Remember that viral story about the boss who accidentally turned herself into a potato during a Teams meeting and couldn't figure out how to turn it off? That became a meme sensation back in 2020. If you want to join the fun and transform yourself into a talking spud during your next video call, here's exactly how to do it without getting stuck.
What You'll Need
To look like a potato, you'll need Snap Camera - Snapchat's desktop app that brings thousands of Snapchat lenses to your computer. It's available for both Windows 10 and Mac devices, and you don't need a Snapchat account to use it. Just download the app from the official Snap Camera website.
How to proceed
- 1.Download and Install Snap Camera Open your browser and search for "Snap Camera" to download the official app. Install it on your computer - the process is straightforward and only takes a few minutes.
- 2.Choose Your Potato Filter Launch Snap Camera after installation. You'll see a variety of filters available. Search for the "Potato" filter in the app and click on it. Your camera feed will instantly transform you into a potato.
- 3.Configure Microsoft Teams Settings Open Microsoft Teams and go to Settings (the gear icon). Click on "Devices" in the left sidebar to access camera settings.
- 4.Change Your Camera Source In the Camera section, click the dropdown menu where your default camera is listed. Select "Snap Camera" from the available options. You should see the potato filter preview immediately.
- 5.Save and Test Make sure to save your changes before exiting settings. Now when you join a Teams meeting, you'll appear as a potato to everyone else on the call.
How to Turn It Off
If you want to return to your normal appearance, simply go back to Teams Settings > Devices > Camera and select your regular webcam from the dropdown menu. You can also close the Snap Camera app completely by quitting it from your system tray or dock.
Important Considerations
While this can be hilarious for casual team meetings or virtual happy hours, we don't recommend using potato filters during important professional conferences. Know your audience and use these fun features appropriately.
Beyond Microsoft Teams
The great thing about Snap Camera is that it works across multiple platforms. You can use the same potato filter on Google Meet, Zoom, Skype, and other video conferencing apps that support external camera sources. Just follow similar steps to change your camera source in each application.
During your meeting, you can even switch between different Snap Camera filters by simply opening the Snap Camera app and selecting a new one. The change happens instantly in your video feed, so you can go from potato to cat to whatever else strikes your fancy.
