• Getting started
  • Connecting the application to the server
  • Signing in
  • Application settings
    • Video
    • Audio
    • Notifications
    • Background blurring
    • Virtual background
    • Network
    • General preferences
    • Conferences
    • Visual styles
  • Quick audio and video settings
  • Hotkeys
  • Editing user profile
    • Possible settings options
  • Exiting the application

Getting started

This guide shows how to use TrueConf desktop client applications. TrueConf for Windows is taken as an example.

Connecting the application to the server

When TrueConf client application is launched for the first time, it will automatically detect a TrueConf Server instance in the local network and display a dialogue window for connecting to it.

Only TrueConf Server 4.5 + instances can be automatically detected.

By default, the application connects to TrueConf Online cloud service.

To switch to a corporate TrueConf Server instance, click the Change button.

In the window that opens, switch to TrueConf Server/ TrueConf Enterprise in the Connect to the server section and enter the IP address or FQDN of your video conferencing server. Click the Connect button.

If the connection is successful, you will see Connected to server.company.com in the Network state string in the upper right corner of the window.

Signing in

In the authorization window, enter your TrueConf ID (username) and Password. If you don't know your login details, please ask your server administrator to provide you with them.

Application settings

Video

In the application window, go to the Settings menu by clicking on the button. Next, select the camera in the Video subsection of Audio and Video.

Audio

To adjust settings for audio devices, go to the Audio subsection of Audio and Video. Here, you will be able to select playback and recording devices and set their volume level. Please note that you will be able to select different devices for notification sounds and conference audio.

Additional settings are available in the Recording device section (below the menu for selecting the microphone):

• Echo cancellation

• Automatic gain control.

• Noise suppression

• Enable diagnostics audio dump which may be helpful when sending log files to our technical support.

These options are automatically enabled, and they are helpful in most cases. However, if you use a recording device with integrated echo cancellation/AGC mechanisms, we recommend disabling these options in the application to avoid conflicts between algorithms.

The Noise suppression checkbox activates the work of an AI-based mechanism that will suppress all external sounds except your voice.

For the echo cancellation algorithm to work properly, you can run an audio test and identify a possible delay. To do this, click Estimate at the bottom of the window.

During the testing, you will hear several audio signals from the selected playback device. When the test is successfully completed, the time of delay will be displayed.

You can run the audio test again by clicking the Restart button, which will replace the Estimate button after the first successful testing.

The Control app with HID device buttons checkbox allows users to control the application with the hardware buttons on a speakerphone or headset.

Notifications

To adjust app notification settings, go to the Preferences section on the Notifications and sounds tab. Here, you will be able to set the following parameters:

1. For pop-up windows on your desktop: their location, number, and tracked events:

   

2. Pop-up windows in the application:

   

3. Sound notifications:

   

Background blurring

TrueConf provides background blurring feature. It is available for any computer that meets the general system requirements and can be used for both one-on-one video calls and group video conferences.

The blurred background feature can be useful in a slew of situations, e.g., if you need to focus on the task at hand during meetings. Even if you don't work remotely, office distractions can be a problem.

Besides, this feature will be useful in case of remote learning, as the children's room may look unsuitable due to the clutter or bright posters. By blurring the background, they will feel more comfortable at the meetings.

The background blurring feature may be unavailable if your system does not meet the required performance parameters or is overloaded with CPU consuming processes.

To blur the background, take the following steps:

1. Go to the Settings → Audio and Video → Video section.

2. Click on the button. You will immediately see the result in the preview window.

To disable background blurring, click on the button.

Virtual background

If you want to hide your background, you can replace it with a virtual one. To do it, go to the Settings → Audio and Video → Video section and select any of the default images in the Virtual background sub-section.

In addition to using a virtual background, users can also blur their real background. Check the corresponding sub-section for more details.

If none of the default images suits you, it is possible to upload a custom image. In order to do it:

1. Click on the button in the Virtual background section.

2. Select a picture in the file manager of your OS (supported formats are .jpg, .png, .svg).

3. The image that has been added will be displayed in the list and you will be able to set it as a virtual background.

   

When a virtual background has been added, you can change or delete it. In order to do it:

1. Hover the mouse cursor over the image added to the list of virtual backgrounds.

2. Click on the button that will pop up.

3. A context menu will be opened; here you will be able to change the image Change or delete it Delete.

   

To disable the virtual background, click on the button.

Network

In the Settings → Network → Connection section, you can connect to your TrueConf Server instance or TrueConf Online cloud-based service.

If the Suppress direct connection box (disabled by default) is checked, point-to-point video calls will be routed through the server.

To check the list of available servers, click View list.

The Limits and Test sections enable you to adjust your network settings.

General preferences

In Settings → Preferences → General you can allow the application to launch automatically at your operating system startup (disabled by default).

The Sign in automatically checkbox (enabled by default) allows you to connect to the server automatically, without entering your login and password manually each time. The application will store login details for different servers and automatically sign in when you connect to one of them.

If you want to connect to a different server, go to the Settings → Network → Connection menu, enter your server address in the Connect to the server section and press Connect. Please don't sign out from the account on your current server using My profile → Sign out menu. Otherwise you will not be able to sign in automatically the next time you connect to this server.

If the user is inactive for a certain time, Away status is set automatically (in 15 minutes by default).

To change this setting, drag the slider to set your value (from 1 to 60 minutes).

Uncheck the box Set Away status... if you do not want the application to record your activity.

In the Contacts section, you can select the line that will be displayed below users’ names in the list of contacts. The possible options include: TrueConf ID, Connection status, and Additional status.

Conferences

Go to the Settings → Preferences → Conference section to configure conference and call settings:

In this section you can also find the following settings:

• Automatically accept podium requests from attendees in any of the conferences where you are a moderator (or the owner)

• Automatically accepts podium invitations

• Display the conference widget

• Spotlight the active speaker’s video window

• Automatically remove non-video participants from the conference layout

• Set rules for displaying participants’ names in the layout

• Display the self-view video window over the layout – if this checkbox is marked, your self-view video will be displayed in a separate layout (this does not affect the layout received from the moderator)

• Save display settings for the self-view window (if the size and position of the self-view changes, the application will “remember” these changes and apply them for all calls and conferences). Your self-view will be displayed in the lower left corner by default.

Visual styles

Go to Settings → Preferences → Visual styles to configure the look of your application.

You can switch your application to a dark mode by choosing Dark theme colour scheme option.

Use Custom option in the Videoarea section to customize the frame color of active speaker window (orange by default).

If you want to change the space between video windows, move the slider in the Videoarea section (0 pixels by default) or set your value in the corresponding field.

Check the Compact display of contact list box to hide user avatars.

To change the layout background, go to the Video area background section. You can choose a standard background or set a custom one by uploading an image from your computer.

Quick audio and video settings

You can also configure video devices in the Contacts section (where the video from your camera is displayed). The settings menu can be found in the lower right corner of your video area.

Hotkeys

You can control the application using hotkeys. The list of all combinations is available in Settings → More → Hotkeys.

Uncheck the box next to the action name in the list to disable a given keyboard shortcut. To completely disable any combinations in the application, uncheck the box Enable keyboard shortcuts.

Editing user profile

You can proceed to your profile and edit your personal information:

1. Click on the avatar icon in the application menu to proceed to your profile

2. Click on your avatar to change it

3. Edit your personal information (display name, phone number, etc)

You may not be allowed to edit your personal information if Active Directory/LDAP extension is enabled on your TrueConf Server instance. In this case, please contact your server administrator to edit your profile.

4. Sign out

5. Open your personal area in the browser

6. Status selection (Online/Do not disturb). If Do not Disturb status is selected, you will not receive notifications even if they are enabled in the applications settings.

7. Set additional status

8. Copy your TrueConf ID (you can use it to share your TrueConf ID with your colleagues)

To change your avatar, click on the avatar icon and select a preferred action:

• Upload a photo. Select a photo on your PC or on an available network resource and click button to save it:

  

• Take a photo with your webcam. If you have multiple cameras connected to your PC, press to select a preferred camera. Click to save your avatar:

  

• Delete your avatar.

Possible settings options

You can set an additional custom status in their profiles. To set a status, open your profile and click on the Set my status button. Please note that the status field is limited to 256 characters.

Exiting the application

By default, (exit button) minimizes the application to tray. You also can change this button action in Settings → Preferences → General. To exit the application, you need to:

1. Right-click on the application icon in the tray (lower right corner on the screen)

2. Select Exit.