Can You Change Your Zoom Background for Free?

With the rise in remote work in recent years, you're on Zoom more often than you ever imagined. Virtual meetings offer the convenience of staying at home, but arranging what's behind you so that you have an appropriate background can be stressful. When you can't make something work when needed, you may have to keep your video off for the call. If you're wondering how to change your background on Zoom, you'll be relieved to find out that it's possible, and you can even change your Zoom background for free.

Are Zoom Backgrounds Only for Paid Accounts?

While many apps charge a fee for premium features, Zoom doesn't require you to upgrade your account to change your virtual background on video calls. Even with a free Zoom account, you can still access the settings that allow you to change your background.

Zoom doesn't restrict background effects to paid accounts. This is important because you might have to attend a Zoom interview for a potential job. Even if you aren't part of an organization that pays for Zoom, you can still choose a Zoom background that looks professional and doesn't distract from your interview.

Where Do I Find Free Zoom Backgrounds?

It's pretty simple to locate a free Zoom background online. Once people started using Zoom for remote work, virtual backgrounds proliferated online. Zoom offers a few stock photo backgrounds, but you'll want to personalize your background to fit your aesthetic and needs.

If you perform a Google search for Zoom backgrounds, you'll see many different options in the images tab and pages and pages of websites that offer backgrounds. When you're looking at backgrounds, check for the following:

• Does the image have the correct dimensions for Zoom?

• Does the image have a distracting watermark?

• Does the image have a high pixel count for clarity?

• Is the image accessible to use, or is there a paywall?

How Do I Change My Zoom Background?

Once you locate an image you like, you need to follow the procedure for how to change your Zoom background. Fortunately, the process is straightforward. You'll find your settings under either "Account Management" or "Preferences," depending on if you're using a Microsoft or Apple operating system. Make sure you're accessing the settings for "Meetings."

After navigating to your Zoom settings, find the "Background and Effects" tab. Sometimes, you might find it under "Meeting Settings (Advanced)" and have to toggle this setting to enable the virtual backgrounds feature. Once you enable the virtual backgrounds feature, you'll see ways to choose or add virtual background images. Zoom provides stock images and a blur effect, or you can upload your background image.

Why Won't It Let Me Change My Background on Zoom?

Don't get disheartened if you get the answer to the question, "How do you change your background on Zoom?" but then run into system issues and glitches that don't let you change your background. The virtual backgrounds feature on Zoom has specific system requirements for desktop and mobile devices. If you're using an older desktop computer or laptop, your system might be unable to run the virtual backgrounds feature. In this case, you can contact the tech team at Zoom so they can walk you through the requirements, or you can use your mobile device.

The issue might be easy to fix if your device is relatively new. Try one of the following solutions:

• Sign out of Zoom, quit the program, and sign in again.

• Check that you have given the proper permissions to the app.

• Make sure your Zoom is fully updated to the latest version.

A virtual background is a great way to maintain professionalism while attending virtual meetings. Explore free options with Custom Virtual Office today.