Adding Virtual Background to Your Live Event

A virtual background can help you create the perfect ambiance for your Live Event. Here are two approaches to add one.

Option 1: Using OBS with a Physical Green Screen

This method works if you have a physical green screen and a computer. Since our platform doesn't have a built-in background feature, we'll use third-party software: OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) and Zoom. If you don't have a physical green screen, you can use Zoom's virtual background feature and capture it in OBS.

What you'll need

• Zoom (download here)
• OBS (download here)
• For Windows: Download the OBS VirtualCam plugin. For macOS, it's built in. If you don't see a "Start Virtual Camera" button at the bottom right under Controls, visit this link to install it.

System requirements

Running Zoom, OBS, and live streaming simultaneously can be demanding on your computer. We recommend at least 8GB of RAM. OBS is free and open-source—if you run into issues, check their help page.

Here’s how to do it:

1. Open OBS. Under Sources, click the + icon and add a Video Capture Device.
2. On the pop-up window, select which Camera you want to use, then click OK. You can adjust the video size as needed.
3. Right-click on the Video Capture Device, then select Filters.
4. Under Effect Filters, click the + icon and select Chroma Key.
5. Select the background color, then tweak the settings below to blend properly.
6. Under Sources, click the + icon and add an Image. Choose the photo you want as your background.
7. Make sure the Image is placed below the Video Capture Device. Adjust the Filters if needed, then click Start Virtual Camera.
8. On your live event page, select OBS Virtual Camera for the Video Input.

Option 2: Using OBS with Zoom

This method also works on computer and uses the same software.

What you'll need

• Zoom (download here)
• OBS (download here)
• For Windows: Download the OBS VirtualCam plugin. For macOS, it's built in. If you don't see a "Start Virtual Camera" button at the bottom right under Controls, visit this link to install it.
• macOS users: Make sure OBS has permission to record your screen. Here's how to grant screen recording permission.

Here are the steps:

1. Open Zoom, then start a New Meeting. There will be no timeout since there are no other participants.
2. Click the options icon under Video, then select Choose Virtual Background.
3. Click the + icon, choose Add Image, then select the photo you want as your virtual background.
4. Make sure not to minimize the Zoom meeting window so OBS can capture the video feed.
5. Open OBS, click the + icon, then select Window Capture.
6. Select Zoom.exe for the Window, then choose Windows Graphics Capture for the Capture Method.
   • Note: You may see different Capture Method options depending on your operating system. Try each option to see what works. No capture method selection is needed for MacOS.
7. Adjust the video feed size as needed, then click Start Virtual Camera.
8. On your live event page, select OBS Virtual Camera for the Video Input.

Enhance your Live Event further

You can also add background music from your computer and patch in a group video call. Check out more ways to prepare for your session.