Background blur
Blur or replace your background in a video call
Meeto can blur the room behind you or replace it with one of 4 built-in scenes or up to 5 of your own pictures, in the browser, on every plan and with nothing to install. The effect runs on your own device and your pictures never leave your browser. The iPhone app offers blur; the Android app has no background effects.
How do you blur your background in Meeto?
Open the call settings and pick an option under Camera background. The change shows on your video straight away.
- Join or start a meeting in your browser. No account is needed.
- Open Settings & devices from the call toolbar (Settings on a phone).
- Choose Blur, a scene or your own image under Camera background. Use the + tile to upload a picture.
Meeto remembers the choice in that browser and applies it to your camera in your next calls as well. The preview on the screen before you join shows your plain camera; the saved background is applied once your camera turns on in the call. In the iPhone app the Blur chip is right on the preview before you join and in the call settings.
Which backgrounds can you use?
| Option | Details |
|---|---|
| None | Your camera as it is |
| Blur | One blur level that softens everything behind you |
| Built-in scenes | Home, Office, Dark, Library |
| Your own images | Up to 5, in JPEG, PNG, WebP or HEIC, up to 10 MB each; still images only |
A picture you upload is resized for video and kept in your browser. To make room for a new one when you have 5, delete one of yours; deleting takes a second click to confirm. Very large images, above 24 megapixels or 8192 pixels on a side, are refused.
Does it work on iPhone, Android and every browser?
Not everywhere. The browser version has the most options, the iPhone app has blur, and the Android app has none.
Browser
Blur, 4 scenes and up to 5 of your own images. Works in browsers with the graphics features the effect needs: Chrome and Edge on a computer, and browsers on Android. Safari on iPhone cannot run it, and the settings say so.
iPhone app
Blur only, using the iPhone's own person detection. Turn it on before you join or in the call settings; the choice carries over between calls.
Android app
No background effects. If you need blur on an Android phone, join the meeting link in a browser on that phone instead of the app.
On phones and less powerful computers the browser uses a lighter detection model automatically, so the call stays smooth. Get the apps on the download page, or join any meeting without a download.
Is a virtual background private?
The effect is computed on your device, and Meeto is built so that a failing effect does not reveal your room.
- On your device. The browser separates you from the background itself; only the finished video is sent into the call, as with any camera.
- Your pictures stay local. Uploaded backgrounds are stored in your browser and never sent to Meeto's servers.
- A paused camera instead of your real room. If the effect stops, for example because the computer is overloaded, Meeto pauses your camera and tells you, with Try effect again and Turn on without background.
- Blur as a fallback. If a background picture fails to load, Meeto uses blur instead.
Like any background effect, it works best with even light and a background that contrasts with you. For what else the call protects and what it does not, see security.
Frequently asked questions
Is background blur free in Meeto?
Yes. Blur, the built-in scenes and your own images work on every plan, Free included, and for guests who join without an account.
Can I use a video or animated background?
No. Backgrounds are still images: the four built-in scenes or JPEG, PNG, WebP or HEIC pictures of your own. Animated images are refused.
Will my own backgrounds appear on my other devices?
No. Your pictures are stored only in the browser where you added them, so a laptop and a phone each keep their own set. Clearing that browser's site data removes them.
Can I make the blur stronger or softer?
Not today. Meeto has one blur level, chosen to hide the room while keeping you sharp.
Why does my browser say effects aren't available?
Background effects need graphics features that some browsers lack, for example Safari on iPhone. Use Chrome or Edge on a computer, a browser on Android, or the Meeto iPhone app, which has blur.
Try your first browser meeting
Create a room, share the link and invite someone to join you.