How To Improve Zoom Recording Quality?

While Zoom is an excellent video conferencing platform, it doesn’t always produce the best quality videos.

You may have experienced grainy-looking videos, white-washed pictures, or poorly-quality visuals and wondered what you did wrong.

Various factors may cause poor quality visuals, including your internet connection, recording equipment, Zoom settings, and recording environment.

If you want to improve Zoom recording quality, this post is for you.

This guide explains how to improve Zoom recording quality.

Factors Impacting the Quality of a Zoom Recording

Have you experienced poor Zoom recording quality and wondered what the issue was?

Below are the various factors that affect Zoom recording quality.

Factor #1: Internet Connection

Zoom supports three video resolutions; 360p, 720p, and 1080p.

While you may set your video recording to 1080p or 720p, the application automatically adjusts the resolution to match your internet strength and speed.

For this reason, you may experience poor recording quality if your connection is poor.

Factor #2: Recording Environment

The lighting in the room you are recording your Zoom video is critical and greatly affects the quality of your recording.

You should set up your recording equipment in a well-lit space.

For instance, a room that lets in adequate natural light through windows and doors produces higher-quality video than an enclosed and dimly lit room.

Factor #3: Recording Equipment

Which gadget are you using to record your Zoom video?

The device you use affects the quality of your recording because various devices have varying webcam and microphone qualities.

That’s why your video may appear grainy on a Windows PC and clearer on a Mac.

Factor #4: Zoom Settings

Zoom provides various settings to optimize the video quality, including HD quality, “Touch up my appearance,” video filters, and adjusting for low light.

You will get poor-quality Zoom recordings if you haven’t enabled these settings.

Improving Zoom Recording Quality

Adopt the following tips and hacks to improve your Zoom recording quality.

Tip #1: Ensure Your Internet Connection Is Strong

Before we dive into other ways of improving your Zoom recording quality, the bottom line remains a strong internet connection.

You may use the best recording equipment, environment, and settings, but the app will automatically lower the resolution to the quality optimized for the strength of your internet connection.

Tip #2: Enable HD Quality

To get the best out of your Zoom platform, enable HD-quality recording.

Below are the steps to enable HD on Zoom:

1. Open Zoom on your desktop.
2. Click on the settings icon at the top right.
3. Click on “Video” in the left navigation.
4. Select “HD” below the camera options.

Tip #3: Enable “Touch up my appearance“

“Touch up my appearance” is a Zoom feature that enhances your appearance by smoothening your face, balancing your tone, and concealing facial flaws like pimples and scars.

Enable this feature to improve the quality of your Zoom recording.

Here’s how to achieve that:

1. Open Zoom on your desktop.
2. Click on the settings icon at the top right.
3. Choose “Video” from the left navigation.
4. Tick the box beside “Touch up my appearance.”

Tip #4: Enable Low Light Adjustment

It’s a no-brainer that lighting affects the quality of your video.

To optimize the recording based on available lighting, Zoom offers an automatic low light adjustment to keep your video sharp even in low light.

Follow the steps below to enable Zoom’s Low light adjustment:

1. Open Zoom on your desktop.
2. Click on the settings icon in the top right corner.
3. Choose “Video” from the left panel.
4. Tick the box beside “Adjust for low light,” then select “Auto.”

Tip #5: Set Up Your Recording Environment Correctly

The lighting, set-up, camera position, posture, and background all affect your video quality.

Follow the tips below to achieve the best Zoom recording quality.

Lighting

Ensure your light source is in front of you, whether natural or artificial.

For instance, face the window or doorway for natural lighting.

If you use artificial lights like bulbs and ring lights, strategically place them in front of you.

Camera Position

The position of your camera can make or break your Zoom video.

For best results, always maintain the camera at your eye level.

To achieve this at home or office, elevate your computer with a stand, a pile of books, or any other suitable technique.

Background

Have you ever watched a live stream where the person streaming keeps looking sideways or behind like someone is coming?

Distractions can ruin your Zoom videos.

For this reason, avoid the following in your background:

• Cluttered bookshelves, office decor, and wall art
• Hallway or high-traffic area
• Color schemes that will interfere with lighting and video quality, e.g., pale pink, ivory, light blue, and white.

Tip #6: Invest in High-Quality Recording Equipment

Sometimes, your webcam and microphone are letting you down in Zoom videos.

To enhance your Zoom recording quality, invest in high-quality recording equipment. These include an external webcam, microphone, and screen recording software.

These third-party equipment offer better features than the inbuilt recording equipment on your computer.

For instance, an external camera offers better lenses and focus, while an external microphone provides better noise cancellation and echo reduction.

Tip #7: Set Your Zoom Recording to “Local“

Zoom provides two options for recording videos: “cloud-based” and “local.”

The local recording has better quality because it doesn’t rely on the strength and stability of your internet connection.

For this reason, always choose local recordings.

Wrapping Up

You can improve Zoom recording quality in various ways.

These include optimizing Zoom settings by enabling HD, “Touch up my appearance,” and low-light adjustment.

Also, properly setting up the recording environment, including using high-quality recording equipment and optimizing lighting and angles, will give you high-quality videos.

Lastly, recording the video to local storage produces better quality than cloud recording.