Whether you need to change your office space temporarily or wish to protect the privacy of your personal space, blurring your background at the time of Zoom meetings is a great call. But at times you have to restart a call or switch the video communication tools unexpectedly. This is when you are likely to bump into a few unexpected background errors. If you do not wish to use any virtual background similar to outer space or a beach, there are some simple ways to preserve your privacy as well as spare yourself from any potentially embarrassing moments. Now, you can easily blur your Zoom background on every platform, making your surroundings appear fuzzy so that people and objects will fade into obscurity. In this guide, you will learn how to blur the background in Zoom on your Chromebook, tablet, phone, Mac, and PC. So, keep reading.
How to blur the background in Zoom:
Method 1:Using a Mac or PC
First, open your Zoom desktop app. You can use the Zoom desktop app for Linux, macOS, or Windows to blur your background.
If you are on a call already and if you are a panelist, you may blur your background on any active call quickly by clicking on the up-arrow that is available next to Start Video or Stop Video button, then select Blur my background.
Update Zoom. When you have not updated your Zoom app for a while, you may not find the option of blurring your background. Checking the updates will take just a few seconds, and running an update is quite fast. Here are simple steps:
First, click on your initial or profile photo at the top-right
Next, check for updates
Check Install, when you see there is an update available. Zoom will quickly install the update, and you will not need to restart the app.
Click your initials or profile photo. You will see it at the top right corner of the Zoom app.
On the menu, click Settings. This will be opening every Zoom preference.
Then you need to click on the tab Backgrounds and Effects. You can see it on the left panel. In some versions, instead, this may be named Background and Filters.
Next, you can click on the tab Virtual backgrounds. When you see that in the right panel you are not on this tab, then below your video preview click Virtual Backgrounds to go there now.
You will have to enable Virtual Background for your account when you cannot view Virtual Backgrounds. Now that you have enabled the Virtual background, also restarted your Zoom app, you can use some cool background effects and blur your background as well.
Then click Blur. Your background will instantly blur when you see it in the camera preview, but your face remains prominent and clear.
Join a Zoom meeting. When you have joined your meeting, your background will become fuzzy and nice.
For all future Zoom meetings, your background will stay blurred until you return to the Virtual background settings, as well as select None.
Method 2: With the use of the Zoom Mobile App
On your iPad, iPhone, or Android, open the Zoom App. Next, tap on the Zoom icon on your Home screen or your app list to launch Zoom.
Next, join a meeting. In contrast, while you use your Zoom desktop app, you will have to wait unless you are participating in a meeting already.
When you feel shy regarding showing your surroundings, with your camera off, join the meeting. Before turning your camera on, you may blur your background. To do this, you need to toggle the switch “Turn off my video” before joining.
Next, tap on the three-dot menu. At the bottom right corner of your screen, you can see it.
When you are not able to see the option, once tap on the screen to bring the controls up.
Tap Background and Filters or Virtual Background. On the three-dot menu, you will get to see either of the two options.
When you cannot find background, for your account, you have to enable Virtual Backgrounds through Zoom’s web-based version. The option will appear when you enable the feature and then stop and restart Zoom.
Tap Blur. This will blur all the things available behind you, and your facial clarity won’t be affected. The background will remain blurred for every Zoom meeting when you have blurred your background.
When you are joining your meeting with the camera off, you have to tap Start Video to join the innovative blurred background at the bottom.
Method 3: Using a Chromebook
On your Chromebook, open your Zoom web app. On your Chromebook, if you use the new progressive Zoom web app, you will be able to blur your background with your mobile device, Mac, or PC.
You can’t see this feature on your older Zoom app. So, check whether you are using the correct Zoom app. To check, on your Chromebook, navigate to the site https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=us.zoom.pwa.twa
Click on install the PWA. You will be able to launch your Zoom
Join a meeting. Same as iPhone or Android Zoom apps, you will not be able to blur your background unless you are already connected to a meeting.
If you do not wish other people to view what is behind you before you have a chance to blur your background with your camera off, just join your meeting. Then before turning your camera on, you can blur your background. To do this, you need to toggle the switch “Turn off my video” to on before joining.
Then click Settings, the gear icon available at the bottom of the Zoom
Then click on the Background tab. This will display every background that you will be able to use in Zoom.
Click on the box Virtual Background to turn it on >You can enable Virtual Backgrounds just by signing in to Zoom in the browse first.
Click Blur. Instantly this blurs your background, thus leaving your face prominent and clear in the forefront. Your background will remain blurred unless you return to your Background tab and select None.
To close your settings window, you can click X, and you can get back to the call.
At the bottom, click Start Video to turn it on if you have joined the meeting with the camera off.
Wrapping up
Now that you are aware of virtualizing your Zoom background with a blur effect video, or images, you can swap between various effects and backgrounds. A blurred background will take some time to load. Sometimes the blur option background will show up when you have got the recent version of Zoom.
Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.
