The ultimate guide to free Zoom backgrounds for meetings and parties

Video calls are now part of daily life — whether for work, virtual parties, or catching up with family and friends. Using a free Zoom background can help you maintain privacy, look professional, or simply add some fun to your meetings. In this guide, I’ll share the best sources for high-quality, free Zoom backgrounds, how to set them up, troubleshooting tips, and answers to the most common questions.

What is a Zoom virtual background?

A Zoom virtual background lets you replace your real-life surroundings with an image or video during a video call. This feature helps you control what others see, ensuring privacy and professionalism, or adding a creative touch to your virtual presence. Learn more on Zoom's official support page.

When to use a virtual Zoom background

Virtual backgrounds are useful in a variety of scenarios:

• Privacy: Hide your actual surroundings, whether you’re working from home, a café, or even the beach.
• Branding: Companies often use custom backgrounds featuring a logo or brand colors to maintain a professional appearance.
• Celebrations: For virtual parties or themed events, a fun background can set the mood and engage your guests.

Where can I find Zoom backgrounds?

There are many platforms offering free Zoom backgrounds for different needs. Here’s a comparison table to help you quickly find the right resource for your next call:

Platform	Best used for
Canva	Create your own designs or customize templates to fit your brand style
Unsplash	High-resolution images for a polished, professional look
Pixabay	Fun visuals for lightening up meetings
Airbnb	Travel-themed backgrounds to transport you to unique locations
X (formerly Twitter)	User-generated inspiration and trending creative backgrounds
Zoom Library	Official Zoom background collections, regularly updated: Zoom Virtual Backgrounds
Freepik	Large library of creative, free backgrounds for every occasion: Freepik Zoom Backgrounds
Pexels	Free stock photos and videos, including Zoom-ready backgrounds: Pexels Zoom Backgrounds

If you use Zoom regularly, check out our article on how to make the most of Zoom's best features.

How to set a Zoom background

Setting a virtual background in Zoom is straightforward.

Here’s how to set a virtual background in Zoom before a meeting:

1. Open the Zoom app. Sign in if needed.
2. Click your profile picture (or initials) in the top-right corner, then select Settings.
3. Select Video & effects from the sidebar (or look under the Video tab/section).
4. Under Virtual backgrounds, choose a default option or click the blue + button to add your own.
5. Upload your chosen image or video.

Format tip: For best results, use images with a 16:9 aspect ratio and a minimum resolution of 1280x720 pixels (Zoom recommends 1920x1080 for sharper quality). Supported file types include JPG, PNG, and MP4 for videos. See Zoom’s official requirements.

Here’s how to set a virtual background in Zoom during a meeting:

1. Start or join a Zoom meeting.
2. Click the upward arrow (^) next to the Video button in the bottom-left corner.
3. Select Adjust background & effects.
4. Choose your uploaded background, or click + to add a new one.

Best sources for free Zoom backgrounds

Need quality Zoom backgrounds fast? These platforms offer extensive collections of free backgrounds for any occasion:

Canva for customizable backgrounds

Canva provides a range of animated and static templates. You can customize colors and designs to match your style or brand, making it ideal for both personal and business meetings. 

Unsplash for high-quality images from photographers worldwide

Unsplash features tons of images for Zoom backgrounds. Their high-resolution photos ensure your video calls look polished and engaging. 

Getty Images for curated fun visuals

Pixabay has a collection of unique and humorous backgrounds. Many of these backgrounds add a touch of humor to meetings. If you miss the energy of an office or public spaces, these backgrounds can help recreate that atmosphere. 

Airbnb for travel-inspired backgrounds

Airbnb’s Zoom backgrounds are perfect for those who want to bring a sense of adventure to their calls. Choose from lush landscapes, iconic destinations, and more. It's an effective way to maintain that sense of adventure while working from home. 

Freepik for creative design backgrounds

Freepik offers a vast library of creative backgrounds, from minimalist designs to themed illustrations, all free for personal use. 

Pexels for stock photo and video backgrounds

Pexels provides an extensive selection of free stock photos and videos, including many that are Zoom-ready and suitable for both professional and casual calls. 

X (Twitter) for user-generated inspiration

X (formerly Twitter) is a great place to discover trending and creative backgrounds shared by users, brands, and celebrities. Search hashtags like #ZoomBackground for fresh ideas. 

Customize Zoom with stickers and texts

If you love customizing your Zoom background (and I know you do), I have an extra idea for you. Did you know you can add fun elements like text and stickers during your call? This really makes Zoom meetings more enjoyable for everybody.

I do that with Boom, a virtual camera effects app that corrects poor lighting automatically and lets you add overlays, text, and stickers to your video feed. These small touches can make my Zoom meetings more enjoyable or professional, regardless of my setup. 

Boom works seamlessly with Zoom, Google Meet, and other major platforms. It even features timers to help keep meetings on track. 

What to do if your Zoom virtual background isn’t working

When virtual backgrounds aren't working, it can disrupt your meeting plans. Here's how to troubleshoot the issue quickly:

• Make sure your Zoom app is up to date. Go to the menu bar, click Zoom Workplace, then Check for updates.
• Log out of Zoom and log back in.
• Use a background image that matches your camera’s aspect ratio (typically 16:9).
• Ensure your image meets the minimum resolution (1280x720 pixels for 16:9) and is in a supported format (JPG, PNG, MP4).
• Check hardware compatibility on Zoom's support site. Virtual backgrounds (especially without green screen or blur) require macOS 10.13 or higher, and compatible processors: Apple M-series or higher, or Intel Core i3 (8th gen/8000+), i5/i7/i9/Xeon with 4+ cores. See Zoom’s compatibility guide.

For more help, visit the Zoom Help Center.

Read also:

• How to update Zoom on Mac
• Top video conferencing software for Mac
• How to record Google Meet, Zoom, and Skype meetings
• Group FaceTime calls on Mac

How to run Zoom calls without distractions

Distractions during meetings can be a challenge, especially when sharing your screen. Here are some tools and tips to maintain focus and privacy:

Set different backgrounds for multiple displays

If you use multiple monitors, set different backgrounds for each display. This helps you keep your workspaces organized and visually consistent.

Keep your wallpapers distraction-free

Notifications or desktop clutter can spoil even the best background. PliimPRO offers a presentation mode for Mac that hides desktop icons, recent activity, and notifications with a single click — helping you stay focused and professional during screen shares. 

Never forget to record your meeting

Sometimes I forget to record important meetings or brainstorming sessions. Backtrack solves this by capturing everything my Mac’s microphone hears and what's on my screen, letting me replay up to 5 hours of audio. 

The app generates summaries and transcripts, which are especially helpful when I’m short on time. What’s more, it manages storage efficiently by recording in a loop like a DVR, so you won't accumulate unnecessary files over time.

Best background for Zoom — final thoughts

These resources and apps have significantly improved my Zoom experience, and I'm confident they'll help you too. Remember the tools mentioned in this guide: Boom, Backtrack, and PliimPRO. You can try Boom, Backtrack, and PliimPRO free for 7 days through Setapp, which also offers over 260 more apps for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Setapp includes guides and resources to help you get the most out of each app.