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How To Blur Background in Zoom Calls

May 1, 2023 • 10 min read

Are you embarrassed by the clutter in your home office or just want to keep things a bit more private during Zoom meetings? Background blur option in Zoom is an easy way to add privacy and professionalism to your online meetings. Don’t worry if you don’t know how—this guide will walk you through the steps of blurring your background in both pre-meeting and during-meeting settings on any device. No matter what platform you’re using, it’s time to put a little blur between yourself and the outside world.

You’ll learn:

  • Guide in blurring your Zoom Background
  • Using blurred background
  • Prerequisites for using blurred background
  • How to enable blur background
  • How to blur your background on Zoom before a call
  • How to blur your background on Zoom during a meeting
  • What to do if your blurred background isn’t showing up
  • Avoid Zoom blurring out parts of yourself
  • Other aspects to optimize for your Zoom calls

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Guide in blurring your Zoom Background

Traditional Blur Background

The traditional way to blur your background in Zoom is to do it before the meeting starts. To do this, open up your Zoom app and click on the gear icon for settings. Then navigate to “Virtual Backgrounds” and select “Blur.” This will enable the blurred background feature for all of your meetings going forward. While this method works for most users, it does come with some drawbacks; you won’t be able to customize the blur level or switch between backgrounds during a meeting.

Live Blur Background

If you want more control over what’s behind you during a meeting, consider using the Live Blur feature instead. This feature allows you to blur your background in real-time while in a meeting without any pre-configuration needed. To use Live Blur, just open up the Zoom app and join a meeting as usual. Once inside, click on the “More” button (the three dots) and select “Blur my background” from the dropdown menu. Now you can adjust the blur level with a simple slider and hit “Done” when you’re satisfied with how it looks.

The Case For Not Blurring

While blurring backgrounds can help create an impression of professionalism or privacy, it’s not always necessary or appropriate for every situation. In some cases, it may actually be better to leave your background unblurred so that everyone can see who else is in attendance or get a better sense of where people are located geographically. It’s also important to remember that blurring your background won’t completely conceal any sensitive information that may be visible—it will only slightly obscure things like text or logos that are already

Using blurred background

Using blurred backgrounds in Zoom is a simple way to protect your privacy and create an impression of professionalism. Blurring your background before or during a meeting obscures the details of what’s behind you, such as a cluttered dorm room, a coffee shop, or any other distracting elements.

The traditional blur background feature for all meetings is to open up the Zoom application and click on the gear icon for settings. Navigate to “Virtual Backgrounds” and select the Blur option from the dropdown menu. Alternatively, you can use Live Blur which allows you to blur while in a meeting without any pre-configuration needed.

To use Live Blur, just click on the three dots and select “Blur my background” from the dropdown menu. Adjust the blur level with a simple slider and hit “Done” when you’re satisfied with how it looks. However, it’s important to remember that blurring your background won’t completely conceal sensitive information—it will only slightly obscure things like text or logos that are already present.

Prerequisites for using blurred background

Before you can use the Zoom blur background, there are certain prerequisites that must be met. First and foremost, you will need to make sure that you have the most up-to-date version of the Zoom desktop client for Windows, MacOS, or Linux as well as the latest version of the Zoom mobile app for Android and iOS devices.

Additionally, your computer must meet certain system requirements for Virtual Backgrounds before being able to blur your background. This includes having at least 8GB of RAM and an Intel Core i5 processor or faster with 2 cores. Finally, you will need to ensure that your camera can support a resolution of 1280x720p at 30 frames per second (FPS). If all of these criteria are met, then you should be able to successfully blur your background in Zoom.

How to enable blur background

Enabling a blurred background in Zoom is easy and straightforward. First, open the Zoom desktop application on your computer or mobile device. Then, click the arrow next to the Start/Stop Video button at the bottom of your screen. This will open up the settings menu where you can access all of the video options. Here, you should see the Virtual Background option.

Once you have selected this, you can choose from a variety of background effects or upload your own image or video file as a virtual background. Lastly, select Blur and then close the settings window to finish setting up your blurred background. With just these few simple steps, you can now easily blur your background while using Zoom.

Windows | macOS | Linux

Windows is a widely used and well-known operating system developed by Microsoft. It was first released in 1985 and has since been updated with new features, improved performance, and bug fixes. It is designed to be user friendly and provides users with an intuitive graphical user interface. Windows also comes preloaded with lots of applications, such as Microsoft Office, Skype, Adobe Reader, Internet Explorer, and more.

Windows is the most popular desktop operating system due to its support for modern hardware components and its compatibility with a wide range of applications. It is ideal for home users who need an easy to use operating system that can run their favorite programs without any problems.

Android | iOS

Android and iOS are the two major mobile operating systems that have become ubiquitous in the modern world. Android is an open-source software platform developed by Google for use on tablets, phones, and other devices. iOS, on the other hand, is Apple’s proprietary mobile operating system used exclusively on its products such as iPhones and iPads.

Both platforms have their own advantages and disadvantages: Android offers a more customizable experience with a wider range of apps, but iOS provides users with a more secure environment due to its tight integration with Apple’s hardware. Additionally, Android has more features than iOS when it comes to multitasking, which makes it ideal for users who need to switch between multiple applications quickly.

At the end of the day, both platforms offer users great experiences that cater to different needs. Whether you’re looking for a secure experience or one built around customization and multitasking capabilities, there’s an option available for you within either platform.

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Use the DigiWorks platform to hire, manage, and pay remote talent from all over the world.

Other aspects to optimize for your Zoom calls

In addition to avoiding blurring, there are other aspects of Zoom calls that you should optimize to ensure the best possible experience. For instance, it’s important to make sure that your audio and video settings are configured properly in order to ensure that both sound and image quality remain high throughout the call. Additionally, consider using a headset or external microphone if the built-in microphone on your device isn’t providing adequate sound quality. Try positioning yourself in front of a neutral background rather than a busy one in order to avoid distractions for other participants.

Finally, be mindful of how you’re framing yourself within the camera frame — aim for head and shoulders rather than too much of your body as this can help provide an intimate feeling for your conversation partners. By ensuring these factors are optimized prior to your call, you can ensure a smooth and successful Zoom experience for all involved.

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