skype logoSkype's mobile app for iPhone and iPad has been updated with a new screen-blurring feature this week. Users of Microsoft's video and voice calling service can now choose to blur the background on video calls if the scene behind them is something they'd rather not share.

Background blur in Skype and Teams uses artificial intelligence (AI)—trained in human form detection—to keep you in focus during your call. This technology is also trained to detect your hair, hands, and arms, making a call with background blur just as relaxed and easy as a regular video call.

The idea behind the feature is to save the user's blushes because of the messy room they're skyping from, or to obscure a business plan on a whiteboard behind them, for example.

Background blur in Skype is similar to background blur in Microsoft Teams, according to the software giant. The results are somewhat akin to the "bokeh" effect most commonly seen in Portrait photos on ‌iPhone‌, but in this case it's in a live video stream.

The feature has been available on the desktop version of Skype for a while, and like that app, it can be enabled in Skype's settings or when in a call by using the "Blur my background" option.

Skype for ‌iPhone‌ [Direct Link] and ‌iPad‌ [Direct Link] is a free download available from the App Store.

Tag: Skype

Top Rated Comments

Wando64 Avatar
35 months ago
Slightly off-topic, but I just don't understand why all of the duplication of communication tools within the same company. Microsoft with Skype and Teams, Facebook with Messenger and Whatsapp.
Shouldn't they learn something from Zoom about focussing on one service that works well?

Also, oh why oh why doesn't Apple allow guests FaceTime participants from different platforms? (i.e. you need an Apple device to host a call, but with participants from all platforms, maybe a web-app?)
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mydel Avatar
35 months ago
I dont know if thats only me but blurred background is the least important issue when it comes to skype. How about atrocious video quality as compared to any other communicator?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
agv123 Avatar
35 months ago
Skype? What is Skype?.... ooohhh one of those ancient chat/video softwares like ICQ right?
Score: 5 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ipedro Avatar
35 months ago


Also, oh why oh why doesn't Apple allow guests FaceTime participants from different platforms? (i.e. you need an Apple device to host a call, but with participants from all platforms, maybe a web-app?)
Yeah, Apple missed the boat on this. They could’ve beat Zoom to the punch and made FaceTime the default video call software. Many of us were using FaceTime in the beginning but whenever there was a non Apple user invited to the call, we had to go with Zoom and eventually that’s all anybody ever used.

A web app on iCloud.com would solve that.
Score: 3 Votes (Like | Disagree)
luvbug Avatar
35 months ago
Yet another app I'd never trust ...

I would like to see Apple take FaceTime cross-platform, though.
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BeefCake 15 Avatar
35 months ago
MS is pushing all companies off of Skype because it's being phased off, yet consumer version keeps getting updated?


Skype? What is Skype?.... ooohhh one of those ancient chat/video softwares like ICQ right?
Don't call it a comeback https://icq.com/mobile/en#ios :)
Score: 2 Votes (Like | Disagree)

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