Manage a Microsoft Teams Rooms console settings remotely with an XML configuration file

This article discusses remote management of the default settings used by a Microsoft Teams Rooms device. It discusses how to create a master settings file and links to discussions of how to place them as needed on Teams Rooms.

It is possible for you to change default settings of Teams Rooms by updating a master XML file and sending copies to the remote Teams Rooms devices.

Some features are available only on Teams Rooms devices that have been assigned a Microsoft Teams Rooms Pro license. To see which features require Microsoft Teams Rooms Pro, see Microsoft Teams Rooms licenses.

Manage console settings with an XML configuration file

At startup, if a Microsoft Teams Rooms console finds an XML file named SkypeSettings.xml located at C:\Users\Skype\AppData\Local\Packages\Microsoft.SkypeRoomSystem_8wekyb3d8bbwe\LocalState , it applies the configuration settings indicated by the XML file then deletes the XML file.

Depending on how many Microsoft Teams Rooms devices your enterprise has and how you choose to manage to configure them, there are several ways to place the XML configuration file. Once the file is pushed to the console, restart it to process the configuration changes. The XML configuration file is deleted after it is successfully processed. The management methods suggested for Microsoft Teams Rooms devices are discussed in:

Configuring Group Policy for Microsoft Teams Rooms
Remote Management using PowerShell and Configure a File Item

You can use any method you like so long as you can use it to transfer files and trigger a restart on the console device. The file must be readable, writable, and delete-able by the device's local user account. Preferably it is owned by, and has full privileges granted to, device's local user. If the file permissions are not set correctly, the software can fail to apply the settings, can fail to delete the file upon successful processing, and can even potentially crash.

Create an XML configuration file

Any text editor can be used to create a settings file. The XML Elements table explains the elements shown in this sample SkypeSettings.xml (required file name) configuration file.

 1 0 true 50 50 username@microsoft.com Password!  true false true false false true true true true guestname guest@microsoft.com true true true true true false true false true true medium 3,2 1 0 true true false 1 true username@microsoft.com true  true Device1 DeviceX DeviceX Camera1 true false  Custom file name file name file name file name  true false username1@microsoft.com,username2@contoso.com      true 1920,1080 100  1920,1080 100  false false

If a variable value is of the wrong type, elements are out of order, elements are unclosed, or another error is found, the XML file is badly formed. While processing a badly formed XML file, settings found up to the point where the error occurs are applied, then the rest of the file is ignored. Any unknown elements in the XML are ignored. If a parameter is omitted, it remains unchanged on the device. If a parameter value is invalid, its prior value remains unchanged.

XML elements

Type	Level	Usage
Container for all elements.	Required.
Boolean ❷	First ❶	If true, a connected HDMI ingest will be automatically shared on the Front of Room display and when in a Teams Meeting it will be automatically shared to remote participants. If false, a connected HDMI ingest will be automatically shared on the Front of Room display in and out of a Teams meeting but it will not be shared to remote participants in the meeting automatically, users will need to select the share icon to shared content to remote participants.
Boolean ❷	First ❶	If true, meeting names are hidden.
Container	First ❶	Container for credentials parameters. The sign-in address, Exchange address, or email address are usually the same, such as RainierConf @contoso.com.
String ❷	The sign-in name for the console's SfB or Teams device account.
String ❸	The password parameter is the same password used for the Skype for Business device account sign-in.
Boolean ❷	First ❶	Disabled by default.

1 Hide the panel.
2 Show meeting chat.
3 Show raised hand list.

0 Content only
1 Content+people (default)

0 Off. Use OEM-provided noise suppression only.
1 High. Suppresses all background noises (stationary and non-stationary) that aren't speech.

Required if is set to Custom .

Required if is set to Custom and is set to true .

enabled Determines whether Teams is configured to participate in Coordinated Meetings with other devices.

default Determines on which device the microphone will be active when a meeting starts. Only one device (typically a Teams Rooms device) can have this field set to true while the rest of the devices must have this field set to false to avoid audio echo and feedback.
enabled Determines whether participants in a meeting can toggle the microphone on or off. Devices on which Audio default is set to false should have this setting set to false so that participants can't accidentally turn on a microphone and cause audio echo or feedback. If Audio default is set to true , the Audio enabled setting is ignored and participants can mute or unmute the microphone.

default Determines on which device the camera will be active when a meeting starts. For the best experience, we recommend that only the Teams Rooms device be set to true while all other devices are set to false .
enabled Determines whether participants in a meeting can toggle the camera on or off. You can set this to true on any other devices in the event participants want to share different video perspectives (such as if a participant is using the Surface Hub whiteboard). If you don't want participants to turn a camera on or off on a device, set this to false . If Video default is set to true , the Video enabled setting is ignored and participants can turn the camera on or off.

default Determines on which device the whiteboard will be active when a meeting starts. For the best experience, we recommend that the Teams Rooms device be set to false and that you use the whiteboard on a Surface Hub.
enabled Determines whether participants in a meeting can toggle the whiteboard on or off. If you don't want participants to turn the whiteboard on or off on a device, set this to false . If Whiteboard default is set to true , the Whiteboard enabled setting is ignored and participants can turn the whiteboard on or off.

❶ All of the first-level elements are optional. If a first-level element is omitted, all of its child parameters remain unchanged on the device.

❷ A boolean flag can be: true, false, 0, or 1. Leaving boolean or numeric values empty can render the XML malformed and prevent changes to the settings.

❸ If a string parameter is present and empty, and empty is a valid value, the parameter is cleared on the device.

Supported Meeting modes App version 4.9

Skype for Business (default) and Microsoft Teams

XML Notation	XML Value
	True
	True
	False

Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams (default)

XML Notation	XML Value
	True
	True
	True

Skype for Business only

XML Notation	XML Value
	False
	True
	False

Microsoft Teams only

XML Notation	XML Value
	True
	False
	True

Supported Meeting modes App version 4.8 or lower

Skype for Business (default) and Microsoft Teams

XML Notation	XML Value
	True
	False

Skype for Business and Microsoft Teams (default)

XML Notation	XML Value
	True
	True

Skype for Business only

XML Notation	XML Value
	False
	False

Locate the Content camera USB instance path

To locate the instance path:

Go into Windows settings on the Microsoft Teams Rooms console.
Enter the admin password.
From a Command Prompt, type devmgmt.msc to bring up Device Manager.
In Device Manager, look in the Imaging devices node and locate the content camera.
Right-click the camera, and open Properties.
Select the Details tab, and locate the Device instance path property in the drop-down.
The value shown is the device instance path to set in the XML configuration file. When specifying the path in XML, replace the ampersand (&) with & .