing manager at Microsoft, in a recent blog post.

Now Teams users can represent themselves the way they want with customizable avatars and reactions. Some of the updates since the private preview include improved performance and lighting for avatars; additional customization options with wardrobe, headwear, and accessories; and animated emoji reactions.

Watch the video below to learn more about Avatars for Microsoft Teams.

“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,” concluded Salumbides. “Include more people in the conversation—whether they need a break due to video fatigue, are joining from a different time zone, or just feel more comfortable with their video off.”

Learn more about enabling the avatars for Teams experience here.