Last updated: 2026-01-18

If you want to change your video background with AI and you go live or record in a browser, start with StreamYard’s virtual backgrounds and new AI background generation on desktop. For short pre-recorded clips where you need the background removed from the video itself, Canva Pro’s Video Background Remover can be a useful add-on.

Summary

• StreamYard changes your on-camera background live in the browser, no green screen required on desktop.
• You can now generate custom AI backgrounds directly inside StreamYard’s studio and Assets tab, then use them instantly on your shows.
• For short pre-recorded clips (under ~90 seconds), Canva Pro can remove the video background before you bring those clips into StreamYard.
• Most creators in the U.S. can cover day‑to‑day needs with StreamYard alone and add a design tool only if they do heavy asset editing.

What does “change video background with AI” really mean?

When people search for “change video background AI,” they usually mean one of three things:

1. Live camera replacement – You’re on camera and want your messy room hidden while you stream or record.
2. Scene or studio background – You want a branded or creative backdrop behind your layout in the live studio.
3. Offline video editing – You have a finished clip and need to strip out or replace the background before publishing.

StreamYard is built for the first two: live camera control and studio backgrounds in your browser, including AI‑generated backgrounds you can spin up from a simple text prompt right where you go live. (StreamYard Help Center)

If you’re doing a lot of offline editing on short clips, a design tool like Canva Pro can remove the background from videos under 90 seconds, then export an MP4 you can drop into StreamYard. (Canva Background Remover guide)

How can you change your background live in StreamYard?

On a laptop or desktop browser, you can turn on a virtual background or blur in StreamYard without a green screen. The virtual background feature uses your computer’s GPU to separate you from your real room, then either blurs what’s behind you or replaces it with an image you pick or upload. (How to Use Virtual Backgrounds)

Here’s the basic flow:

1. Join your StreamYard studio on desktop.
2. Open Camera settings.
3. Choose Blur or a virtual background from the built‑in options.
4. Upload your own images if you want something on-brand (you can keep up to 30 images saved). (How to Use Virtual Backgrounds)

This happens in real time, so guests and viewers only ever see the cleaned‑up version of your space.

A couple of practical notes:

• It currently works on laptops/desktops, not on phones or tablets.
• You’ll get smoother results if your computer has decent graphics and you’ve got reasonable lighting.

For most creators who just want to “look professional fast,” this is the easiest way to change a video background with AI—no extra software, no green screen, no export/import dance.

How does StreamYard’s AI background generation help?

Virtual background is about your camera. AI background generation is about your whole scene.

In StreamYard, you can now type a prompt—“cozy podcast studio,” “clean tech conference stage,” or even “ducks pattern”—and instantly generate a new background inside the studio’s Assets tab. Those AI backgrounds can then be used as video backgrounds in your layouts, right where you’re producing your show. (Video Backgrounds)

Key pieces:

• AI generation lives in your Assets tab, not some separate app.
• You get smart prompt suggestions if you’re not sure what to type.
• There’s an instant preview and you can save results straight into your media library.

From there, you can:

1. Apply the AI background as the canvas background in your show.
2. Combine it with overlays, banners, and your on‑camera feed.
3. Use MP4 or GIF files as looping backgrounds, with file size and duration limits that depend on your plan (for example, up to 200 MB and 1 minute on many paid plans, and 300 MB/2 minutes on the Business tier). (Video Backgrounds)

The big benefit: you avoid the “tool hop.” You don’t have to open a separate AI art site, download images, and upload them again. You just generate, apply, and go live.

When should you bring Canva into the mix?

Sometimes you don’t want to change the live background—you want to change the background in a pre‑recorded video.

That’s where Canva Pro’s Video Background Remover can be handy. You upload a clip, click the Background Remover tool, Canva’s AI masks you out, and you can drop in a new background before exporting as MP4. (Canva Video Background Remover)

Important limitations:

• Canva’s video background removal only works on clips whose original length is under 90 seconds. (Canva Background Remover guide)
• The tool is positioned as part of Canva Pro, not the free tier. (Canva Background Remover)

A simple, realistic workflow looks like this:

• You go live or record in StreamYard. Use virtual background/blur for your camera, plus AI‑generated or uploaded studio backgrounds for the layout.
• You create short promo clips in Canva Pro if needed. For example, an ad read or intro bumper where you want a completely different background. Export, then bring that clip back into StreamYard as a media asset.

For many U.S.-based creators, that combo keeps subscriptions under control: StreamYard for production, Canva only if you’re doing a lot of designed assets or video ads.

How do AI tools differ for live streams vs edited videos?

Think of AI background tools on a spectrum:

• StreamYard: real‑time segmentation on your camera, plus in‑studio AI background generation for your layouts.
• Canva: offline AI editing that outputs images or short videos you later use in your stream or publish elsewhere.

They overlap but don’t replace each other.

For live streaming:

• You want something that runs smoothly in a browser for you and your guests.
• You don’t want to force everyone to install software or learn a complex editor.
• StreamYard’s virtual backgrounds and blur, plus AI backgrounds for the studio, are tailored for that browser‑first workflow. (How to Use Virtual Backgrounds)

For edited videos:

• You can afford to wait for renders.
• You might need frame‑accurate masking for short clips, especially for ads or social posts.
• A tool like Canva Pro’s Video Background Remover works well as long as you keep clips under that 90‑second limit.

Most creators don’t need a giant stack of tools. They need one place to actually go on camera, and optionally one editor for special projects.

What about pricing and keeping subscriptions under control?

If you’re in the U.S., it’s easy to end up paying for three or four different AI apps just to get a nice background. You rarely need that.

StreamYard already gives you:

• Free access on the Free plan to try the core studio.
• A 7‑day free trial on paid plans.
• Paid plans starting at $20/month and $39/month (billed annually for the first year for new users) with background features and AI background generation tied to those paid tiers.

On the Canva side, background remover can be tried once for free; ongoing and higher‑volume usage is framed as part of Canva Pro. (Canva Background Remover)

If your main job is streaming, the practical move is to anchor everything in StreamYard, then decide whether Canva Pro is worth it for your specific offline design work.

What we recommend

• Default: Use StreamYard on desktop to change your live video background with virtual backgrounds, blur, and AI‑generated studio backgrounds.
• For short edited clips: Add Canva Pro only if you regularly need AI to remove or replace backgrounds on sub‑90‑second videos before bringing them into your stream.
• For simplicity: Keep StreamYard as your home base so you, your co‑hosts, and your guests can just open a link in a browser, pick a background, and hit Go Live.
• For experiments: Use StreamYard’s in‑studio AI background generation to quickly test new looks without searching the web or hiring a designer.