Copy both files directly into the background image folder of Microsoft Teams (See Windows or Mac below).In the example, the second file is called animated_thumb.png. Duplicate the file and add a _thumb (abbreviation for thumbnail) to the name.

If the image is called animated.gif, rename it into animated.png. Choose an animated GIF and change the file extension into.

There is a trick that allows adding GIFs and it works! When trying to change the image format into another one, the upload fails with the error message 'Couldn't add background'. Microsoft Teams does not allow the upload of GIF images as virtual backgrounds. Geeks like myself are bothered by the fact that we cannot (actually, we can) use an animated background in Microsoft Teams.