How to Blur Background in Zoom Meeting

Zoom offers you to change the background of your video call to a picture of your preference. The ability to apply virtual backgrounds not only gets you a fresh way to present yourself in a meeting but also increases a sense of privacy to what’s around you. The best video calling app like Skype has a background blur feature. By the way, can you use a background blur on Zoom meeting? Now, let us find out that information here.

Does Zoom Permit You To Blur Your Background?

No. Although you are able to apply any number of virtual backgrounds on Zoom, but it does not yet feature the ability to blur your background in Zoom meeting. In contrast, Microsoft Teams and Skype already have the feature to blur the background of your video feed while Google is planning to roll it out to its Meet service in the near future.

How To Make A Background Blur Effect On Zoom Instantly

If you want other participants to not see the room that you are in but do not want to completely change it, there is a method that you can do. While Zoom does not natively have a background blur option, it does allow you change backgrounds easily. You are able to get a similar effect to that of a blurred background by capturing your background, manually blurring that picture, and then applying it as your virtual background.

Here is a way to make a background blur effect on Zoom:

  • At the first step, you have to snap a picture of your empty background or the view which is usually visible to others when you are in a meeting. You are able to click the picture by using your PC’s native webcam or through a Smartphone but make sure that it’s positioned at the same place where your webcam is.

have to snap a picture

  • The second step, you have to go to the Kapwing editing tool and then make an account for free.
  • After you are signed in, you are able to click on ‘New Project’ and then choose ‘Start with Studio’.

click on ‘New Project’ and then choose ‘Start with Studio

  • Next, on the next page, click on ‘Start with a blank canvas’.

click on ‘Start with a blank canvas’.

  • In this step, you have to upload the picture which you clicked earlier. You are able to do so by clicking on ‘Upload’ at the top left and dropping the picture you clicked in Step 1.

upload the picture which you clicked earlier

  • After your picture is loaded onto the canvas, simply you are able to click on the ‘Adjust’ button on the right-hand side of the screen.

click on the ‘Adjust’ button on the right-hand side of the screen.

  • Now, you are able to proceed to blur the image the way you want. To do that, you are able to slide through the ‘Blur’ adjustment at the bottom and adjust the blur effect the way you want. A preview of the blurred image is going to be shown on the left side of the screen. For best results, we recommend you keep the Blur setting at ‘2’. After the adjustment is done, please click on the ‘Done Adjusting’ button at the bottom right.

‘Blur’ adjustment at the bottom and adjust the blur effect the way you want.

  • To save the edited picture, you have to click on the ‘Publish’ button at the top right, and then click on Download.

click on the ‘Publish’ button at the top right,

  • Now, you are able to apply the edited picture as your virtual background inside Zoom. To do that, open the Zoom client, click on your profile picture at the top right and head over to Settings > Virtual backgrounds.

Other Options To Blur The Background On Zoom

If you are not satisfied with the results from the tutorial above, you are able to check out the methods below to apply the background blur effect on Zoom.

Here are some options to blur the background in Zoom meeting:

Virtual background effect using ManyCam

ManyCam allows you to replace your background during a video call by using the Chroma Key feature. After installing ManyCam on your PC, you are able to open the Chroma key tab, and toggle the switch adjacent to ‘Virtual Background’. After switching ON the Virtual Background feature, you are able to choose the Blur option.

Virtual background effect using ManyCam

Glow In The Dark lens on Snap Camera

Snap Camera is a tool which gives you more raw power if you want a different background. Based on the research, it was developed by Snapchat. The tool can be installed as a virtual camera to be used with any video collaboration platform including Zoom, Skype, Hangouts, and more. Also, Snap camera provides you different looks using lenses and one such lens that it offers is the Glow In The Dark lens. Though the lens highlights your face in green, it offers the cleanest look by toning down the background, especially once your surroundings are shabby.

Use backgrounds from across the internet as your background

Although Zoom does not have a native feature to allow you blur your background, but the company allows you download and set any image on the internet to use as your background for all video calls. You will be able to download royalty-free images from any of these websites: Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay without paying a dime and even search for the images you want categorically. For example, you are able to search for backgrounds by typing “Holiday” or “Office” and you will be able to find and download tons of images. This way, you are able to change your background from time to time and give your video calls a refreshing look.

Which Video Conferencing App Allows You Blur Your Background

For those who are not satisfied with the results from this tutorial, you may want to switch to another video conferencing app for your background blur needs. Please take a look at the apps that offer custom backgrounds. Both Microsoft Teams and Skype offer an option to blur the background on a video call. You are able to use an extension to blur the background on Google Meet but it does not have an official feature yet.

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