Zoom: A guide to change the backgrounds

Zoom is a videotelephony software program developed by Zoom Video Communications. The free version provides a video chatting service that allows up to 100 devices at once, with a 40-minute time restriction for free accounts having meetings of three or more participants.

With the sudden lockdowns induced by the pandemic, it was inevitable that most of the professions took to the online platform. But the question was to remain connected even while maintaining social distancing. As such the online video conferencing platforms like Zoom came to the rescue of organizations and personal communications alike.

What started as a simple yet powerful service for video conferencing, Zoom has become the most preferred tool of the masses. Some might have already discovered a wonderful new setting of the App that allows its users to set the custom background for your meeting.

From a simple scene of your bedroom to the exquisite scenery of Switzerland, the users can use the service to change their background to whatever they like. The app also allows the option to set Custom backgrounds by uploading the images of their liking.

But before you upload any custom background in Zoom, just check the guidelines below to modify an image to your liking:

• Format: GIF, JPG/JPEG, or 24-bit PNG (no alpha). Any transparent areas of PNGs will be shown on a white background.
• Minimum dimension: 960px
• Maximum dimension: 1920px
• Recommended dimensions: 1920px by 1080px (16:9 aspect ratio). If you don’t use an image with an aspect ratio of 16:9, you may see black bars beside the background image.
• Maximum file size: 5 MB

Change your Zoom background on the desktop app 

Most of the users prefer to use the desktop client of the service, and not everyone is an employee. Some of them are students giving virtual presentations or freshers attending their first virtual interview. The desktop app allows users to set the background image to their liking and impress their employer with the best background scenery.

To set the background image in the Zoom desktop app:

1. Click your profile in the top right corner, and click Settings. 
2. On the left menu, click Virtual Background. 
3. Zoom has provided some default background options, it includes an outer space scene or blades of grass. You can choose one of those by clicking on it, and it will automatically change your screen as well.
4. Those who prefer to have their background image can upload a photo to use as your background, on the same Virtual Background Page. Click the + icon next to where it says Choose Virtual Background. After a dialogue box pops open, choose a photo from your computer and press open/upload. It will appear in the Zoom gallery to choose from.
5. If you want to delete any unnecessary photos, just press on the X in the top left corner of the image.

Change your Zoom background on the mobile app 

1. In a meeting just tap the three dots at the bottom right of the screen to open the More menu. 
2. Tap Virtual Background. 
3. You can select any of the default background images or if you like, you can upload any image to your liking.

Enjoying the beauty of setting custom backgrounds is fun, and users get the option to not only customize the desktop client and mobile app. But also can customize the Web-client which features Zoom Rooms, Floors, or even locations. But there are a few requirements to do so:

Prerequisites

• Account admin or owner
• Zoom Room Version 3.5.19327.0620 and above

If you are looking for customizing the background of your Zoom Rooms using the Zoom web-client then things might be a little tricky. But do follow the guide below, to get the things done properly.

Change the default background image

To change the default background image for all the Zoom Rooms in your account follow the below steps:

1.  Log in to the Zoom web portal.
2. Click Room Management > Zoom Rooms.
3. Click Account Settings which is at the top of the page.
4. In the Account Profile tab, under the Background image for Zoom Rooms, click Upload New Image.
5. Select your image and click Open.
   

Change the background image for a room, floor, or location

Do be extremely careful while doing this. Remember that when a customized background image is uploaded for a specific room, floor, or location, the default image will be replaced by the uploaded image.

1. Log in to the Zoom web portal.
2. Click Room Management > Zoom Rooms.
3. Click Edit next to the room, floor, or location. ( it depends on where you want the background image to be applied)
4. In the Room Settings tab, navigate to the Room Setup section.
5. Next, navigate to a Background image for Zoom Rooms, click Upload New Image. If you added your default background image, you’ll see a preview of it along with the “Using account setting” notification.
6. Select your image, and click Open.

If you want to delete any uploaded image then you can do so by clicking on Delete or Reset to remove your uploaded image. If your account has a default image, it will replace your uploaded image.

For those looking to take their backgrounds to a more advanced and realistic level, here are some additional tips:

• The best background effects can be achieved using a solid color background, preferably green.
• Most of the cameras on desktops and Notebooks have a very disappointing quality, so higher quality cameras result in better virtual background.
• Use uniform lighting and color.
• Do not wear clothing that is the same color as the virtual background.
• For those who want to achieve a realistic look, match your clothing with the background, and make sure that what you wear stand out more than your background.
• It is always a better option to go with something solid when facing a virtual interview.
• For students, you have varied choices. But we recommend going with the background, which is related to the subject that you are currently going to attend.

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