background is always blurred

[sonoerin]

I am using Mac OS 13.2 and recently my Zoom background is always blurred unless I have a photo for my virtual background.  I have tested with multiple cameras (built-in, iPhone, NexiGo) and all show this behavior in Zoom.  It does not occur in other apps such as FaceTime or Photo Booth.  It is not quite as blurred as the "Blur" option in the "Background & Effects" but clearly out of focus.

I notice this only on my MacBook Pro and not my iPhone.

This is fairly recent behavior and I cannot find any setting in either the desktop or web client that corrects it.

Has anyone seen this behavior or know how to correct it?

[TomO · Accepted solution]

On the new versions of MacOS, Apple has added a new Video Effects (Change video effects for FaceTime calls on Mac ). Try to turn off the Video Effects mode while using Zoom. The blurred background effect should then be removed.

If this resolves your issue please mark this reply as an accepted solution.

[sonoerin]

Thank you for not only identifying the issue, but providing a solution.  It appears to be working correctly now.

[TheWell]

Yes, this worked. Thank you!

[Jfitzsimmons6]

Hello my background is always blurred as well using a Windows based computer.  Would have mind giving any advice on correcting the problem.  Thanks,  

[Henry29]

You could try to turn off the Portrait lighting. The "dimming of the background" with the protrait lighting turned on makes it appear blurred.  

[erossen]

Also worked for me but that's crazy that one would have to turn off Video Effects for FT to get rid of a undesired blur in Zoom.

[carsey]

Just FYI - It looks like it's called "Portrait" on the dropdown on the apple menu (white video icon with green background) while you're in zoom.

[hypnosecoaching]

Thank you so much! i totally went nuts with that issue!!

[Elkite]

Thank you for this answer. I had the same problem; in Zoom, I always had a blurred background, which I do not want. I opened FaceTime and clicked on "portrait." In FaceTime, my screen is sharp, but then, following what Tom suggested, I went to the panel where you should see the video effect (see photo), and I couldn't find it. My Mac and Zoom are both updated to the latest version. Does anybody have a tip? Thanks 

[TheWell]

I actually found the different filter options by clicking the green FaceTime/camera button in the top menu bar, not the control panel. You can see where the green FaceTime button is in the Accepted solution photo above.

[Elkite]

Thanks for your reaction. I already tried enabling and reactivating "portrait," (see foto) but in the Zoom app, the background is still blurred without activating the blur function in Zoom. Has somebody experienced this? (My MacBook is updated to Sonoma 14.4.1.) Regards.

[ehansen]

Same here. FaceTime selection changes and Zoom selection changes have zero effect. The blur is "lighter" (like FaceTime vs Zoom blur), but can't remove it.

Also, I just turned off Privacy access to my camera for everything but Zoom, and still happening. [Note: no option to remove access for FaceTime in that spot.]

[abcd128]

YES! I'm going crazy trying to resolve. Have you had any luck? Did this happen for you after the recent update?

[dp88]

I need a solution to this ASAP -- when presenting slides (whether native in Zoom or through mmhmm) the blurring is affecting my ability to be professional to large groups. Someone please find a solution!

[alexnetsec]

You can click on the white camera on green background at the top, namely the FaceTime icon, then either turn off Portrait or slide it to your liking, this will impact the level of blur even if turned off in the Zoom app.

[pastormichael]

I almost always use my Logitech camera, but yesterday I had to use Facetime. I used the portrait effect, and it carried over to my Logitech camera later. because I didn't realize that in the Facetime app, you can actually set lighting prefs for all your video apps. Oops! And also, why?

Anyway, I had to turn off all the Facetime HD effects for Zoom—which only show up when both Facetime and Zoom are running, remember—to return lighting to normal and lose that bloody soft focus on even my Logitech camera even though the effect was set while using the Facetime camera.

Sigh.

Just FYI in case anyone else was slowly going insane.

Thanks for the tips on this board that led me in the correct direction!

[pedroespecial]

Perfect - thank you. I have just spent ages trying to document and research this problem.

All sorted - phew!

[sapphicore]

Did not work for me - I restarted my computer and it is worse than ever even though portrait is off - help!!

[Clarkslawga]

Click on the green camera at the top of your screen when you are in zoom. Turn off the portrait mode.

This will fix the problem.

[robinpc]

That problem ate a whole morning.  Can't thank you enough.  Apparently the Facetime settings are, in some sense, global

[handerson]

This is the top result in google for this issue, so I'm copy-and-pasting an answer I wrote for another thread here. 

There are now (at least) three settings to check if you have a blurred background:

1. Is the "blur" filter turned on in the Zoom settings? (under "Background & effects". I have seen a report that you may have to go into the advanced meeting settings in the zoom website to turn on "virtual backgrounds" if you don't see this option in the zoom app settings.)
2. Is your computer / phone / camera applying a blur / "portrait" / shallow depth-of-field filter? For me, using macOS 14.7.2, when I open an app that uses the filter a green camera icon appears in the top bar. Clicking that opens a menu with a "Portrait" option which will apply a blur when selected. Other devices and operating systems may have similar settings
3. Zoom's own "Portrait lighting" option. This is also (currently, zoom version 6.3.5, 2025/1/8) under "Background & effects". It is a checkbox option directly above the Virtual Background selector, in a checkbox group with four other options like "Mirror my video". I would upload a screenshot but I do not yet have permissions here, sorry.

#3 was the issue for me and wasn't mentioned in any of the top google results I checked. There is one comment in this thread mentioning it already, but I thought it might be helpful to be more explicit about where the option is located