16 Tips to Look Good on Zoom and Have Better Video Calls

Science-backed Zoom tips to look great on camera, reduce fatigue, and run better video calls. Includes lighting, body language, and etiquette advice.

Video calls are a fixture of modern work. About 86% of remote workers use video tools at least weekly, averaging over five calls per week. Yet most people never learn how to actually look good on camera, run a tight meeting, or avoid the energy drain that comes with back-to-back calls.

These 16 Zoom tips cover the science of looking great, sounding confident, and making every video call count.

When Should You Use Video (and When Should You Skip It)?

A Forbes Insights survey found that 62% of executives agreed video calls significantly improved communication quality over phone calls. More recently, about 94% of businesses report that video conferencing boosts productivity.

But that doesn’t mean every conversation needs a camera.

Stanford professor Jeremy Bailenson identified four causes of Zoom fatigue: excessive close-up eye contact, constantly seeing yourself on screen, reduced physical mobility, and higher cognitive load from interpreting nonverbal cues through a screen.

Use video for small team brainstorms, one-on-ones, first-time meetings, and sensitive conversations. For status updates, large town halls, or back-to-back meeting days, email, Slack, or audio-only calls are often more productive.

Situation	Camera Recommendation
Small team brainstorms	On
One-on-ones	On
First-time meetings	On
Sensitive or emotional conversations	On
Large town halls or webinars	Off is fine
Back-to-back meeting days	Take camera breaks
Status updates with no discussion needed	Send an email instead

16 Zoom Tips to Look Great and Run Better Meetings

1. Use the Camera Height Advantage

Most people set their laptop on a desk and look down at the camera. This is the single most unflattering angle possible, highlighting the underside of your chin and making you appear disengaged.

Research published in Technology, Mind, and Behavior found that camera placement at or slightly above eye level makes you appear more likable and attractive to viewers.

How to fix it:

1. Stack books under your laptop, or use a laptop stand, to bring the camera to eye level
2. If using an external webcam, mount it on top of your monitor
3. Sit at least 20–24 inches from the camera to avoid wide-angle distortion

Pro Tip: Sit at a slight 45-degree angle to the camera rather than facing it head-on. Directly facing the camera captures the full width of your face, while angling creates a slimmer appearance. Scoot back in your chair and lean slightly forward to create a slimming illusion as your body slopes away from the camera.

Camera placement at eye level makes you appear more likable, attractive, and socially present to viewers.

2. Light Your Face Like a Pro

Bad lighting is the number one reason people say they look terrible on Zoom. The fix takes about 30 seconds.

The rule is simple: your main light source should be in front of you, behind your computer. Never sit with a window or lamp behind you, as that creates a silhouette effect.

The Lighting Checklist:

• Best option: Face a large window with natural light. Place your laptop between you and the window.
• No window? Use a ring light or large desk lamp positioned behind your monitor.
• Avoid mixing light temperatures. Combining warm (yellow) indoor bulbs with cool (blue) natural light makes skin tones look unnatural.
• Bigger light sources are more flattering. A large ring light or shaded lamp diffuses light, filling in fine lines and reducing harsh shadows.

Action Step: Before your next call, open your camera app and move your lamp to three different positions (behind you, beside you, and in front of you). You’ll see the difference immediately.

3. Push Your Camera Back to Show Your Hands

One of the most important nonverbal cues for charisma is hand gestures. Push back your computer so your hands and upper torso are visible in the frame.

An analysis of TED Talks found that the most popular speakers (averaging 7.3 million views) used about 465 hand gestures during their 18-minute talks. The least popular speakers used only 272 gestures in the same timeframe.

A 2025 UBC Sauder study confirmed that purposeful gestures (like illustrating the size of something or pointing to key objects) boost perceived competence far more than random hand movements.

People need to see your wave hello, your explanatory gestures while speaking, and your visible, open hands while listening. Hidden hands trigger subconscious distrust.

4. Get the Right Gear (Without Overspending)

You don’t need a professional studio, but a few basics make a noticeable difference.

• Webcam: Your laptop’s built-in webcam works fine for most calls. For frequent video use, an external webcam gives you better image quality.
• Headphones: Always wear headphones. Built-in speakers create feedback loops and echo.
• Microphone: A USB microphone dramatically improves audio clarity. Clear audio matters more than HD video. For noisy environments, try a noise-canceling app like Krisp to filter out background sounds in real time.
• Internet: Close unnecessary applications. Consider a wired ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi.

Have backups. Keep extra headphones nearby and have your phone ready as a backup device.

5. Use Zoom’s Built-In Beauty Tools

Zoom has several appearance features most people never turn on.

Touch Up My Appearance applies a soft-focus filter that smooths skin and minimizes fine lines. To enable it:

1. Open Zoom Workplace and click the gear icon (Settings)
2. Go to Video & Effects → Camera tab
3. Toggle on “Touch Up My Appearance”
4. Set the slider to about 30–50% for a natural look

This feature works on desktop and iOS but is not available on Android. Android users can check their phone’s built-in “Video Call Effects” in system settings.

Also enable Adjust for Low Light (set to Manual) and HD Video to avoid a grainy appearance.

6. Know Thyself: Record and Review Your Calls

Most people have no idea how they actually come across on video. The fix is simple: record yourself.

Use Zoom’s built-in recording feature or a tool like Loom to capture a short practice call. Then watch it back and assess:

• How’s your lighting and camera angle? Does your setup match the tips above?
• What are your hands doing? Are they visible and purposeful, or hidden and fidgety?
• How’s your facial expression when listening? Do you look engaged or zoned out?
• How’s your vocal energy? Do you sound flat or confident?

This self-assessment is uncomfortable but incredibly valuable. Most people discover one or two easy fixes (like a distracting background object or a habit of looking down) that make an immediate difference.

7. Learn to Decode Facial Expressions

Video calls give you a grid of faces to read, but most people never learn how to read them. Research by Paul Ekman identified seven universal facial expressions that are consistent across cultures. Learning to spot them helps you gauge how your message is landing in real time.

Here are the seven universal expressions and what to watch for on Zoom:

1. Happiness: Corners of the mouth turn up, cheeks raise, crow’s feet appear around the eyes. A genuine (Duchenne) smile involves the eyes, not just the mouth. On Zoom, this signals agreement, engagement, or rapport.
2. Sadness: Inner corners of the eyebrows draw up, corners of the lips pull down, lower lip may push up slightly. If you see this during a team call, someone may be struggling with the topic or feeling overlooked.
3. Fear: Eyebrows raise and draw together, upper eyelids lift, lips stretch horizontally. On video calls, micro-expressions of fear can signal that someone feels put on the spot or anxious about a decision.
4. Disgust: Upper lip raises, nose wrinkles, cheeks push up. Watch for this when presenting a new idea—it may indicate strong disagreement before anyone speaks up.
5. Anger: Eyebrows lower and draw together, lips press firmly or tighten, eyes narrow or glare. On Zoom, this is often more subtle—a tightened jaw or pressed lips during a contentious discussion.
6. Surprise: Eyebrows raise (arched, not drawn together), eyes widen, jaw drops open. Surprise is brief—it flashes across the face and quickly shifts to another emotion. On calls, it often signals unexpected information.
7. Contempt: One corner of the mouth raises in a unilateral smirk. This is the only asymmetrical universal expression and often signals feelings of moral superiority or dismissiveness. It’s subtle but important to catch during negotiations or feedback sessions.

Pro Tip: You don’t need to become a micro-expression expert overnight. Start by watching for happiness (are people smiling genuinely?) and contempt (is someone smirking on one side?). These two alone will tell you a lot about how your message is landing.

8. Focus on Substance, Not Your Face

A survey by Highfive and Zogby Analytics found that nearly half of respondents worried more about their physical appearance during a video call than the content they were presenting. About 30% spent more than half the call looking at their own face.

A 2025 study confirmed that disabling self-view significantly reduces both cognitive load and fatigue.

The Fix:

1. Right-click your own video tile and select “Hide Self-View.” You’ll still appear on camera to others.
2. Prepare your content so thoroughly that you feel confident regardless of how you look.
3. Place talking points on sticky notes just below your camera lens, a DIY teleprompter that keeps your eyes near the camera.
4. Brainstorm two or three questions ahead of time so you’re never caught off guard.

What you bring to the table is more important than your appearance. Prepare like a pro, then hide self-view and forget the mirror.

Nearly half of video call participants worry more about their appearance than their actual content. Hide self-view and prepare your material instead.

9. Wave and Smile to Start Every Call

The first three seconds of a video call set the tone for everything that follows. A wave signals openness, a universal “I come in peace” gesture that works across cultures. Pair it with a smile that reaches your eyes (crinkling the corners, not just lifting the mouth), and you’ve activated what researchers call a Duchenne smile, the kind people instinctively trust.

How to do it: When the call connects, look directly at the camera lens (not the screen), raise your hand in a brief wave, and smile. Say hello with energy in your voice.

10. Start With Your Happy Voice

Research on vocal tone shows that recordings with a happy, upbeat tone receive significantly higher approval ratings than neutral or flat deliveries. Your voice in the first 10 seconds shapes how people perceive you for the rest of the meeting.

Before joining a call, try the Social Charge technique: spend two or three minutes doing something that lifts your energy. Watch a short funny video, listen to an upbeat song, chat with someone nearby, or take a brisk 60-second walk.

This primes your vocal tone so you don’t sound flat when the call starts.

11. Designate a Meeting Driver

Nothing kills a video call faster than the awkward silence of “Who should talk next?” or three people starting to speak at the same time.

Every meeting needs a designated driver: one person who opens the call, guides the agenda, calls on people by name, and wraps up with action items.

The Driver’s Checklist:

• Open with a quick agenda overview: “We have three things to cover today…”
• Call on people by name: “Sarah, what’s your take on this?”
• Manage the clock: “We have 10 minutes left, let’s move to the final item.”
• Close with clear action items: “So John owns the report by Friday, and Maria will schedule the follow-up.”

Action Step: Send a brief agenda to all participants at least an hour before the meeting. State the specific objective, not “Project Sync” but “Decide on Q3 budget allocations.” Meetings with agendas run shorter and produce clearer outcomes.

12. Master the Art of Zoom Body Language

Body language on video requires deliberate adjustments because the camera captures only a fraction of your physical presence.

Three gestures that work on camera:

1. Numerical gestures: Any time you say a number, hold up the corresponding fingers.
2. The “tiny bit” pinch: When emphasizing a small point, pinch your thumb and index finger together.
3. Open palms facing up: When listening or asking a question, show your open palms. This signals receptivity and trust.

Avoid crossing your arms (reads as closed off), touching your face repeatedly (reads as nervous), or leaning back (reads as disengaged). Lean slightly forward when someone else is speaking to signal active listening.

What about your listening face? When you’re not speaking, your face is still broadcasting. Nod occasionally, keep a slight smile, and maintain a relaxed but attentive expression.

13. Dress Intentionally (Your Clothes Change How People Think)

A 2019 Princeton study published in Nature Human Behaviour found that faces paired with “richer” looking clothing were rated as significantly more competent, and these snap judgments happened in about 130 milliseconds. The bias persisted even when participants were told to ignore clothing.

What you wear also changes how you perform. A 2012 study coined the term “enclothed cognition”: participants who wore a lab coat described as a “doctor’s coat” showed measurably higher sustained attention than those told the same coat was a “painter’s smock.”

What works on camera: Solid colors in medium tones (navy, teal, burgundy, forest green), well-fitting tops, and simple jewelry.

What to avoid: Thin stripes or busy patterns (they create a moiré shimmer on camera), tops that blend into your background, and big dangling jewelry that catches the light.

Snap judgments about your competence based on clothing happen in one-tenth of a second and persist even when people try to ignore what you’re wearing.

14. Choose Your Background Strategically

A 2023 Durham University study published in PLoS ONE tested how different Zoom backgrounds affect first impressions:

Background	Trustworthiness	Competence
Plants	Highest	Highest
Bookcase	Highest (tied)	Highest (tied)
Blurred background	Mid-high	Mid
Blank wall	Mid	High
Visible messy home	Lowest	Lowest
Novelty/fun images	Lowest (tied)	Lowest

A real bookshelf behind you with a small plant is the gold standard. Add one or two interesting items to your shelf (a favorite book, a small piece of art, or a meaningful object) to give people a conversation starter.

If your real background is messy, use Zoom’s virtual background feature. A blurred background is a safe middle ground.

Note: Research shows that virtual backgrounds increase cognitive demands for viewers. If you can control your real background, that’s easier on everyone’s brain.

15. Prevent Zoom Awkwardness With Preparation

Before your next call:

• Tell everyone in your house you’re going on a video call
• Do a quick camera check before logging in (lighting, angle, background)
• Handle the basics first: bathroom, coffee, water, closed door
• Know who will be on the call and what role each person plays
• Gather any links, documents, or files you might need to share

The “Should This Be a Meeting?” Test: Is this just sharing updates? Send an email. Is there no agenda 24 hours before? Cancel it. Does everyone have a specific role? If not, make them optional. Keep collaborative meetings to five to seven people.

16. Send a Follow-Up Message After the Call

A 2018 study by researchers Kumar and Epley found that people dramatically underestimate how much others appreciate receiving a note of thanks. Recipients reported feeling far happier than senders predicted.

The researchers discovered a fundamental mismatch: senders focus on competence (“Did I use the right words?”) while recipients focus on warmth (“Someone took the time to tell me I matter”).

After a video call, send a brief follow-up within 24 hours:

• “Great call today, I appreciated your insight on [specific topic].”
• “Thanks for making time for that. Here are the action items we agreed on: [list].”

This takes 60 seconds and makes you memorable.

Recharge Between Calls

Back-to-back video calls are draining. Stanford’s research shows that reduced mobility and constant cognitive load during video meetings cause real fatigue. Women and newer employees experience significantly higher levels of fatigue when forced to be on camera.

After a demanding call, give yourself a deliberate recharge: take a five-minute walk outside, step away from screens, listen to music, or do a brief stretch routine. Even five minutes of movement between calls can reduce fatigue significantly.

Essential Zoom Features Most People Miss

Keyboard Shortcuts (Desktop)

Action	Windows	Mac
Mute/unmute audio	Alt + A	Cmd + Shift + A
Start/stop video	Alt + V	Cmd + Shift + V
Raise hand	Alt + Y	Option + Y
Toggle chat	Alt + H	Cmd + Shift + H

Pro Tip: In Settings → Keyboard Shortcuts, check “Enable Global Shortcut” so mute/unmute works even when Zoom isn’t the active window.

The Space Bar Push-to-Talk Trick

You can hold the space bar to temporarily unmute yourself, then release to auto-mute. Enable it in Settings → Audio → check “Press and hold Space key to temporarily unmute yourself.” This only works when the Zoom window is active.

Gallery View vs. Speaker View

• Gallery View shows all participants in a grid, best for group discussions where you want to read everyone’s reactions
• Speaker View highlights whoever is talking, best for presentations and webinars
• You can “pin” a specific participant’s video by right-clicking their tile and selecting “Pin Video”

The most popular TED speakers used about 465 hand gestures in 18 minutes. Visible, purposeful gestures boost your perceived competence on video calls too.

Zoom Tips Takeaway

1. Raise your camera to eye level and sit 20–24 inches away to avoid distortion
2. Place your main light source in front of you, behind your monitor
3. Push your camera back so your hands and upper torso are visible for gestures
4. Hide self-view to reduce fatigue and stay focused on the conversation
5. Wave, smile, and use your happy voice in the first three seconds of every call
6. Designate a meeting driver and send an agenda ahead of time
7. Send a brief follow-up message within 24 hours