How to blur or change your background in a lesson (students)

In your lessons you can blur what's behind you, or put a picture there. Your room stays private and your teacher sees a calm, tidy background. It's your own camera only, and it is off until you turn it on.

How to turn it on

1. In a lesson, open Audio and video settings: the settings button next to the camera button (on a phone, press ⋯ first).
2. Under Background, choose Blur, one of the pictures (Study, Window, Leaves, Soft lights, Calm), or Your picture to use a photo of your own.
3. The small preview shows exactly what your teacher sees. To turn it off again, choose Off.

Touch-up and Low light

Under the backgrounds in Audio and video settings you'll also find:

• Touch-up: Off, Light or Strong. It softens skin a little and adds a touch of light and colour. Only skin is smoothed, never your room, hair or clothes.
• Low light: brightens your video when the room is dim.

Both work with or without a background, are remembered on this device, and everyone in the lesson (and the recording) sees the result. If your computer struggles to keep the video smooth, the room turns these effects off by itself and tells you.

Good to know

• Your choice is remembered on this computer and browser for your next lessons, and forgotten when you sign out.
• The file of your own picture stays on this device; your teacher sees it only as part of your video. Remove it any time with Remove your picture.
• Everyone in the lesson sees your background, and so does the lesson recording.
• Nobody can change your background but you, and you can't change anyone else's.
• It works in up-to-date browsers and in the KoloLingo app for computers; if your browser can't do it, the setting tells you. In the phone app you can't add one yet, but you see other people's backgrounds.
• If your device has trouble keeping your video smooth with a background on, it turns itself off and tells you.
• The edges look best with good light on your face and a background that doesn't match your hair or clothes.