These 4 sites offer the best free Zoom video backgrounds

When it comes to hunting down free Zoom video backgrounds, the “you get what you pay for” mantra often holds true. However, these sites offer up actually good, actually free videos that make for worthwhile inclusions into the Virtual Backgrounds section of your Zoom software.

Wait, you can use video backgrounds in Zoom?

Yes, you can. And it’s easy!

If you’re not currently in a meeting, open up the Zoom app on your computer, click the little gear icon in the upper-right corner, then choose “Background & Effects” from the left-hand nav.

Then in the Virtual Backgrounds section, click the little plus sign and choose Add Video. Once your video is loaded in, simply choose it from the list to activate it.

If you’re in a meeting, click the little arrow in the upper-right corner of the camera icon in the bar at the bottom of the screen. Then click “Choose Virtual Background” and follow the instructions above to load up a video.

Now, with that out of the way, here’s where to find some high-quality videos.

Coverr: 200+ free videos

Website Coverr has a very nice mix of nature and urban backgrounds numbering in the hundreds.

Videos can be downloaded in full HD at pretty good quality without an account, or you can register to download higher-quality HD and 4K versions.

Mixkit: 40+ free videos

While not the largest collection on our list, Mixkit has some of the best-looking backgrounds. If you’re into time-lapse videos, this should be your first stop: Clouds aplenty streak across the sky and the Northern Lights dance in the night.

Videos are available in a variety of resolutions—including 4K—and all are freely downloadable without an account, which is a nice plus.

Pexels: Thousand of free videos

If you can’t find it at Pexels, it probably doesn’t exist. Hands-down the quantity winner of our options here, it makes you do a bit of digging. But most of the selections are worth the work.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, you’ll find a little bit of everything: space, art, nature, people, food, and much more. Videos can be downloaded at up to 4K quality without an account.

Canva: 400+ free, customizable videos

You’ll need a free Canva account for this one, but the site has a bunch of great backgrounds. You can use them as is, or edit them to add text, graphic elements, and more.

There are some videos of real-world scenery, but the vast majority of the collection is made up of fun, cartoony content. It’s a quirkier selection than most of the other free Zoom video backgrounds floating around out there, and great if you’re in the mood to give yourself unique virtual surroundings.