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Using Avatars in meetings and webinars

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Avatars enable you to replace your appearance with a 3D virtual avatar that mirrors your head movements and facial expressions. Avatars are an easy and entertaining way to engage with your meeting attendees and add a bit of fun. Avatars also provide a good middle ground for users who don’t want to turn on their camera, but still want to leverage the power of body language and facial expressions.

When you turn on this feature during a meeting, Zoom’s technology uses your device’s camera to detect where a face is on the screen and apply the selected avatar effect. Images of your face don’t leave your device when using this feature, and they are not stored or sent to Zoom. This feature does not use facial recognition, which means that it does not identify who you are. So while the Avatars feature can tell what is or is not a face, it does not recognize or distinguish between individual faces.

This article covers:

Prerequisites for using Avatars

  • Avatars enabled by an account owner or admin
  • Zoom desktop client*
    • Windows: 5.10.0 or higher
    • macOS: 5.10.0 or higher
      *Note: Custom human avatars require version 5.13.3 or higher. 
  • Zoom mobile app
    • Android: 5.11.0 or higher
    • iOS: 5.10.0 or higher

Note: Not all Zoom features are available in all regions and at all account levels. If you do not see a specific feature, you may not have access to use it.

System requirements for Avatars

  • Windows: 
    • Windows 7, 8, and 10 or higher (64-bit)
    • Supported processors*
      • Intel: 4th generation or higher i3, i5, i7, i9 processor
      • AMD:
        • Ryzen 3, 5, 7, 9 processor
        • 6 cores or higher, base frequency 3.0Ghz or higher
        • 8 cores
    • A graphics card supporting Direct3D 11
  • macOS
    • MacOS 10.13 or later
    • Supported processors*
      • Apple M1 or higher
      • Intel:
        • 4th generation or higher i3, i5, i7, i9 processor
        • Xeon with 4 cores or higher
        • other processors with 6 cores or higher
      • AMD:
        • Ryzen 3, 5, 7, 9 processor
        • 8 cores or higher
  • Android
    • Meet the Virtual Background system requirements
    • Device must support Vertex Shader Storage Blocks.
      Note: If your device supports Virtual Background, but the Avatars option does not appear in mobile app settings, it is most likely that your device does not support Vertex Shader Storage Blocks.
  • iOS 
    • iPhone 8 or higher (iOS 11.0 or higher)
    • iPad 2017 or higher (iOS 11.0 or higher)

*Note: When comparing your processor with the requirements, the generation of your processor can be determined by the first digit (or two) of the processor number, while the remaining 3 digits are the model number. For example, an Intel i7-6700 is the 700 model of the 6th generation of i7 processors. 

Limitations for Avatars

How to create and apply Avatars in a meeting

Create a custom human avatar

Instead of using the default animal avatars, you can create a custom human avatar, typically to recreate your own personal appearance. 

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop client.
  2. Click your profile picture, then click Settings.
  3. Click Background & Filters .
  4. Below the video preview, click the Avatars tab. 
  5. Next to the None option, click the add icon .
     A new window will appear to create your custom avatar. 
  6. Go through each tab and choose your desired option for each facial feature and related color. 
    The avatar preview will update as your make selections. 
  7. Click Done when complete. 
    The custom avatar will be displayed at the top of the list. 
    You can create multiple custom avatars. 

Note: Custom human avatars are only available on the desktop client for Windows and macOS. 

Apply an avatar to your video

To change your video appearance to an Avatar:

  1. Start or join a meeting (or webinar).
  2. Next to the Start Video  / Stop Video button, click the  button and then select either Choose Virtual Background… or Choose Video Filter….
  3. Click the Avatars tab.
  4. Click on the avatar you want to apply.
    Note: Each animal option includes a version wearing a hoodie and a version wearing a T-shirt.

Your selected avatar will mimic your head movements and facial expressions. Avatars can be used in conjunction with virtual backgrounds and immersive view, allowing you and others to create an even more fun and captivating scene for your participants and attendees.

Note: Avatars do not use facial recognition and will not store any images of your face.

Android | iOS

To change your video appearance to an Avatar:

  1. Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
  2. While in a Zoom meeting or webinar, tap More in the controls.
  3. Tap Background and Effects.
  4. Tap the Avatars tab.
  5. Tap on the avatar you want to apply.
    Note: Each animal option includes a version wearing a hoodie and a version wearing a T-shirt.

Your selected avatar will mimic your head movements and facial expressions. Avatars can be used in conjunction with virtual backgrounds and immersive view, allowing you and others to create an even more fun and captivating scene for your participants and attendees.
Note: Avatars do not use facial recognition and will not store any images of your face.

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