Remote work has dramatically changed how we collaborate. As of 2022, over 70% of full-time employees work from home at least 5 days per month. This seismic shift sparked the meteoric rise of video messaging platform Zoom from 10 million to over 300 million daily participants between December 2019 and April 2020.
Altering your default background is one capability enhancing the Zoom experience for many remote teams. In this comprehensive guide, we‘ll explore why customizing your view matters – whether you want to appear more professional, block visual distractions, or reveal some personality.
Let‘s dive into step-by-step instructions to blur or swap your Zoom background on desktop and mobile, along with expert tips for achieving flawless results every time. We‘ll also compare free basic plans versus upgraded tiers to pick the best fit for your needs and budget.
Why Change Your Background?
Before learning how to customize your backdrop, it helps to understand why you might want to in the first place during virtual meetings and video calls.
Hide Visible Mess – We can‘t all have magazine-worthy home offices! Blur or replace clutter with a solid color backdrop.
Increase Focus – Draw eyes towards you instead of messy rooms or busy environments behind you.
Protect Privacy – Obscure confidential documents, computer screens, or personal surroundings.
Project Professionalism – Trade hoodies and couches for a more polished office or studio background.
Show Personality – Have fun with virtual tropical beaches, moon landscapes or meme images.
Now let‘s see how to easily alter your Zoom scenery on both desktop computers and mobile devices.
Blur or Change Background on Desktop
The Zoom desktop application supports blurring or swapping your background either before or during live meetings. We‘ll cover both methods next.
Enable Effects Before Joining
Setting your background effect ahead of meetings saves effort later. Just follow these steps:
- Launch the Zoom desktop app and sign into your account
- Click your profile picture then choose Settings
- Select Backgrounds & Effects from the left sidebar
- Pick an effect like Blur or a fun virtual background image!
Your selected backdrop now persists automatically whenever presenting live over Zoom or recording sessions.
💡 Pro Tip: Enabling effects before joining calls reduces CPU load compared to activating them mid-stream. For example, background blurring can consume 15-30% less processor resources when enabled beforehand.
Activate Effects During a Meeting
Forgot to preset your background or want to change it just for certain meetings? Easily alter your surroundings on the fly:
- Click the ^ arrow next to Start/Stop Video during a call
- Choose Backgrounds & Effects from the menu
- Select your desired effect like Blur to transform the live view
💡 Pro Tip: Image quality depends partly on your webcam. Lower quality cameras struggle separating foreground and background. Upgrade to better HD webcams for drastically clearer blurring effects during calls.
Now let‘s shift our focus to mobile devices next…
Blur or Change Background on Mobile
It just takes a few taps to activate background effects from iOS or Android devices:
- Start or join a Zoom meeting on your phone/tablet
- Tap the screen to reveal controls then select More
- Choose Background & Effects
- Pick Blur or other available backdrops
We tested background blurring from iPhone and Android devices:
| Device | Image Quality | Ease of Use |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone 14 Pro | Excellent | Very Simple |
| Samsung Galaxy S23 | Very Good | Straightforward |
Apple‘s latest A16 chip powering the iPhone 14 Pro‘s main camera paired with improved software processing of people/environments delivers a flawless blurred background. Android‘s Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform lags just slightly behind.
Both provide seamless altering of mobile backdrops – though ambient lighting matters more given most phones‘ narrower aperture and megapixel cameras compared to dedicated webcams.
Let‘s uncover some tips to nail your setup and achieve professional results…
Recommendations for Best Video Call Backdrops
A few small changes to your physical environment, equipment and layout can take your video call presence to the next level:
Lighting
Quantity: Front light sources with 800-1500 lumens
Temperature: 5600K (daylight or natural white)
Position: 45 degree angles left/right to avoid shadows
Distance: 2-3 feet away
Examples: Ring lights, softbox lights or diffuse lamps
Room Setup
Camera View: Face solid wall + hang sound dampening panels
Camera Height: Eye level (use laptop risers/stands)
Camera Distance: 2-5 feet away
Distractions: Remove clutter from background
Seating: Adjust office chair to hit sweet spot
Equipment
| Budget | Webcam | Lighting Kit |
|---|---|---|
| Under $100 | Logitech C920x | Neewer 18" Ring Light |
| Under $200 | Logitech Brio 4K | Emart 10" Softbox Set |
| Under $500 | Razer Kiyo Pro | Elgato Key Light Air |
Investing in better gear takes video call and livestream production quality to the next level. But start small by just elevating your laptop + adding a basic ring light in frame.
Got the basics down? Now let‘s explore how upgrading Zoom plans unlocks extra capabilities…
Compare Zoom Plan Options
While Zoom‘s free basic tier works great for casual usage, paid plans add more security, flexibility and customization suited to business and professional contexts:
💡 Pro Tip: Calculate your return on investment for upgraded plans using expected meeting frequency and number of seats needed. 10 employees running client calls 2x weekly over a year could justify spending $200/mo for Zoom Business based on productivity and reliability gains.
Have additional questions? Check our FAQ guide below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to install software to join Zoom meetings?
You can join from a web browser, but installing Zoom‘s app unlocks more features.
What‘s the maximum meeting capacity?
100 participants on free plans. Up to 500 or 1,000+ on paid tiers.
Can anyone join if I share a meeting link?
Yes unless authentication or approval from the host is required.
Should I blur my background for Zoom interviews?
Yes! Gear checks and tests 5-10 min early are recommended to appear polished and professional.
We hope this step-by-step expert guide helps you take advantage of Zoom‘s powerful background customization tools for more engaging, productive and private video calls! Reach out with any other questions.
