# Using video during meetings
If you connect a web came to your computer or other device, you can start the camera at any time during an Amazon Chime meeting. Your video appears as a *tile*, a small window.
You can also use cameras connected to conference call systems if they're compatible with Amazon Chime.
Amazon Chime displays up to 25 attendee video tiles during a meeting. They appear on a first come, first shown basis as attendees turn on their cameras. You can take action on video tiles, such as undocking them, muting them, and pausing their video feed.
**Note**
Amazon Chime does not support virtual backgrounds.
**Topics**
+ [
# Turning your camera on or off
](turn-on-webcam.md)
+ [
# Changing video sources during a meeting
](change-video-source.md)
+ [
# Blurring your video background
](blur-background.md)
+ [
# Using your video tile
](use-video-tile.md)
+ [
# Undocking video tiles (desktop client only)
](undocking.md)
+ [
# Hiding attendee video tiles during a meeting
](hide-all-video.md)
+ [
# Hiding your video tile during a meeting
](hide-your-video.md)
+ [
# Changing the video row location
](change-row-location.md)
+ [
# Sorting active speakers into view
](sort-speaker.md)
+ [
# Unmirroring your self view
](un-mirror-self.md)
+ [
# Uncropping your video tile
](uncrop-video-tile.md)
# Turning your camera on or off
When you join a meeting, you can choose to join with audio or audio and video. If you a join a meeting without turning video on, you can start your camera at any time during the meeting.
**To turn on your webcam**
+ In the call control bar at the bottom of the meeting window, choose the **Video** icon.
+ To turn your camera off, choose the **Video** icon again.
# Changing video sources during a meeting
In the Amazon Chime desktop client and web app, you can change video sources during a meeting. To switch, you must have more than one video source connected to your device. The source that you choose becomes your new default setting.
**To change video sources during a meeting**
1. If your video is turned on, choose the **Video** icon in the call control bar to turn it off.
1. Open the **Video** menu (**^**) and choose one of the available video sources.
# Blurring your video background
If you want to reduce visual distractions in your video tile during a meeting, you can turn on background blur. You can turn this feature on or off before you join a meeting, as well as adjust the strength of the blurring effect. To turn this setting on or off, or adjust the blur strength during the meeting, you use the **Video** menu.
**Note**
Background blur does not support virtual backgrounds.
Currently, background blur only runs in the desktop clients on Windows 10 and macOS Mojave 10.14 or later. The feature uses your computer's graphics processing unit (GPU) for best performance. Older GPUs may not have the power to run it. If you try to use background blur on a computer with an unsupported operating system or an older GPU, Amazon Chime displays a message to let you know. You can't turn on background blur on unsupported devices. If you have an older computer and your video starts to lag, confirm that your video driver is up to date. If updating your video driver doesn't help, turn off background blur.
**To blur your background**
1. In the call control bar at the bottom of the meeting window, choose the **Video** menu (**^**).
1. Select **Blur my video background** to turn on background blur. Select **Blur my video background** again to turn the feature off.
**To change blur strength**
1. In the call control bar at the bottom of the meeting window, choose the **Video** menu (**^**).
1. Hover over **Blur strength**, then choose one of the options from the menu.
**Background blurring and privacy**
Video background blurring uses a pre-trained model to distinguish between you and your background. Because it's pre-trained, the feature never uses facial recognition. It never gathers or stores biometric data, and it never uses images stored in a database. Because of this pre-trained model, background blurring may not always distinguish between you and the elements behind you.
Follow these best practices when you use background blur during a meeting:
+ Wear clothing that contrasts strongly against your background.
+ If your video looks grainy, turn on or increase the amount of light around you. Most webcams, including those built into laptops, don't perform well in low light.
+ Sit directly in front of the camera, with a distance of about three feet between you and the lens. Look directly towards the camera when speaking.
+ The pre-trained model doesn't recognize hats and other headwear. They may be blurred during a meeting.
**Providing feedback**
If you have any feedback on this feature, leave a comment in the online form that appears when you leave a meeting, or contact your AWS IT Administrator to file a ticket with AWS Support.
# Using your video tile
Your video tile shows the view that other attendees have of you when you use your camera during an Amazon Chime meeting. Your tile appears when you turn your camera on. Meeting attendees can mute your video or hide your tile, and you can do the same with other attendees' tiles. Unless otherwise noted, the steps in this section apply to both the desktop client and web app. For information about using video tiles in the Amazon Chime mobile app, see [Using video](mobile-meeting-video.md) in the Amazon Chime mobile app guide.
**Note**
Amazon Chime prioritizes audio over video if your network connection slows down. The system pauses any video or screen share tiles if a slowdown occurs. When this happens, Amazon Chime displays the following message: **Video paused to prioritize your audio connection**. Once your network connection improves, Amazon Chime resumes playing any video and screen share tiles.
**To turn your video tile on or off**
+ In the call control bar at the bottom of the meeting window, choose the **Video** icon.
# Undocking video tiles (desktop client only)
If you run the desktop client, you can undock the video tiles from the rest of the meeting window during a meeting. For example, if you have dual monitors, you can drag the video tiles to one screen and make it easier to see screen shares and chat messages in the meeting window.
Undocking moves all the video tiles, and they appear in a separate grid.
**Note**
At least one meeting attendee must have their camera on in order to undock video tiles.
**To undock video tiles**
1. On the left toolbar, open the **Media layout** menu (![\[An icon showing a stylized app window with three panels.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/left-control-5.png)).
1. Choose **Undock video from meeting window**.
1. As needed, drag the tiles to the desired location.
**To dock video tiles**
1. On the left toolbar, open the **Media layout** menu (![\[An icon showing a stylized app window with three panels.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/left-control-5.png)).
1. Choose **Dock video to meeting window**.
# Hiding attendee video tiles during a meeting
If you need more room for a screen share, or if you find attendee video tiles distracting, you can hide them during a meeting.
**Note**
Your video tile remains visible after you hide the other videos. For information about hiding your video tile, see [Hiding your video tile during a meeting](hide-your-video.md), later in this guide.
**To hide all video**
1. On the left toolbar, open the **Media layout** menu (![\[An icon showing a stylized app window with three panels.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/left-control-5.png)).
1. Choose **Hide all available video**.
To show the video tiles, repeat these steps.
# Hiding your video tile during a meeting
If you don't want to watch your video, or you want to make more room for a screenshare, you can hide your tile. When you hide your tile, other attendees still see your video. If you don't want others to see your video, turn your camera off.
**To hide your video tile**
1. On the left toolbar, open the **Media layout** menu (![\[An icon showing a stylized app window with three panels.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/left-control-5.png)).
1. Choose **Hide my own video**.
To show your video tile, repeat these steps.
# Changing the video row location
By default, attendee video tiles appear in a row at the top of the meetings window. You can move that row to the bottom of the window before and during a meeting. Typically, you move the row to make featured content easier to see.
**To change the location before a meeting**
1. Open **Settings**. For more information, see [Amazon Chime global program settings](chm-settings.md).
1. Choose **Meetings**.
1. Under **Video row location**, choose **Above featured content** or **Below featured content**.
**To change the location during a meeting**
1. In the left control bar, choose the **Media layout** icon (![\[An icon showing a stylized app screen with three panels.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/left-control-5.png)).
1. Point to **Video row location**, and on the menu that appears, choose **Above featured content** or **Below featured content**.
**Note**
You can also use the **Settings** page to change the location. For more information, see [ Audio and video settings How to manage the audio and video settings that the Amazon Chime desktop client provides. The **Audio and video** tab provides the following settings. **Video settings**
**Blur background**
Starts or stops background blur during meetings. Also sets a default blur strength. During meetings, you can turn background blur on and off and change the blur strength.
**Mirror my self view**
Starts or stops mirroring. When on, you see a mirror image of yourself. For example, with mirroring on, your left hand appears on the left side of your screen.
**Show me my self view uncropped**
When selected, keeps your video tile in the 16:9 format.
**Hide the undocked video when sharing my screen**
When selected, hides any undocked video tiles while you share your screen. **Audio settings**
**Join muted**
When selected, automatically mutes your microphone whenever you join a meeting.
**Voice Focus (noise suppression)**
When selected, starts or stops Voice Focus, which helps reduce background noise during meetings.
**Auto-adjust audio levels**
When selected, prevents the audio from becoming too loud or soft. When off, you need to adjust levels manually.
**Auto-detect microphone problems**
Automatically detects microphone problems and displays a message with information about troubleshooting steps.
**Mute detection**
When selected, displays an alert when you speak into a muted microphone.
**Push to talk**
When selected, allows you to mute and unmute your microphone by pushing the space bar on your keyboard.
**Auto-correct system audio settings.**
When selected, automatically adjusts your system audio to its previous settings. **Headset call control device interactions**
**Mute and unmute microphone**
When selected, allows you to use your headset controls to mute and unmute your microphone.
**Answer and leave meetings and calls.**
When selected, allows you to use your headset controls to answer calls and join meetings. **Device preview**
**Skip device preview dialog when joining meetings and calls**
When selected, hides the Device preview dialog box and joins you directly to a meeting or call. Use this setting when you have stable audio and video inputs. For example, when you always join meetings in a conference room or on your laptop. ](chm-settings-audio-video.md#chm-settings-audio-video.title).
# Sorting active speakers into view
In a meeting with a lot of video tiles, you may not always see the tile of the person speaking. To solve that problem, you can automatically sort the active speaker's tile into view.
**To sort speaker tiles**
1. In the left control bar, choose the **Media layout** icon (![\[An icon showing a stylized app screen with three panels.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/left-control-5.png)).
1. Choose **Sort active speaker into view**.
A check mark appears next to the option, which remains selected until you change it.
# Unmirroring your self view
By default, your video tile displays a mirror image of you during meetings. For example, your left hand appears on the right side of your video tile, and any text appears in reverse. When you present during a meeting, unmirroring your self view allows you to see what the other attendees see. For example, if you use a whiteboard during the meeting, you don't need to see it in reverse.
**To unmirror your view**
1. Open the **Video** menu, located below the screenshare window.
![\[Image of a video camera icon and a caret symbol. The caret indicates the menu.\]](http://docs.aws.amazon.com/chime/latest/ug/images/video-menu-closed.png)
1. Select the **Mirror my self view** command to clear the checkmark.
Repeat these steps to mirror your self view.
# Uncropping your video tile
By default, Amazon Chime crops all video tiles during a meeting. Amazon Chime does that in order to include more tiles in the meeting window. You can undo that cropping whenever you display your video tile. Un-cropping changes your tile's aspect ratio to 16:9. Only you see the change.
**To uncrop your video tile**
1. On the Call control bar, open the Video menu (**^**).
1. Choose **Show me my self view uncropped**.
Repeat these steps to crop your video tile.