If you click the small “+” icon, you’ll have the option of selecting either a static background or video file. How to create a custom background in ZoomĬreating a custom background in Zoom is child’s play, honestly. But you should be able to tell in a flash if the results are acceptable. How well Zoom distinguishes you and applies the background correctly appears to be both a function of your webcam and your computer’s processor: The better they are, the more accurate the result. The Zoom client does a pretty good job of distinguishing my navy-blue sweatshirt from the dark background, too. Zoom will arrange your available backgrounds beneath the video window. Zoom also recommends that you don’t wear clothes that are the same color as your background.
The background feature isn’t perfect: The background sometimes obscured my collar, and Zoom isn’t always friendly to those who talk with their hands. But on my test machine-the recent Surface Pro 7-I certainly didn’t need one. As you can see from the screenshots, there is an option to enable a green screen, if you have one.