To put your business card QR code on a Zoom background, place the QR code on a 16:9 image (1920x1080 works well), save it as a PNG or JPG, and upload it under Settings > Video & effects > Virtual backgrounds in Zoom. In Microsoft Teams, upload the same file with Add new in the video effects menu. Put the code high on one side, so your head never covers it.
What you need before you start
You need two things: a QR code that opens your digital business card, and a simple image editor. Canva, Figma, PowerPoint or Keynote all work, because you only need to place one image on a plain slide and export it.
- A QR code image of your card’s share link, exported as a PNG. If you don’t have one yet, see how to make a QR code for your business card.
- A link that won’t change. The QR code is baked into the picture, so it has to point at an address that stays the same when you edit your details. That’s the case for the static vs dynamic QR code choice on a printed card too.
- A second phone or a friend on a test call, to check the code scans.
Zoom vs Teams background rules for a QR code
Zoom and Microsoft Teams both take an ordinary PNG or JPG, so one QR code Zoom background file can serve both apps.
| Zoom | Microsoft Teams | |
|---|---|---|
| File types | 24-bit PNG or JPG/JPEG | .JPG, .PNG or .BMP |
| Size guidance | Match your camera; 1280x720 or 1920x1080 for 16:9 | No size given on the help page |
| Largest file | 15MB | Not stated |
| Where to add it | Settings > Video & effects > Virtual backgrounds | Effects and avatars > More video effects > Add new |
| Limits | Web app needs admin approval for custom images | Not available on Linux or optimized VDI |
The Zoom figures come from Zoom’s virtual background article, and the Teams ones from Microsoft’s background guide. Zoom also says that if you’re unsure of your camera’s shape, use an image of at least 1280x720 pixels.
How to design the background
A good QR background is plain, with the code in an upper corner and your name next to it. Everything else competes with your face and with the code.
- Create a 1920x1080 canvas in your editor.
- Fill it with a calm, solid color or a soft photo of your office.
- Place the QR code in the upper right or upper left area, clear of where your head sits.
- Add your name and a short line under the code, like “Scan to save my contact”.
- Leave a plain margin around the code, so the camera sees clean edges.
- Export as PNG (for sharp edges) or JPG, and keep it under Zoom’s 15MB cap.
Keep the code dark on a light patch, even if the rest of the image is dark. Scanners read black squares on a white field best, and a webcam already softens the picture. My take: make the code bigger than feels right. A small corner code that looks neat on your monitor turns into a blur on someone else’s laptop.
Zoom also suggests lighting some of your background as well as your face, and not wearing clothes the same color as the virtual background. Both help the software hold a clean edge, so your code doesn’t flicker.
How to add the background in Zoom
In the Zoom desktop app, the custom image goes in the Virtual backgrounds tab of Video & effects settings. You can add it before a call or during one.
Before a meeting:
- Click your profile picture, then Settings.
- Open the Video & effects tab, then Virtual backgrounds.
- Click the add icon, choose image, and pick your file.
- If Zoom asks, click Download to get the package for backgrounds without a green screen.
During a meeting, click the up arrow next to Video, choose Video & effect settings, then go to Virtual backgrounds and use the same add icon. On the Zoom web app, if you can’t add an image, Zoom says to contact your Zoom admin to enable the feature.
How to add the background in Microsoft Teams
In Teams, you add a custom background with Add new, either on the pre-join screen or from the video effects menu during a call. The steps below follow Microsoft’s guide.
Before a meeting on desktop:
- Open the meeting from your Teams calendar and select Join.
- On the pre-join screen, select Effects and avatars.
- Select More video effects, then Add new, and pick your file.
During a meeting, go to More actions > Video effects and settings > Video effects > Add new, then Preview and Apply. On mobile, it’s Background effects > Add new > Done, and Microsoft notes the background stays in all your meetings and calls until you change it again.
One real limit: Teams says Linux users can’t use custom backgrounds, and neither can people on optimized virtual desktop infrastructure. If that’s your setup, share the link in chat instead.
Why the QR code looks backwards to you
The QR code on your Zoom background looks backwards only in your own preview, because Zoom mirrors your self-view by default. Others on the call see the image the right way round, as UNCSA’s brand team explains.
Don’t flip the image to fix it. Kapwing’s guide makes the same point: the preview looks mirrored, but people see the background correctly. If the reversed text bothers you, turn off Mirror my video in Zoom’s video settings, as Bentley University’s instructions describe. That changes only your own view.
How to check the QR code scans
Test the background on a real call from a second device before you rely on it. Your own screen tells you little about someone else’s.
- Start a meeting and join it from a phone or a second laptop.
- On the second device, view your video full screen.
- Point a third phone’s camera at that screen and scan.
- Confirm the link opens your card and that the save button works.
- Shrink the meeting window and scan again, since many people won’t watch you full screen.
If the scan fails, make the code bigger, give it more white margin, or move it away from busy parts of the photo. Also check that people can open the card without any app; this guide on scanning without an app covers what a recipient sees.
Common mistakes
Most failures come from a code that’s too small, too low or pointing at the wrong link.
- Bottom placement. Your shoulders and the meeting controls cover the lower part of the frame.
- Faded codes. Low-contrast, “subtle” codes look stylish and scan badly.
- A link that will change. If the code goes to a page you’ll later rename, every call recording keeps a broken code.
- No fallback. Some people join from a phone and can’t scan their own screen. Paste the link in the chat too.
How QRCard handles this
QRCard gives you a QR code and a fixed link for your card on the free plan, which is what a background needs. Your link looks like https://qrcard.in/c/yourname, and you download the QR code from your dashboard.
The profile is live, so editing your phone number or job title doesn’t change the link and the background keeps working. People who scan it open the card in their browser with no app, and can save you to their contacts as a .vcf file. On Pro, Mutual Exchange lets them send their own details back, which helps with following up after the call. The limit: QRCard doesn’t make the background image. You do the design step yourself.
FAQ
Will my QR code look backwards on Zoom?
It may look backwards to you, because Zoom mirrors your own preview by default. Other people on the call see it the right way round, so you don’t need to flip the image.
What size should a Zoom background with a QR code be?
Match your camera’s aspect ratio. Zoom says a 1280x720 or 1920x1080 image works well for a 16:9 camera, in 24-bit PNG or JPG format, up to 15MB.
Can I use the same background in Microsoft Teams?
Yes. Teams accepts .JPG, .PNG and .BMP files, so the same PNG or JPG works. Upload it with Add new in the background or video effects menu.
Why can’t I add a custom background in Zoom?
On the Zoom web app, custom images can be turned off by your organization. Zoom’s advice is to contact your Zoom admin to enable the feature.