Zoom Video Quality: Quick Setup Guide
If you're recording Zoom sessions to upload to Union or another platform, you'll want to make sure your video quality is set to HD (720p or 1080p). This guide covers the basic setup steps to improve the quality of your Zoom recordings.
Important: Zoom has two different settings areas — the Zoom desktop app and the Zoom web portal (via browser). Changing your settings in one does not automatically update the other. To ensure your recordings are in HD, we recommend updating both.
Zoom App (Desktop)
- Open the Zoom desktop app.
- Go to Settings > Video.
- Select your camera from the dropdown menu.
- Check the box for Enable HD
(Optional) You can also enable:
- Touch up my appearance
- Adjust for low light
These options improve appearance but don’t affect resolution.
Zoom Web Portal (Browser)
- Go to zoom.us and sign in.
- Click Settings in the left-hand menu.
Go to the Recording tab.
Under Cloud Recording, make sure the following options are enabled:
- Look for settings like “Record active speaker with shared screen” and “Record gallery view with shared screen” — these ensure your video is recorded even while screen sharing.
- Optimize the recording for 3rd party video editor
These settings help preserve clarity when your recording is saved to the cloud.
Additional Tips
- Use a high-quality external webcam/Continuity cam if available. Check out Union's Gear Recommendation for Zoom.
- Record in a well-lit space to reduce graininess.
- Make sure your internet connection is stable (at least 3 Mbps upload and download recommended).