How to Change Your LINE Video Call Background

LINE lets you hide or replace what is behind you during a video call, using a blur, a built-in image or, in some versions, a photo of your own. This guide covers the mobile apps and LINE for desktop. The steps stay general because button names and positions change between app versions and platforms. If a label differs from what you see, look for the closest equivalent.

Before you start

• Update LINE to the latest version from your app store or the desktop installer. Background features are tied to app version, and older builds may only offer filters or none at all.
• Check that LINE has camera permission in your phone or computer privacy settings. Without it, the camera preview stays black and no background option can work.
• On a computer, confirm which webcam LINE uses as its selected camera, especially if you have more than one capture source connected.
• If you plan to use your own picture, keep it in your phone gallery or in an easy-to-find folder on your computer.
• Set up even lighting on your face. Background separation relies on telling you apart from the scene, and dim or backlit setups make that harder.

LINE does not clearly state in the app whether background replacement runs only on your device or involves its servers. If that matters for a custom image, such as a photo of your home or of other people, check LINE's current privacy policy and help pages. Do not assume either way. Your call partners will see whatever image you choose.

Step-by-step instructions

On iPhone or Android

• 1. Start a video call from a chat, or open the camera preview before joining a group call if one is shown.
• 2. Tap the effects button on the call screen. It is usually an icon near the bottom of the screen, next to the camera and microphone controls.
• 3. Switch to the tab for backgrounds. It is separate from filters and face effects.
• 4. Choose blur to soften the scene behind you, or tap a preset image to replace it.
• 5. If your version offers an add or plus option in the background list, tap it and pick a photo from your gallery. Allow photo access if LINE asks for it.
• 6. Close the effects panel and keep talking. To undo, open the same panel and choose the none or off option.

On LINE for Windows or Mac

• 1. Start or join a video call in LINE for desktop.
• 2. Open the background or effects option in the call window. Depending on the version, it is either a button on the call toolbar or inside the call or video settings.
• 3. Select blur or a preset image, or use the option to add an image from your computer if it is available.
• 4. Check the self-view to confirm the change, then return to the call. Choose the none or off option to remove the background.

Features can differ between one-to-one calls, group calls, mobile and desktop. If an option exists on one device and not on another, that is usually a version or platform difference rather than a fault with your setup.

Choosing a custom image

Use a common file format such as JPEG or PNG. Match the aspect ratio to how you hold the device: a portrait image for a phone held upright, a landscape image for a laptop webcam. Images in another shape are usually cropped or scaled to fit. Choose pixel dimensions at least as large as your camera's resolution so the image does not look soft. Transparency in a PNG has no useful effect here, since the background fills the whole frame. Busy patterns and fine text also suffer most once the call's compression reduces detail.

Check the output

• Watch your own preview tile and move your head, hands and shoulders. Edges that flicker or parts of the real room showing through mean separation is struggling.
• Ask the other person what they see. Your preview and their view can differ in sharpness, because video sent over the network is encoded at a lower bitrate when the connection is weak.
• If your background contains text, confirm with the other person that it reads correctly. Some devices mirror the self-view, so the preview alone is not a reliable guide.
• Remember that a background effect does not hide audio. Room sounds and voices are still transmitted.

Background effects also use processing power. On older phones or laptops you may notice a lower frame rate, a warmer device or faster battery drain. If that happens, blur is often lighter than a full replacement, but compare both on your own device rather than assuming.

Common problems and next steps

The background option is missing

Update LINE first. If the option is still missing, your device or operating system version may not support it, or the feature may not be available in that type of call or on that platform. LINE's official help center lists current requirements and is the place to confirm.

Your camera shows black or the wrong device

Re-check camera permission in your system privacy settings, then restart LINE. Close other apps that might be holding the camera, such as other meeting tools. On a computer, open LINE's call or video settings and choose the correct webcam as the selected camera.

Edges look rough or the background flickers

Face a window or lamp instead of sitting with light behind you, and add more light on your face. Separation is easier against a plain wall that contrasts with your clothing and hair. Keep the camera steady, because constant movement makes the cutout less stable.

Your custom image looks blurry or cropped

Replace it with a larger image whose aspect ratio matches your camera orientation, and keep important details away from the edges. Some softness during the call is expected because video is compressed for transmission.

Using a virtual camera on a computer

If LINE for desktop does not offer the background you want, some people use separate software that creates a virtual camera with its own background processing, then choose it as the capture source in LINE's video settings. Whether LINE detects a particular virtual camera depends on your LINE version and operating system, so test it in a call before relying on it. This approach applies only to live video and does not change any recording format or saved files.