How to Pin a Video in Microsoft Teams

Pinning a video in Microsoft Teams keeps a particular participant’s video prominent on your own screen, which can help you follow a speaker in a busy meeting. It changes your personal view only; it does not pin the video for everyone or change what other attendees see.

What You’ll Need

• Access to a Teams meeting with at least one participant whose video or profile tile is visible.
• The Teams desktop app, web app, or mobile app. Menu names and available layout options can vary slightly by device and app version.

Step-by-Step

1. Join the meeting. Open the meeting in Teams and wait for the participant list or meeting video tiles to appear. You can pin another attendee whether or not you have your own camera on.
2. Find the person you want to keep in view. Look for their video tile in the meeting window. If their camera is off, you may see their initials or profile image instead. You can also locate a participant in the People or Participants panel.
3. Open the tile’s options. Move your pointer over the person’s video tile and select More options (the three-dot menu). On a touchscreen, tap the tile or its options button. If you are using the participant list, open the menu next to that person’s name.
4. Select Pin for me. Choose Pin for me or Pin, depending on the Teams version and interface. This pins the participant in your meeting view. If a confirmation appears, confirm that you want to pin them.
5. Check the meeting view. The pinned video should remain prominent as other people speak or join. Teams may rearrange the gallery to accommodate the pinned tile, so the exact layout can depend on your window size and meeting settings.
6. Pin another participant if needed. Repeat the process on another person’s tile. Teams can allow multiple personal pins, but the number and display depend on the current app and meeting layout. If the option is unavailable, unpin someone or change the layout and try again.
7. Unpin when you are done. Open the pinned person’s options and select Unpin for me or Unpin. This restores the normal meeting view for you; it does not change anyone else’s screen.

Common Mistakes

• Confusing pinning with spotlighting. Pinning is a personal viewing choice. Spotlighting is a meeting control that can make a participant prominent for everyone, subject to meeting permissions. Don’t use a spotlight option if you only want to adjust your own screen.
• Expecting to pin a shared presentation with the participant menu. A shared screen or presentation is different from a person’s video tile. Use the content’s own options, if available, or adjust the meeting layout. The exact controls depend on the meeting and Teams version.
• Looking in the wrong menu. The pin option is generally in the participant tile’s or participant list entry’s More options menu, not the main Teams settings menu.
• Assuming everyone can see the same pinned view. A personal pin does not tell other attendees to pin that person. Each attendee manages their own view.
• Assuming a pin turns on someone’s camera. Pinning can keep a tile visible, but it cannot enable another person’s camera or make them share video.

Tips

• Use pinning when you want to keep a presenter, interpreter, or discussion partner easy to see while the active speaker changes.
• Try switching the meeting layout if the pinned tile is too small or the gallery is crowded. Layout controls can appear under View or a similarly named meeting menu.
• On a phone or tablet, rotate the device or close side panels if the video area is cramped. The available layouts differ from desktop.
• Use Pin for me when available to make clear that the change affects only your view.
• If you cannot find a participant tile, open the People or Participants panel and use the menu beside their name instead.

Troubleshooting

The pin option is missing: Make sure you are in an active meeting and opening the options for a participant, not the meeting itself. Try the menu beside the person’s name in the participant panel. If the person has left, their tile is no longer available to pin.

The pinned person is not prominent: Check that you selected the participant’s tile and that the pin action completed. Close the participant or chat panel, enlarge the meeting window, or switch layouts. Teams may adapt the arrangement to your screen size.

The video is still blank: A pin does not start someone’s camera. The participant may have their camera off, a connection problem, or may be sharing content instead. Ask them to check their camera and connection if appropriate; otherwise, the pinned initials or profile image may remain.

You pinned the wrong person: Open that person’s options, choose Unpin for me, then pin the intended participant. This is safe to change during the meeting and does not notify everyone that you changed your personal layout.

The controls look different: Teams’ desktop, browser, and mobile interfaces are not identical, and features can change over time. Update or restart the app if controls seem missing, or try Teams in a supported browser or another device. In a work or school account, an administrator’s meeting policies can also affect available controls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does pinning someone notify them?
No. Pinning for yourself changes your meeting view and does not normally notify the person or other attendees.

Can I pin someone in Teams on my phone?
Usually, yes. Tap the participant’s video tile or their entry in the participant list, open the options menu, and choose the pin option if it is available.

Can I pin more than one person?
Teams may allow multiple personal pins, but the number and layout can vary. If you cannot add another, unpin a participant or try a different meeting view.

What is the difference between pinning and spotlighting?
Pinning changes what you see. Spotlighting is intended to emphasize a participant for the meeting and may require the appropriate role or permissions.

Can I pin a participant whose camera is off?
Often, yes. Their tile may show initials or a profile image rather than live video. Pinning does not turn on their camera.

How do I remove a pin?
Open the pinned participant’s More options menu and select Unpin for me or Unpin. Your view returns to its usual arrangement.

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