How to add your background
It takes about a minute. Zoom first, then Meet and Teams.
In Zoom
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Open settings
In the Zoom desktop app, click your profile picture and choose Settings. In a call, click the arrow next to Stop video instead.
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Go to Background & effects
Choose Background & effects in the sidebar, then the Virtual backgrounds tab.
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Add the file
Press the + button, choose Add image or Add video, and select the file you downloaded.
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Check the mirror
If text in the background looks reversed, untick Mirror my video. Other people always see it the right way round.
In Google Meet
Before joining or during a call, open Apply visual effects, go to Backgrounds, and press Upload a background image.
Meet accepts images only, so pick one of our image backgrounds for Meet calls.
In Microsoft Teams
Before joining, choose Effects and avatars. During a call, open More, then Effects and avatars. Press Add new and select your image.
Teams accepts JPG, PNG and BMP images.
Three things that make any background look better
- Face a window or lamp. Light from the front gives the app a clean edge to cut around.
- Avoid clothes that match your wall. The app finds you by contrast, so a white shirt on a white wall disappears.
- Sit still-ish. Fast movement and hand gestures near the edge of the frame are where cut-outs flicker.