Using Group HD video

Group HD video will activate 720p video quality for the active speaker video layout in a group meeting. Full high-definition 1080p video is limited to Business and Enterprise plans.

Accounts that meet all other Group HD video prerequisites can also request 720p or 1080p feeds for webinar attendees. This feature must be enabled by Zoom.

H.323/SIP devices can send and receive video up to 1080p. However, for 1080p or higher, it must be enabled by Zoom Support, as well enabled on the provisioned device, or have the device join using a specific dialing string.

Notes:

• Screen sharing is not affected by Group HD. Screen sharing will display content at the native resolution of the desktop, application, or portion of the screen being shared.
• When using the virtual background feature without a green screen, your video will be capped at 720p, potentially at 360p, for some lower-end Windows computers. Currently, only some macOS devices with specific hardware can send outgoing video at 1080p. 

This article covers:

• How to enable or disable Group HD video
• Bandwidth requirements for Group HD video
• How to send and receive Group HD with the Zoom desktop client
  • Send HD
  • Receive HD

Prerequisites for Group HD video

Standard HD (720p)

• Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise account
• Full-screen meeting window on Zoom desktop client
• Zoom desktop client for Windows, macOS, or Linux: Global minimum version or higher
• Zoom mobile app for Android or iOS: Global minimum version or higher

Full HD (1080p)

• Business, Education, or Enterprise account
• Setting must be enabled by Zoom Support
• i7 Quad Core (physical core) CPU or higher
• Zoom desktop client for Windows or macOS: Global minimum version or higher

How to enable or disable the Group HD video setting

Note: The Group HD video setting uses a higher amount of CPU and bandwidth (~2Mbps up/down). If you are experiencing network or CPU performance issues, you may want to disable Group HD video.

Account

To enable or disable Group HD video for all users in the account:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit account settings.
2. In the navigation menu, click Account Management then Account Settings.
3. Click the Meeting tab.
4. Under In Meeting (Advanced), click the Group HD video toggle to enable or disable it.
5. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
6. If applicable for your account, select Standard HD (720p) or Full HD (1080p), then click Save.
7. (Optional) To prevent all users in the account from changing this setting, click the lock icon , and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

Group

To enable or disable Group HD video for a group of users:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal as an admin with the privilege to edit groups.
2. In the navigation menu, click User Management then Groups.
3. Click the applicable group name from the list.
4. Click the Meeting tab.
5. Under In Meeting (Advanced), click the Group HD video toggle to enable or disable it.
6. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
   Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at the account level and needs to be changed at that level.
7. If applicable for your account, select Standard HD (720p) or Full HD (1080p), then click Save.
8. (Optional) To prevent all users in the group from changing this setting, click the lock icon , and then click Lock to confirm the setting.

User

To enable or disable Group HD video for your own use:

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal.
2. In the navigation menu, click Settings.
3. Click the Meeting tab.
4. Under In Meeting (Advanced), click the Group HD video toggle to enable or disable it.
5. If a verification dialog appears, click Enable or Disable to verify the change.
   Note: If the option is grayed out, it has been locked at either the group or account level. You need to contact your Zoom admin.
6. If applicable for your account, select Standard HD (720p) or Full HD (1080p), then click Save.

Once enabled in the Zoom web portal, users must enable HD from their Video settings in the Zoom desktop client or mobile app to apply it during a meeting.

Bandwidth requirements for Group HD video

Standard HD (720p)

• 1-on-1 video calls: 1.2Mbps (up/down)
• Group video calls: 2.6Mbps / 1.8Mbps (up/down)

Full HD (1080p)

• 1:1 video calls:
  • Receiving 1080p HD video requires a minimum of 3.0Mbps.
  • Sending 1080p video requires a minimum of 3.8Mbps.
• Group video calls:
  • Receiving 1080p HD video requires a minimum of 3.0Mbps.
  • Sending 1080p video requires a minimum of 3.8Mbps.

How to send and receive Group HD with the Zoom client

The following guidelines can help you achieve HD when in a meeting or webinar. This is not an exhaustive list, as there are other potential limitations, such as hardware limitations. 

Send HD

• Put the meeting window in full-screen mode.
• Use active speaker mode.
• HD enabled in Settings in the Zoom desktop client or mobile app. 
• Meet our bandwidth requirements. 
• At least one attendee must be in full-screen mode. 

Receive HD

• Put the meeting window in full-screen mode.
• Use active speaker mode.
• Meet our bandwidth requirements.
• At least one attendee must be meeting our requirements for sending HD, as mentioned above.