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HomeApple‘I am not a cat’ – how to get Zoom filters (and take them off)

‘I am not a cat’ – how to get Zoom filters (and take them off)

‘I am not a cat’ – how to get Zoom filters (and take them off)
‘I am not a cat’ – how to get Zoom filters (and take them off)
The lawyer became an accidental online star after using the feline filter. (Picture: Zoom)

A Zoom call went viral when a Texas lawyer accidentally applied a cat filter to his video call, much to the amusement of his colleagues.

While the confused kitten was trying to undo the filter in settings, the legal proceedings were briefly paused – with the judge attempting to offer a technical solution.

It might not have been appropriate for a work call, but the feline is definitely cute – and it’s not the only animal transformation available on the platform.

So, how do you get the cat filter on Zoom, and what others are available?

illustration of people on a zoom call
Bored of backgrounds? Apply a filter instead (Picture: Getty)

How to get filters on Zoom

Apple Mac

  • Open Zoom on your computer
  • Click on ‘zoom.us’ in the top left of the screen
  • Click on ‘Preferences’ and then ‘Background & Filters’
  • Select ‘Video Filters’, and you’re away! You’ll find everything from party hats to pirate costumes – just pick your favourite.

Microsoft PC

  • Open Zoom on your computer
  • In the navigation menu, click Account Management then Account Settings
  • Click on ‘Preferences’ and then ‘Background & Filters’
  • Select ‘Video Filters’, and you’re away! You’ll find everything from party hats to pirate costumes – just pick your favourite.

How to remove Zoom filters

When you’re ready to get more serious, you can turn the fun filters off by going to ‘Background & Filters’ and then selecting ‘none’.

If only someone had told the cat.

Video call frame, working from home concept, social distancing, a young female Black character using online technologies to connect with friends, family, or colleagues
Transform yourself into an avocado, a penguin, or a potato (Picture: Getty)

How to get extra filters for Zoom calls

If you’ve already dabbled in Snapchat, extra filters are easy to add, too.

Download Snap Camera, an app available for both Windows and Mac.

From here, you can choose to apply them to any video calls – whether that’s FaceTime, Zoom, or Microsoft Teams.

Then it’s time for the fun part – picking which creature you’re going to transform into.

Sad man making video call and talking to female psychologist by web cam
Zoom fatigue can be held at bay by turning on filters (Picture: Getty)

There are thousands of ‘lenses’, including the famous feline, of course.

Other favourites include an avocado – perfect for a video brunch with pals – and Pingu, if you fancy a bit of nostalgia. For something less subtle, add dramatic makeup, or turn your camera into a (frankly horrifying) hall of mirrors.