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Want a way to make your Zoom meeting more interesting? Well, try out a Zoom background! Zoom has become more popular than ever before during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine, with the platform being a great hub for online meetings. It has various functions, such as screen sharing, but it’s undeniable that one of the most fun parts about using Zoom is playing with the various virtual backgrounds you can add.
Apply a Zoom Background
- To apply a Zoom background, you will need a functioning webcam. According to Zoom’s website, there are minimum specifications that your computer must-have for the backgrounds to work correctly. They’ll still work regardless of your specifications, they just might look a bit different than the usual greenscreen effect.
- Once you’re in the meeting and your webcam is on, look at the bottom left corner of the screen where the camera icon is. There should be a small arrow pointing upward directly to the right of it. Click on the arrow and choose the option that says choose a virtual background, and then a small window will pop up showing a preview of your webcam and some pre-installed backgrounds.
- You can choose those or click on the plus icon to add an image or video from your computer that you’d like to use. Keep in mind that if you don’t have a green screen, you can unselect that option on the bottom of the window.
After following these steps, have fun with your backgrounds! Keep reading below to see some of the most popular Zoom backgrounds that others are using at the moment.
1. Clean Room
Okay, many of us are guilty of not having the tidiest room. However, when on a Zoom conference call with your co-workers or your class, you may not want to show everyone what your room actually looks like. That’s where Zoom backgrounds come in to save the day. While any background can disguise the appearance of your room, you can always use a high-quality stock photo of a clean room behind you to make your background seem natural. Most people won’t even notice the difference!
2. Landmarks
Since we’re not really able to travel at the moment, the next best thing is using a Zoom background of a place you’d really like to visit. It’s pretty popular at the moment to use a landmark as your background, such as the Eiffel Tower or the Egyptian Pyramids. Some people even choose to dress up as a tourist or whatever fits with the landmark they’ve chosen, all in good fun of course. Landmark backgrounds are easy to find online as well, so that might be another reason why they’re a favored choice.
3. TV/Movies
Everyone has a favorite TV show and/or movie, that’s for certain. So why not express your love for your favorite show/movie by using it as a Zoom background? This type of background is pretty popular, as media is something we all consume. Many official images from well-received TV shows and movies are out there to use. Some examples of commonly used backgrounds could be from shows like “Game of Thrones”, “American Idol”, or from films such as “Cars” or “Inside Out”. If it’s a popular flick, you’re sure to find a background for it.
#zoombackground my fav so far had to dress up for it pic.twitter.com/Q84y9BKhSm
— Mick Stapleton (@mstapleton3) April 10, 2020
4. Memes
If you’re looking for some laughs, memes are a fun choice for a Zoom background. There are endless amounts of memes online to choose from, but you’re most likely to see the famous ones being used most. If you love memes, you’re in luck, because Zoom even has some of the most popular memes that are now official images to use! Some examples are “Hotline Bling”, “Distracted Boyfriend”, and “Mocking Spongebob”, and even more.
5. Nature
We all experience nature, it’s all around us, of course. But being stuck at home with parks and beaches being shut down, not all of us can experience it fully. That’s where Zoom backgrounds have you covered. If you want to view a beautiful landscape, Zoom has quite a lot of nature scenes to choose from as your background! There are many nature backgrounds out there in general to use, so your choices are pretty much limitless.
6. Videos
If you really want to stand out during a call, try using a video as your Zoom background. This type of background goes hand in hand with memes and nature, as those are the types of official video backgrounds that Zoom has to choose from. Of course, there’s many other videos out there you can use as well. However, keep in mind that you might need a stronger computer to use a video as your background.
Having some fun experimenting with Zoom background VIDEOS. I saw someone else do this and thought it might be fun to try it myself. Now I just need to get a green screen to make it even better. 😂🤣#Zoombackground #zoombackgrounds pic.twitter.com/otRvtc6IKG
— Dan Russell (Dr. Batman) (@drussellpsu) April 8, 2020
7. Your Office
Tired of working at home? Want to replicate the experience of working from your own workspace? A picture of your own office is perfect for you, then! This one is a relatively popular choice, as it can be used for various reasons. Whether it’s a messy room situation or if you want to get some laughs from your coworkers, this is a good, safe choice for a background. You will need your own picture for this one, though.
8. Company Logo
A good background option for a conference call with your class or coworkers is using a logo. With a logo, you can represent your own company or university in style. This one is very useful for business calls with others, as well, since you can take pride in your own workplace/school. It’s pretty professional in that sense.
9. Solid Color
If you want a simple, clean look for your Zoom background, a solid color is another choice that people like to go for. It’s not distracting, and can also come off as more professional in a sense. If you’re a student, you could even try using your school colors in the background. Generally, a solid color background is a good choice if you want a background that’s easy on the eyes, or if you just want to show off your favorite color.
