13 Helpful Zoom Video Settings That You Might Not Know

Zoom has taken the world by storm. People love using Zoom for official video calls because of its easy-to-use interface and incredible features. However, not everyone is aware of all the features offered and might consider using a simple application like Google Duo on Zoom. Well, no need to rush. We’ll share some useful Zoom video settings to help you catch up on video calls in no time.

The daily number of active Zoom users has increased from 10 million to 200 million daily due to the unfortunate COVID-19 pandemic. While people can work from home, it may take a long time to go through each setting for optimal use of the Zoom app.

Let’s see some useful video tips to use in Zoom meetings on a Windows PC or Mac.

1. Access video settings

We will have to tinker with the settings of the Zoom video several times while working next to this post. So, you need to know how to open it. There are two ways to open the video settings for Zoom.

Method 1: Open the video settings before a meeting

Step 1: Launch the Zoom application on your PC. Then click on the settings icon at the top.

2nd step: Click on the Video tab in the left sidebar.

Method 2: launch video settings from a meeting

To do this, click on the small up arrow next to the Video option at the bottom. Select Video settings from there.

2. View of the test camera

If you’re not sure how your video looks or the background, you can try Zoom’s video preview. To do this, open the video settings in Zoom, as shown above. On the Video tab, you will see the live preview of your video.

3. Change camera

In case your laptop supports dual camera, or if you are using an external camera, you can set one of them as the default camera in the Zoom application. Sometimes when the video doesn’t work in the Zoom app, the right camera is not set by default, and that’s why you’re having a problem. This setting will also help you resolve this problem.

To change the camera to Zoom, open the video settings. Then click on the drop-down list next to the Camera option. Select the camera from the list.

Otherwise, if you are in a meeting, click on the arrow next to Video. Then select the camera from the menu to quickly change it.

Pro tip: Use the shortcut Alt + N (Windows) and Command (⌘) + Shift + N (Mac) to switch between cameras.

4. Add Snapchat filters to zoom in on the meeting

Meetings can sometimes get boring. To brighten them up, you can add Snapchat filters to your videos. This is possible with the help of the Snap Camera app. To do this, you will need to install the Snap Camera app, then change the default camera to Zoom, as shown above. We covered the steps in detail. Check out our article on how to use Snapchat filters in Zoom meetings.

5. Retouching appearance

If the Snapchat filters seem far too extreme, but still want to add an effect to your video, you should try the native editing feature in Zoom. To use it in your video, launch the video settings in Zoom. Then check the box next to Touch up my appearance.

6. Change the video report

By default, Zoom displays videos in 16: 9 format, that is, in wide screen mode. You can edit it and view the video in the original report as captured by your camera.

To do this, go to the video settings. Select Original report under Camera.

7. Rotate the camera

Does your camera display a poor view of your video? You must have accidentally turned it, otherwise it could be stuck in tablet mode. To rotate your camera, open the Video Zoom settings. Click the Rotate option in the video preview screen.

8. Add a virtual background to Zoom meetings

Many of us are concerned about our history during a video call. Fortunately, you can cope with it. Choose the virtual Zoom background to make your video stream distinct. You can choose from the available virtual backgrounds or add your own.

To change your background, go to the zoom settings. Click on Virtual Background in the left sidebar. Select a background. Click the add icon to download from your PC.

9. Disable video in a meeting

When you are in a meeting, it is likely that someone may accidentally enter or approach your camera view. To avoid such moments, you can quickly turn off your camera. To do this, click the Stop Video Present option at the bottom of the meeting screen. You can also right-click your video and select Stop Video.

Pro tip: Use the shortcut Alt + V (Windows) and Command (⌘) + Shift + V (Mac) to start or stop the video.

10. Disable video when joining a meeting

You must use the above setting whenever you want to turn off your video. If you want to deactivate your video before joining a meeting on Zoom, a setting is available for this. You can also start the video later at any time.

To do this, go to the Video zoom settings. Then check the box next to Turn off my video when you join a meeting.

11. Change view

When you are in a meeting, you will see the video of all the participants in small tiles. This is called a gallery view. If you think that distracts you, you can only change it to display the speaker’s video. To do this, click the Speaker or Gallery view icon at the top of the meeting screen.

Pro tip: You can hide participants whose video is not displayed by accessing the Video zoom settings. Check Hide non-video participants.

12. Hide

When you are in Gallery view, you can hide your video so that it does not occupy space on your screen. The video will always be visible to others. To do this, right-click on your video window and choose Hide Auto Display. To view your video again, click the Show Self button at the top.

13. Disable participant video

If you are hosting a meeting, you can turn off any participant’s video. To do so, right-click on the video preview screen and select Stop Video.

They will not be able to restart the video unless you allow them to. To do this, right-click again and choose the Request to start video option.

Make the best use

Video plays an essential role in remote meetings. You can improve your work at home on Zoom using the tips mentioned in this article. We hope you enjoyed our collection of useful Zoom video settings. Have we missed any? Let us know in the comments below.