Video communication services like Zoom and Microsoft Teams allow for the use of virtualized backgrounds. Virtual backgrounds can be used to conceal one's physical surroundings, create a more professional learning environment, and reinforce the Spartan identity.
College of Engineering Themed Virtual Backgrounds
The College of Engineering has provided some images to be used as virtual backgrounds:
To save a background image to your system, right-click any of the thumbnails above and select Save Image As.
Save it to the Downloads folder and follow the instructions below to utilize it in Microsoft Teams or Zoom.
Interested in creating your own background or sharing one with the Engineering community? Please visit the Creating and Sharing a Virtual Background page for instructions.
For additional MSU themed backgrounds, please visit this MSUToday article.
Instructions
Microsoft Teams allows users to blur their backgrounds during calls and meetings, or replace them altogether.
Important: Blurring the background might not conceal all sensitive information.
Note: Virtual backgrounds are currently unsupported in Microsoft Teams for Linux devices.
Changing Your Background Prior to a Meeting
Note: This option is only available when joining a meeting, not unscheduled video calls.
Upon joining a meeting you should see some options for tweaking audio and video settings before you are visible to other attendees, select Background filters. It's just below your camera preview.
Make sure the camera is enabled as indicated by the slider in the image above.
- You can now choose from any of the preloaded virtual backgrounds or select Blur to blur your background.
Once you've selected a suitable background, click Join Now.
Note: The background may appear to be reversed in your camera preview. This can be ignored. Meeting participants will see the unreversed background, meaning text and other elements of the background will be readable.
Your virtual background should now be set and visible to participants in the meeting.
Adding a Custom Virtual Background
You can also replace your background with an image of your choosing.
- Save your desired image to the Downloads folder. Make sure it is of file type .PNG, .JPG, or .BMP.
- To use an image of your own, select Add new from the Background filters menu from before.
- The file explorer should now open. Navigate to your downloads folder by clicking on the Downloads quick access item on the left side.
- Select your image and click Open.
Your virtual background is now set and will be visible to meeting participants after clicking Join now.
This background will remain unchanged between meetings, unless these same steps are followed to reconfigure it.
Zoom supports the use of virtual backgrounds on Mac, Windows, and Linux-based devices. It can be downloaded by clicking Download Zoom on the left side of the MSU Zoom Portal Homepage.
Note: Linux users are strongly advised to utilize a green screen in combination with the following instructions for the best results.
Changing Your Background Prior to a Meeting
- After Zoom is launched, click the settings icon in the top right corner.
- When the settings are open, select Background & Filters on the left navigation sidebar.
Select a preconfigured virtual background by clicking its thumbnail. You should now be prompted to download the Smart Virtual Background Package. Click Download.
Your virtual background is now configured and should be visible in meetings until it is changed.
Adding a Custom Virtual Background
Select the Add Background (plus) button from the Background & Filters menu.
- Select Add Image if your desired virtual background is a static image. This image must be of type .PNG, .JPG, or .BMP.
- Select Add Video if your desired virtual background is a dynamic video. This video must be of type .MP4 for the best results.
Inside your file explorer software, navigate to where your virtual background is saved. If it was found on the internet, it is most likely stored in the Downloads folder. Select your desired virtual background and click Open.
Note: Your background may appear to be flipped in the video preview. You can ignore this. Meeting participants will see the unreversed background, meaning text and other elements of the background are readable.
If you would like to flip the image in the video preview to see what other participants will see when you join a meeting, deselect the Mirror my video option.
You have successfully enabled a custom virtual background for the Zoom Application. This background will remain configured until these same steps are taken to change it.