Home Desk Setup for Perfect Video Calls - 101 Guide 2023, by ThisIsE on YouTube. 11 min 7 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 7 s
- Time to do it
- 30 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Start with the desk you already have. Put your laptop on a stand or a stack of books so the top of the screen sits close to eye level, then add an external keyboard and mouse so you can type without hunching.
Move the camera to eye level, ideally clipped to the top edge of your screen or on a tripod just behind it. You want to look straight ahead, not up your nose or down at the desk.
Adjust your chair so your feet are flat on the floor, thighs roughly level, elbows near 90 degrees and the screen about an arm's length away.
Light your face, not your back. Sit facing a window or place a lamp or softbox in front of you at head height, and switch off any light directly behind you.
Tidy the background. A plain wall, a shelf or a closed door works well, and most apps can blur what is behind you if the room is busy.
Add your peripherals within easy reach: keyboard, mouse, a large mouse pad, a notepad and a place to set your phone down out of shot.
Use a dedicated webcam rather than the laptop camera if you have one, since it sits at eye level and gives a sharper picture. Mount it on the top of your screen and check the framing before you join.
Test your microphone. Record a short clip in your meeting app or a voice recorder, play it back and set the input level so your voice is clear and never peaks.
Practise eye contact. While you talk, look at the camera lens instead of the faces on screen, and drag the video window close to the lens so it feels natural.
Wear headphones for calls so your speakers do not feed back into the mic and create echo. Wired over-ear pairs or earbuds both work.
Tips and common mistakes
Never sit with a bright window behind you, because the camera will expose for the window and leave your face in shadow.
Test your full setup with a friend or a self-recording five minutes before an important call, not during it.
Keep the mic about a hand's width from your mouth and off the desk surface to reduce thumps and keyboard noise.
A cheap stand and a lamp will improve your call picture more than an expensive camera will.
Questions
Do I need a separate webcam?
No, but a laptop camera sits low and often points up at your chin. A cheap webcam on top of the screen at eye level gives a better angle and a sharper image.
How do I stop echo on video calls?
Wear headphones and lower your speaker volume. Echo usually comes from your mic picking up the other person's voice from your own speakers.
Where should my light go?
In front of you and slightly above head height, so it lights your face evenly. A window works well as long as it is not behind you.
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.
