Improving your video quality

Zoom has many built-in features to improve video and picture quality, as well as enhance video with Virtual Backgrounds and filters. These settings allow for a better meeting and webinar experience, as well as allow hosts and participants to add some flair to their video.

Touch up my appearance

1. In the Zoom desktop client, click your profile picture then click Settings.
2. Click the Video tab.
3. Click Touch up my appearance.
4. Use the slider to adjust the effect.

HD video

You can enable HD video, to utilize 720p or 1080p for high-quality video when in a meeting or a webinar. To enable HD video in your Zoom client:

1. In the Zoom desktop client, click your profile picture, then click Settings .
2. Click the Video tab.
3. Click HD.

Adjust for low light

1. In the Zoom desktop client, click your profile picture then click Settings .
2. Click the Video tab.
3. Enable Adjust for low light.
4. By default, the setting will be set to Auto. However, you can select Manual, and adjust the setting to the desired effect.

Video filters

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Click your profile picture and then click Settings .
3. Click the Background& Filters tab.
4. Click the Video Filters tab.
5. Select the desired filter.

Virtual backgrounds

The Virtual Background feature allows you to display an image or video as your background during a Zoom Meeting. This feature works best with a green screen and uniform lighting, to allow Zoom to detect the difference between you and your background.

Studio effects

The Studio Effects feature allows you to apply eyebrows, mustache and beard, and lip color filters as part of your video appearance. 

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Click your profile picture and then click Settings .
3. Click the Background & Filters tab.
4. Click Studio Effects in the lower-right corner.
5. Choose your desired settings from the Eyebrows, Mustache & Beard, and Lip Color sections.
6. Select or deselect the Apply to all future meetings check box.
7. Click Close.

Previewing your video when joining a meeting

When joining a meeting as an attendee, you can preview your video before you join. While previewing your video, you have the option to update video settings such as your virtual background or video filters. Additionally, you can test your video at any time when you are not in a meeting.

Enabling video preview

1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
2. Click your profile picture, then click Settings.
3. Click the Video tab.
4. Select the check box next to Always show video preview dialog when joining a video meeting.
5. Click ✖ to close.

Previewing your video before joining a meeting hosted by another user

1. In the Zoom desktop client, join a meeting. If you select the check box to Turn off my video in the Join Meeting dialog, you will join the meeting with your camera off and you will not be able to preview your video before joining. Clear this check box to preview your video.
2. If prompted, enter the meeting passcode and click Join Meeting. The Video Preview dialog will open.
3. The following options are available in the Video Preview dialog:

• Always show video preview dialog when joining a video meeting: Clear this check box to disable the video preview feature in your settings. The next time you join a video meeting, you will not be shown the Video Preview dialog. Ensure that this check box is selected to keep the setting on.
• (Virtual Background): Click the icon in the top-right corner to open settings. From there, you can change your virtual background and apply video enhancements such as filters and studio effects.
• Join with Video: Click to join the meeting with your video on.
• Join without Video: Click to join the meeting with your video off.

Testing your video

You can test your video camera with Zoom before joining the meeting to ensure the camera is working properly.

The steps below will walk you through testing your video manually. You can also start a test Zoom meeting.

Testing your video before a meeting

1. Sign in to the Zoom client.
2. Click your profile picture, then click Settings.
3. Click the Video tab.
4. You will see a preview video from the camera that is currently selected; you can choose a different camera if another one is available.

Testing your video while in a meeting

1. Click the arrow next to Start Video / Stop Video. 
2. Select Video Settings.
3. Zoom will display your camera's video and settings.
4. If you don't see your camera's video, click the drop-down menu and select another camera.

Changing the video layout (Speaker view and Gallery view)

There are 3 video layouts when no one in the meeting is screen sharing: 

1. Speaker View
2. Gallery view
3. Floating thumbnail window

When someone is screen sharing, you can use Side-by-side mode or view the screen share with Speaker view. Any of these layouts can be used in fullscreen or windowed mode, with the exception of the floating thumbnail view.

Speaker view

Speaker view will switch the large video window between who is speaking with 3 or more participants in the meeting. If it is just you and one other participant, your video will be smaller at the top and their video will appear below.

Gallery view

Gallery view lets you see thumbnail displays of participants, in a grid pattern, which expands and contracts as participants join and leave the meeting. Depending on your CPU, the desktop client can display up to 49 participants in a single screen of the Gallery view. If more than 49 attendees are in the meeting, additional pages are created with up to 49 thumbnails on each page. Cycle through the pages and view up to 1,000 thumbnails by clicking the right or left arrows in gallery view to display the next page of 49 participants.

When in Gallery view and a participant begins speaking, that active speaker is relocated to the current page you are viewing, making it easier to recognize who is speaking. This functionality is not possible when using a custom gallery order. 

Full screen

You can switch any of the layouts (except floating the thumbnail window) to full screen mode by double-clicking your Zoom window. You can exit full screen by double-clicking again or using the Esc key on your keyboard.

Customizing the video order

When in Gallery view, you can click and drag videos to create a custom video order. After the first change, all other participant tiles will remain in place until moved. New participants will be added to the bottom-right, on the last page if multiple are present. Your custom order will be seen only by you, or the host can deploy their custom view to all participants. This order can be released and the order will revert to the default. 

1. Click and drag any participant video to the location on screen you want.
2. Continue as needed to achieve your desired on-screen order. 
3. (Optional) As the host, click View to enable or disable these options:
4. Follow Host's Video Order (only available to the host):

• Force all participants to display your custom video order. Participant will not be able to change the order when this is enabled.

• Release Video Order: Release the custom order and revert to the default order.

Floating thumbnail window

The floating thumbnail window allows you to minimize the main Zoom window, but keep the video on top of other applications you have open. You can move the window around your screen as needed, or hide the video entirely.

To switch to floating thumbnail view:

1. Click on the minimize icon, located at the top-right corner for Windows, or top-left corner for macOS.
2. Once in mini-window view, you can collapse the video by clicking on the arrow  on the left side. Click the arrow again to expand the video thumbnail.
3. While in this mode, you can also easily mute/unmute yourself or turn on/off your video by clicking the and buttons respectively. 
4. To close the floating thumbnail window and return to the full Zoom window click the arrow on the right side.

Layout when screen sharing

When viewing shared content, you will see a layout similar to Speaker view, where the shared content is below and other videos tiles are along the top. If in fullscreen, the shared content will fill the screen and video tiles will become smaller, movable thumbnails.

Hide non-video participants

1. When you are in Gallery view, you can click on the 3 dots at the top-right corner of any participant box that either has their video off or joined by telephone. 
2. Click Hide Non-video Participants to hide all participants without video.
3. To show non-video participants again, click the View button at the top-right corner of your screen and select Show Non-Video Participants.

Switching between Gallery view and Speaker view

1. Start or join a meeting.
2. Click View in the top-right corner, and then select Speaker or Gallery.