Whether you've got kids running in and out of the room or sensitive information on a whiteboard behind you, blurring out your background during a video call can be a handy thing to have. For Skype users, starting today, you'll now be able to do just that with the app's latest version.
The new background blur feature is now available on "most desktops and laptops with the latest version of Skype," Microsoft announced today. Going forward, no matter what you need to block out, you'll be able to blur your background with a simple toggle at any time. The feature can also be set as the default for all of your video calls through Skype's settings.
Like the background blur in Microsoft Teams, Skype uses a bit of AI designed to detect humans in order to keep the focus on you, blurring everything else out. "This technology is also trained to detect your hair, hands, and arms, making a call with background blur just as relaxed and easy as a regular video call," Microsoft says.
To get started with background blur in your calls, you can find the option by hovering over the "Video" button during a call. In the pop-up that appears, toggle the "Blur my background" setting and Skype will automatically adjust your video feed so you remain in focus while a blur is applied to your background.
