Blur or replace your camera background

Blur or replace your background

Pactto can blur what is behind you or swap it for a ready-made background before your video reaches the meeting. The effect is applied in your own browser, so others receive video that is already processed and do not need to do anything.

Pick an effect

1. Open Device settings: inside a room, click Device options (the small arrow next to the microphone button); on Your rooms, click Device settings. You can also pick an effect on a room's join screen, in the Background section below Mirror camera.
2. Under Background, choose one:
   • None for no effect.
   • Blur to blur everything behind you. Use the Blur intensity slider to adjust it. It starts at 100%, the strongest blur.
   • One of six backgrounds: Bookshelf, Sage, Concrete, Pactto, Light blue, or Lavender.
3. Check the preview. It shows the effect before anyone else sees it.
4. Click Save. Inside a room, others see the new background from that moment. Cancel keeps the effect you had.

On the join screen, your choice is saved as soon as you pick it.

Where the effect applies

• Your choice is remembered in this browser and used in every room you join from it. On another computer or browser you start with no effect.
• When you join a room with an effect saved, others see your avatar for a moment until the effect is ready. They never see your real background first.
• Switching cameras keeps the effect.
• Camera effects are only available on a computer. The Background section does not appear on phones.
• You cannot upload your own background image.

If your camera turns off

Pactto turns your camera off rather than show the background you chose to hide. You see one of these messages:

• Camera effects aren't supported on this browser. Your camera is off. Your browser cannot run the effect. In Device settings, the section reads Camera effects aren't available on this browser. Update your browser or try another one on a computer.
• Camera effects couldn't start. Your camera is off. The effect failed to load. Check your connection, then leave and rejoin the room.
• Camera effects were slowing down your device. Your camera is off. Your computer could not keep up. If you turn the camera back on, it shows without an effect until you leave the room. Closing other apps or tabs may help next time.

Your saved effect does not change in any of these cases. To join without an effect, choose None and click Save.

Good to know

• Edges around hair and shoulders can look rough, especially with fast movement. A plain wall behind you and even lighting help.
• The first time you use an effect, it can take a few seconds to load.