How to Blur Background on Zoom: Blur, Virtual Backgrounds & 3D Avatars, by Easy Tech Steps on YouTube. 1 min 49 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 49 s
- Time to do it
- 5 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Open the Zoom desktop app and sign in. Click your profile picture in the top right, then click Settings. On a Mac you can also use the zoom.us menu and pick Settings.
In the left sidebar, click Background & Effects. Older versions call this panel Background & Filters, but the options inside work the same way.
Choose Blur. Use the slider under the preview to set how strong the blur is, then check the preview to see how your hair and shoulders look.
To use a photo instead, click the plus button next to Video Effects, choose Add Image, and pick a JPG or PNG from your computer.
If you have a real green screen behind you, tick I have a green screen and use the colour picker to click the green in your preview. This gives much cleaner edges.
For an animated look, open the Avatars tab in the same panel and pick an avatar, if your Zoom version shows that tab.
Sit where a lamp or window lights your face from the front, close the Settings window, and join or return to your meeting.
During a call, you can change this fast: click the small arrow next to the Video button and choose Choose Virtual Background, or click Video Effects.
Tips and common mistakes
Good front lighting matters more than the blur setting, because dim rooms make the edges flicker.
Blur and virtual backgrounds use extra processor power, so a very old laptop may drop frames until you switch back to no background.
A plain wall or a real green screen gives a much sharper outline than a cluttered room with shelves and plants.
The mobile app has the same option under More during a call, but the wording changes between versions, so look for Background & Effects.
Questions
Do other people see my real room when blur is on?
No. They see the blurred version or the picture you picked, not the room behind you. Your own preview still shows the effect so you can check it.
Why is the blur option greyed out or missing?
Your Zoom version or your computer's processor may be too old for it. Update Zoom to the latest version, then restart the app and look again.
Can I blur only part of the screen?
No, blur covers everything behind you. To hide one messy corner, use a virtual background picture instead of the blur option.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
