Using avatars in meetings and webinars

Avatars let you replace your live video feed with a 3D animated character that mirrors your facial expressions and movements in real time. You can select from the available animal characters or create a custom avatar.
When creating a custom avatar, Zoom offers three types:

 

Note: The realistic and stylized avatars are available to customers in the US and will roll out to other regions in the coming months.

Requirements for using avatars

General requirements

Note: The avatars feature is not available in all regions and at all account levels. If you do not see a specific feature, you may not have access to use it.

Cartoon avatars

Desktop (Windows/macOS):

Note: When comparing your processor with the requirements, the generation of your processor can be determined by the first digit (or two) of the processor number, while the remaining 3 digits are the model number. For example, an Intel i7-6700 is the 700 model of the 6th generation of i7 processors.

Mobile:

Realistic and Stylized avatars

Realistic and Stylized avatars have additional hardware requirements due to their AI animation pipeline.

Zoom desktop app

Hardware requirements:

 
PlatformMinimum Hardware
Windows desktopsNVIDIA RTX 3060 or above (30-series); RTX 4060 or above (40-series); RTX 5050 or above (50-series)
Windows laptopsNVIDIA RTX 4060 or above (40-series); RTX 5050 or above (50-series)
macOSM3 Pro or M4 Pro chip or above

Note: Realistic and stylized avatars will not appear as options on devices that do not meet these requirements.

Limitations of using avatars

Table of Contents

How to use an avatar in meetings and webinars

Avatars can be used in conjunction with virtual backgrounds and immersive view, allowing you and others to create an even more fun and captivating scene for your participants and attendees.

Windows | macOS

Apply an avatar before a meeting or webinar

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture, then click Settings.
  3. Click Video & effects  .
  4. Click the Avatars tab.
  5. Select your avatar or click the add icon  to create a custom avatar.
    Note: The avatar with a star next to it in your settings will be the avatar that's used. To use a different avatar, click it and the star will change to that selection.
  6. (Optional) Click the Turn on my avatar when I join a meeting toggle to enable or disable this setting.

Apply an avatar during a meeting or webinar

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. Start or join a Zoom meeting or webinar.
  3. In the meeting controls toolbar, click the arrow icon  next to Video .
  4. Click Video & effects settings.
  5. Click the Avatars tab.
  6. Select your avatar or click the add icon  to create a custom avatar.
    Notes:
    • You can only create a custom cartoon avatar during a meeting. Realistic and stylized avatars require identity match and liveness detection and must be created outside of a meeting.
    • The avatar with a star next to it in your settings will be the avatar that's used. To use a different avatar, click it and the star will change to that selection.
  7. (Optional) Click the Turn on my avatar when I join a meeting toggle to enable or disable this setting.

Create a custom avatar

Instead of selecting from the available animal characters, you can create a custom avatar, typically to recreate your own personal appearance.

Cartoon avatars

The Cartoon avatar allows you to build a custom human avatar by selecting your preferred hair styles, clothing, and facial features from a gallery of options. You can use your cartoon avatar in a meeting with your camera on or off.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture, then click Settings.
  3. Click Video & effects .
  4. Click the Avatars tab.
  5. Next to the None option, click the add icon  .
    A new window will appear to create your cartoon avatar.
  6. Go through each tab, selecting your preferred hair styles, clothing, and facial features from a gallery of options.
    The avatar preview will update as you make selections.
  7. Click Apply.
    The custom avatar will be displayed at the top of the list. You can create up to 25 cartoon avatars.

Realistic and stylized avatars

Realistic and stylized avatars use an AI model to analyze your photo and generate a 3D avatar. You can only use realistic and stylized avatars in a meeting when your camera is on. It replaces your live video feed with an AI-generated avatar that looks like you and animates in real time to mirror your expressions.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture, then click Settings.
  3. Click Video & effects  .
  4. Click the Avatars tab.
  5. Next to the None option, click the add icon  .
    A new window will appear to create your cartoon avatar.
  6. Follow the 4-step wizard to complete the avatar creation.
    • Select your avatar’s appearance: Select Realistic or Stylized.
      Note: Only continue if you allow Zoom to analyze your photo and store your facial geometry to generate and animate your avatar. The analyzed and stored data can be deleted at any time by deleting the avatar or your Zoom account.
    • Provide a photo: You can upload or take a photo.
      A face-centering guide overlay helps you position your face correctly. Keep your face centered with your shoulders visible, use good lighting since dark environments may prompt you to retry, and avoid covering your face.
    • Match your likeness: Checks for identity match and liveness detection.
      You will be asked to look at your camera to complete the identity match to confirm if the avatar will look like the person actually using it in meetings. Liveness detection will be performed by going through a short sequence of on-screen prompts such as moving your head or blinking.
    • Select avatar outfit: You can select Photo outfit to use the same outfit you have on your submitted photo, or select an available outfit from a gallery of options.
      The avatar preview will update as you make selections.
  7. Click Create then Finish.
    The custom avatar will be displayed at the top of the list. You can create up to 10 AI avatars.

Note: When you use the avatar in a meeting, an AI Avatar watermark appears on your video feed, visible to all participants.

Delete your custom Avatar

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture, then click Settings.
  3. Click Video & effects .
  4. Click the Avatars tab.
  5. Click the ellipsis icon  on top of the custom avatar you wish to delete then click Delete.
    Note: Deleted avatars can no longer be retrieved.

Duplicate your custom Avatar

The ability to duplicate a custom avatar only applies to cartoon avatars.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom desktop app.
  2. In the top-right corner, click your profile picture, then click Settings.
  3. Click Video & effects .
  4. Click the Avatars tab. Click the ellipsis icon .
  5. Click the ellipsis icon  on top of the custom avatar you wish to duplicate then click Duplicate.
Android | iOS

Apply an avatar before a meeting or webinar

  1. Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
  2. In the top-left corner, tap your profile picture.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Tap Video & effects then Background & effects.
  5. Tap the Avatars tab then select your avatar or tap the add icon to create a custom avatar.
    Note: Realistic and stylized avatars are not yet supported on mobile devices.
  6. (Optional) Tap the Turn on my avatar when I join a meeting toggle to enable or disable this setting.

Note: The avatar with a star next to it in your settings will be the avatar that's used. To use a different avatar, tap it and the star will change to that selection.

Apply an avatar during a meeting or webinar

  1. Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
  2. Start or join a Zoom meeting or webinar.
  3. In the meeting controls toolbar, tap More  then Backgrounds & effects.
  4. Tap the Avatars tab then select your avatar or tap the add icon to create a custom avatar.
    Note: Realistic and stylized avatars are not yet supported on mobile devices
  5. (Optional) Tap the Turn on my avatar when I join a meeting toggle to enable or disable this setting.

Note: The avatar with a star next to it in your settings will be the avatar that's used. To use a different avatar, tap it and the star will change to that selection.

Create a custom avatar

The Cartoon avatar allows you to build a custom human avatar by selecting your preferred hair styles, clothing, and facial features from a gallery of options. You can use your cartoon avatar in a meeting with your camera on or off.
Note: Realistic and stylized avatars are not yet supported on mobile devices.

  1. Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
  2. In the top-left corner, tap your profile picture.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Tap Video & effects then Background & effects.
  5. Tap the Avatars tab.
  6. Next to the None option, tap the  Add.
    A new window will appear to create your cartoon avatar.
  7. Go through each tab, selecting your preferred hair styles, clothing, and facial features from a gallery of options.
    The avatar preview will update as you make selections.
  8. Tap Apply.
    The custom avatar will be displayed at the top of the list. You can create up to 25 cartoon avatars.
  9. (Optional) Tap the Turn on my avatar when I join a meeting toggle to enable or disable this setting.

Delete your custom Avatar

  1. Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
  2. In the top-left corner, tap your profile picture.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Tap Video & effects then Background & effects.
  5. Tap the Avatars tab.
  6. Long tap the custom avatar you wish to delete then tap Delete.
    Note: Deleted avatars can no longer be retrieved.

Duplicate your custom Avatar

  1. Sign in to the Zoom mobile app.
  2. In the top-left corner, tap your profile picture.
  3. Tap Settings.
  4. Tap Video & effects then Background & effects.
  5. Tap the Avatars tab.
  6. Long tap the custom avatar you wish to duplicate then tap Duplicate.