For more casual virtual “happy hour,” you can work in vacation destinations, sports or pop culture references. Are you going to appear fun and lighthearted, serious or realistic? Consider a neutral look of a library, bookcase or office environment for work or professional calls. There are thousands of free backgrounds available online, but you need to consider what tone the background will set. Use virtual backgrounds – but choose wisely. Don’t forget to lock the door if you’re working in an office, or alert family members that you’re hopping on a call so they don’t walk into the background. If you’re unable to position your camera to have a neutral background, use the blurred background feature to help the viewer focus more on you and less on the background. Place a lamp behind your camera or invest in an inexpensive ring light to ensure a good picture. Similarly, if your home office space is too dark, you will appear in shadow.

Tempted to take a video meeting outside or next to a bright window? Make sure to do a test run ahead of time to ensure you aren’t washed out by bold natural lighting. If not, choose an area that’s free of clutter and keeps the focus on you. If you have an office with a desk that sits across from a neutral wall, you’re a step ahead. Reassess your video set-up to ensure you are putting forth the right image.Įxperts say you should opt for something somewhat plain for professional purposes. Months into working from home, most people are familiar with joining video meetings and are starting to forget to double-check their background.

Plain virtual backgrounds for zoom