Virtual backgrounds identify the foreground of your camera input and blur or replace the background. They can be a super useful tool for hiding that pile of unfolded laundry, or adding some extra fun to a meeting. However, they don't always work as expected.
If you're finding your virtual background is cutting off too much (or too little), moving, or simply not appearing correctly, here are some tips and tricks to improving your virtual background.
Tips & Tricks for a Clear Virtual Background
- Make sure your lighting is easy for the camera to understand - bright lighting from behind or too much on one side can confuse the program's understanding of depth. Ring lights, or even normal lights (balanced and off to both sides in front of you) make a huge difference. Consider putting a lamp on either side of your desk and turning any background lighting down.
- Try using a chair without a high back (sometimes it can confuse the camera)
- Try having a simple background (this is where a greenscreen can come in handy) that is clearly different than what you're wearing, hair color, etc.
- Even though things such as shelves look good without a virtual background, they can create distractions when the program is figuring out what to focus on. The amount of items (and color of items) between you and the back wall also make a difference in your virtual background's quality.
Advanced Troubleshooting for a Clear Virtual Background
Some camera programs allow you to adjust your camera's settings directly. If your camera has this capability, here are a few settings you can try adjusting to improve the quality of your virtual background:
- If you have a lighter colored room, increasing the contrast and saturation can improve the ability for the program to distinguish the difference between the foreground and background of your room.
- If you have a darker colored room, try the opposite.
- If you have a camera that you can adjust the focus of, make sure your focus is set correctly.
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