How to Blur Background in Zoom

Video conferencing has become an essential tool for communication and collaboration. Whether for work meetings, virtual gatherings with friends and family, or educational purposes, platforms like Zoom have gained immense popularity. However, the backdrop of your video can sometimes be distracting or reveal unintended details about your room. You can hide your background by simply blurring it within Zoom. In this article, we will show you how to blur your Zoom background before and during meetings

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Steps to Blur Background During a Zoom Meeting

Step 1: Join or Start a Zoom Meeting

Begin by joining an ongoing Zoom meeting or starting one of your own. If you have a Zoom link, click on it. You’ll be prompted with a dialogue box and a call to action of “Open Zoom.us” or something very similar. 

Step 2: Access the Zoom Meeting Controls 

Once you're in the Zoom meeting, you'll need to access the Zoom meeting controls. These controls are usually located at the bottom of the Zoom window on a desktop or within the meeting options on a mobile device. You’ll see controls like Mute / Unmute, Start Video / Stop Video, Security, Reactions, Apps, Whiteboards, Notes, etc. 

Step 3: Press the Video Settings ^ button

By the “Stop Video” button, click the ^ button for Video Settings. A secondary menu should then pop up.

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Step 4: Click “Blur My Background

By clicking the button, your video will automatically start to blur. Keep in mind that by turning on this setting will carry over to your next video. 

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How to Blur Zoom Background Before Meeting

Step 1: Open your Zoom App 

Click on your Zoom App and make sure you are signed in. 

Step 2: Click on your profile photo in the right-hand corner

Once you click on the profile photo, a settings menu will appear.

Step 3: Click “Settings”

Once you click on the profile photo, a settings menu will appear.

Step 4: Click “Background & Effects”

A new window will appear for all Zoom Settings. Click on the “Background & Effects” setting in the left-hand menu.

Step 5: Click the Blur Effect

You will then see all of the different virtual backgrounds. Next to the “None” setting, you will find the “blur” setting. Click on that to add the Blur Effect to your video. It will also preview what it looks like with your live video feed. 

Step 6: Close out of the Settings window

Click the red close button at the top left corner to save your video settings and close out of the settings window.

Step 7: Join or Start a Zoom Meeting

Now you are able to join your Zoom Meeting with your Blurred background. If you have a Zoom link, click on it. You’ll be prompted with a dialogue box and a call to action of “Open Zoom.us” or something very similar.