Hong Kha Faculty

Blur Background: New Feature for Zoom Update

Students and Professors alike may wish to avoid showing their actual surroundings during a Zoom call.

Zoom has a feature that enables a user to blur their background (as opposed to changing it).

If, for some reason, you do not see this option in your Zoom settings, you may need to update your version of Zoom.

Updating Zoom

One way to download Zoom is by navigating to this link: https://zoom.us/support/download

Alternatively, you may check for updates by following these steps:

  1. Click on your Zoom App on your desktop, and select “sign in with SSO“

2. Enter the zoom.pepperdine.edu domain.

3. Enter your Campus Wide Network

4. You will be prompted to open Zoom.Us

5. From there, you will be logged in to your desktop Zoom app. Click on your profile picture.

6. Click on “Check for updates”

7. You will be notified if there are any updates you should install. If you are up to date, you will receive a screen confirming you are up to date.

Implementing the feature

1. Once in your meeting, click on the arrow next to your video icon in the bottom left corner. Then, click “choose virtual background.”

2. In your Zoom application, you should now see a “blur” option in your background and filters tab. Select this option.

3. Back in your meeting, your background should now appear blurred!

IF YOU NEED ANY TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO INFORMATION SERVICES AT (310) 506-7425 OR [email protected]. GOOD LUCK!

David Dickens Faculty, Resources, Services, Students

Setup a Virtual Backdrop for Zoom

So the backdrop for your Zoom meetings isn’t that amazing? Maybe you can spice it up?

Please note though, it does take more than a little computer power to do this as it’s a real time graphics effect that makes this work.

First check out this support article at Zoom: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/210707503-Virtual-Background

Short cheat sheet version:

  • First go into your Zoom website profile — go to peppedine.zoom.us and click on “Settings.”
  • After clicking “Settings” go to “In Meeting (Advanced)” and make sure that the dot next to “Virtual Background” is slid to the on or “blue” position. If it’s gray, it’s not on.
  • Make sure you have the Zoom application installed on your computer (not using the web app).
  • Open the application
  • Login using SSO and Pepperdine as your domain
  • And you are presented with the Zoom app’s desktop version
  • Select the icon in the upper right of your Zoom screen that represents you (for me it’s my face)
  • Then select the “Settings” choice in the drop down menu
  • Then select Virtual Background
  • Then select your background from the group.

Uploading Your Own Virtual Background

In this example, we will be using a background developed for Pepperdine Carruso Law School’s 50th anniversary — you may use this background for your own personal use!

To save the Pepperdine Carruso Law School background, click and drag the image below to your desktop. This will save in your desktop files for personal use and for following along in this tutorial.

1. From the window you were left at on the previous guide, click on the “+” button on the top right corner.

2. A pop-up window with your file options will now appear, and you may browse and select the proper image. After selecting the image, click “Open” to have it download onto the Zoom software.

3. You will now see your downloaded image displayed as an option for choosing a virtual background. Select the image, and you may now see the background in the video preview above. If you would like to remove this image from your options, click the “x” on the top right of the corresponding image.

Please note that this new virtual background will only be functional on the computer where you made this setting.

More for Faculty Zoom users

More for Student Zoom users

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Information Services at [email protected] or (310) 506-7425.