How to find and use that cat lawyer filter on Zoom video chats now
The viral video making the rounds this week that shows a virtual legal proceeding in Texas normally wouldn't have been noteworthy -- except for the fact that a lawyer accidentally switched on a filter that turned his face into that of an adorable kitten, and then couldn't figure out how to turn it off.
"I'm here live. I'm not a cat," the lawyer said, identified on his Zoom screen as Rod Ponton. "I can see that," the judge responds before trying to walk the lawyer through fixing the filter issue.
The faux paw at first appeared to be the result of the use of a filter on a Snap Camera, by the same company that makes Snapchat. However, it's apparently actually a Dell webcam filter from circa 2007.
Though this was obviously a mistake, you might be wondering how to turn yourself into a kitten (or try out a variety of other animals or effects) to spice up your next video meeting.
If you don't happen to have an old Dell computer around, we've still got you covered. Here's how to set up Snap Camera and use the filters on your next Zoom video chat.
1. Download the free Snap Camera app for Windows or Mac (just make sure you read the terms and conditions first). It'll ask for permission to use your camera and microphone.
2. Open the app, and you'll find a variety of "lenses" or filters to search through. Whatever you click on will appear at the top of the app, where you can see it overlaid on your face.
3. Go to the Search Lenses bar, and type in "kitten" (or anything else you'd like to try).
4. Search through the different options, and choose the feline that speaks to you the most.
5. To connect your new filter to Zoom, open the Zoom app (you may have to restart it if it was already open while Snap Camera was downloading).
6. In Zoom, go to Settings > Video > Camera, and from the drop-down menu, select Snap Camera. You should see your face with the filter you selected appearing in the preview.
7. Start or join a Zoom meeting. Your face will appear as a kitten, or whatever filter you selected.
Read more: How to use Zoom: 15 video chat tips and tricks to try today
To turn the filters off, just go back to Settings > Video > Camera, and choose your usual camera again. If you want to get really fancy, you can even make your own lenses on Snap Camera.
Enjoy the new trick! For more, check out all of the other Zoom tips we've found, and how to change your Zoom background.