Mmhmm Wants to Make Zoom Chats Fun Again

If you’ve ever stared at your own face in a Zoom window thinking, “There has to be a better way,” you’re not alone. Back in 2020, when video calls became everyone’s default meeting room, a small team led by Evernote co-founder Phil Libin had the same thoughtthen did something about it. The result is mmhmm, a video app designed to sit on top of Zoom (and other platforms) and turn flat, awkward calls into dynamic, TV-style experiences that are actually fun to watchand to host.

Think of mmhmm as your personal mini studio: it’s part virtual camera, part presentation tool, part playground. Instead of just screen sharing and hoping people haven’t zoned out, you can move yourself around the screen, layer slides behind you, add videos, switch scenes, and basically run your meeting like a late-night showminus the band, unless you count your coworker’s dog.

What Is Mmhmm, Exactly?

Mmhmm is a video presentation and virtual camera app that connects to Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Webex, and other platforms. Instead of using your regular webcam as your camera source, you select “mmhmm Camera” in Zoom. From there, mmhmm takes over the framing, backgrounds, and visuals, and then streams the final polished video into your call.

The app lets you combine three things into one stream:

• You – your video, which you can resize, move, or even temporarily hide.
• Your content – slides, images, videos, live browser windows, or apps.
• Your stage – still or animated backgrounds, layouts, and scene presets.

Instead of flipping between “screen share” and “camera on,” you’re always on screen with your content, just like a YouTuber or news anchor. Early reviewers noted how natural it felt to drag yourself to the corner of the screen, shrink your video, and let your slides dominate when needed, all without clunky transitions.

Why Zoom Chats Got Boring (and Exhausting)

Before we talk about how mmhmm makes Zoom chats fun again, it’s worth admitting why they became so soul-crushing in the first place. Traditional video calls are built around a few patterns that are efficient for softwarebut terrible for human attention:

1. The static talking head problem

In most calls, you’re staring at a grid of faces or one speaker’s full screen. There’s very little movement, almost no variation, and the visuals are rarely tied dynamically to what’s being explained. That’s a recipe for distraction.

2. Screen sharing that steals the show

Once someone clicks “Share Screen,” everyone else shrinks into tiny boxes. The presenter often disappears entirely, breaking that crucial human connection. Mmhmm’s founders specifically set out to solve this problem: keep you visible while your content shines.

3. One-size-fits-none platforms

Zoom, Meet, and Teams prioritize reliability and securityand they do a good job. But their built-in tools for engagement (basic virtual backgrounds, emoji reactions) are limited. They’re not meant to be creative studios. That’s where apps like mmhmm come in: they specialize in experience, not just connectivity.

How Mmhmm Makes Zoom Chats Fun Again

So what does mmhmm actually add to your Zoom chats? Quite a lot. Underneath the playful name is a surprisingly powerful stack of presentation tools.

1. Picture-in-picture done right

With mmhmm, you and your content share the same frame. You can:

• Move yourself around with simple drag-and-drop.
• Resize your video to be big and expressiveor tiny and out of the way.
• Disappear temporarily if you want the audience to focus fully on a chart or demo.

Early coverage from tech outlets highlighted how this creates a “Weekend Update” or “John Oliver” feel: you’re narrating while graphics appear over your shoulder, keeping viewers visually and mentally engaged.

2. Dynamic backgrounds and stages

Yes, Zoom has virtual backgroundsbut mmhmm takes them further. You can use themed “rooms,” animated environments, and branded layouts that feel more like a show set than a generic green screen. Reviewers described mmhmm as “rich with still and animated virtual backgrounds” designed to brighten calls and help presenters stand out.

For teams, consistent backgrounds and layouts can double as lightweight brand identity, especially when everyone is remote. Sales calls, webinars, and classes suddenly look intentional instead of improvised.

3. Built-in slides, video, and live content

Mmhmm lets you import slide decks, media, and live windows directly into your scene. Instead of juggling apps and alt-tab chaos, you create “scenes” that combine:

• A background (your “room”).
• Your position and size on screen.
• Whatever content you’re showing (slides, video, browser, code editor, etc.).

Lifewire’s overview emphasized that the app makes it easy to add slide decks and videos to Zoom calls and even allows two presenters to share the spotlight in the same virtual room.

4. Co-presenting without chaos

Another standout is multi-presenter mode. Two people can appear in the same virtual environment, switching who’s big on screen, who’s small, and who controls the slideswithout wrestling with Zoom’s screen-sharing privileges.

This is especially helpful for interviews, panel discussions, and webinars, where you want back-and-forth conversation without constant “Can you see my screen?” interruptions. Tech writers have noted this as a key reason mmhmm feels more like a studio than a standard meeting app.

5. Asynchronous magic: record once, share later

One of mmhmm’s quiet superpowers is how well it supports recorded video. You can record a polished presentation inside mmhmm and share it with your team so they can watch when it suits their schedule. That aligns with the company’s broader goal: making it easy to shift some communication from live meetings to asynchronous video, trimming down real-time calls to only what truly needs a group discussion.

In other words, mmhmm isn’t just about making Zoom more funit’s about making all digital communication more flexible and humane.

Who’s Behind Mmhmmand Why the Name?

Mmhmm was created by Phil Libin, best known as the former CEO of Evernote, and launched from his product studio All Turtles. Libin says the idea started as a joke when he began experimenting with ways to “jazz up” his own video callsturning himself invisible, making a listening body double, and generally breaking the rules of the standard webcam box.

The name mmhmm supposedly comes from something you can say while chewingan acknowledgement that many of us are taking meetings from our kitchen table. It’s also a subtle signal that the app doesn’t take itself too seriously. Underneath the playful branding, though, Libin has been very clear: he sees distributed and hybrid work as the future, and tools like mmhmm as essential infrastructure for that world.

Where Mmhmm Fits in the Video Tools Ecosystem

Mmhmm isn’t a replacement for Zoom. It’s more like Zoom’s overachieving sidekick. You still need a core video platform for hosting your meetings, but mmhmm acts as the creative layer on top.

Other tools compete in similar but slightly different lanes:

• Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams – core video conferencing, breakout rooms, chat, recording.
• Loom, ScreenPal, and similar tools – simple async video recording for quick walkthroughs and messages.
• OBS Studio, Camtasia, and screen recorders – more technical tools geared toward streamers or heavy-duty video producers.

Mmhmm sits in the sweet spot between these: more visual flair and control than the basic meeting apps, but far easier and more approachable than full-blown production tools. Reviewers often point out how “Mac-like” it feelsclean, intuitive, and fun to experiment with, especially on its original macOS release.

Practical Ways to Use Mmhmm with Zoom

1. Teaching and training

Educators were among the earliest power users of mmhmm. By keeping their face on screen alongside slides, diagrams, and websites, they can preserve the sense of eye contact and personality that usually gets lost in screen sharing. Tech education writers have suggested that this kind of immersive presence could be “the future of online teaching and classes,” especially for higher education and live workshops.

2. Sales demos and client pitches

For sales teams, mmhmm offers an easy way to stand out. Instead of flipping between decks, product screens, and your webcam, you can create a smooth flow of scenes that move from problem to solution without awkward pauses. Pair this with branded backgrounds, and the whole experience feels more like a tailored broadcast than a generic call.

3. Webinars and live events

Webinars don’t have to look like someone reading off a slide deck. With mmhmm, you can:

• Bring on co-presenters with clear visual roles.
• Switch scenes to keep things visually fresh.
• Record the whole thing in mmhmm and repurpose it later.

That “produce it once, replay many times” approach is exactly what Libin and his team had in mind when designing the product for hybrid and asynchronous work.

4. Internal updates and company all-hands

Leadership updates can easily turn into 45 minutes of bullet points. With mmhmm, executives can use visuals, video clips, and scene changes to keep people engaged. Many companies now use a mix of pre-recorded mmhmm segments and live Q&A, which keeps meetings shorter while still feeling interactive.

Pros, Cons, and Real-World Considerations

What mmhmm does really well

• Makes video calls look professional without extra hardware. You don’t need a full studiojust a decent webcam and mmhmm’s virtual camera.
• Encourages better communication habits. By making it easy to record, edit, and share presentations, it nudges teams toward asynchronous updates instead of constant live meetings.
• Feels playful, not intimidating. Reviews consistently highlight how fun it is to experiment with backgrounds, layouts, and effects.

Challenges and limitations

No app is magic. A few things to keep in mind:

• Tech comfort level matters. While mmhmm is user-friendly, it still adds another layer on top of Zoom. Presenters who are very tech-shy may find it overwhelming at first.
• System resources. Running a virtual camera app plus Zoom can be demanding on older machines. Some users have reported performance issues or conflicts with other apps.
• Platform differences. The app debuted on Mac and historically felt more optimized there; experiences may vary across operating systems as the product continues to evolve.

The Bigger Picture: Making Remote Work Less… Awkward

Underneath the animated backgrounds and clever name is a serious question: How do we make remote work not just tolerable, but genuinely better than the old way? Mmhmm’s answer is to combine live and recorded video in more thoughtful ways, respecting people’s time and attention.

Instead of treating Zoom like a poor substitute for a conference room, mmhmm turns it into a creative stage. You can reduce meeting time by sending well-produced async videos, then save live calls for deep discussion and decisions. That’s not just funit’s strategically smarter for distributed teams.

Real-World Experiences: What It’s Like to Use Mmhmm Day to Day

Beyond the feature checklists and reviews, what does it actually feel like to live with mmhmm as part of your Zoom routine? Here are some experience-based insights drawn from users, educators, and remote workers who’ve folded mmhmm into their daily workflows.

From “Can You See My Screen?” to “Check Out This Scene”

One of the first things people notice is how much smoother their calls feel. Instead of stopping mid-story to share a screen, adjust a window, or find a tab, presenters use scenes they’ve already set up in mmhmm. Switching from a “talking head” layout to a “slides plus presenter” layout becomes a single click. That shift eliminates a lot of dead air and makes you look far more prepared, even if you finished your slides five minutes before the meeting.

Colleagues pick up on that polish quickly. Instead of scrambling with controls, you’re free to focus on the story you’re tellingand viewers feel that confidence on the other side.

Teaching That Actually Feels Like Hosting

Teachers and trainers often describe mmhmm as moving from “lecturing in a box” to “hosting a show.” Instead of a static slide deck, they build sequences: a scene with their face large for introductions, a scene with slides and annotations for explanation, a scene with a website or interactive tool, then a final scene just for Q&A.

Students report that this rhythmseeing their instructor shift visually along with topic changeshelps them stay focused. It’s much closer to watching an educational video on a streaming platform than sitting through a traditional webinar.

Less Meeting FOMO, More Asynchronous Freedom

For distributed teams across time zones, mmhmm’s recording capabilities are the unsung hero. Instead of dragging everyone into status meetings at odd hours, teams use mmhmm to record short video updates, complete with visuals and personal presence. These clips can be watched on demand, at normal speed or faster, with the same clarity as a live presentation.

People who can’t attend live no longer feel like second-class citizens waiting for someone else’s summary; they get the full context in a polished, easy-to-watch update. That reduces meeting fatigue and time-zone friction, which are two of the biggest pain points in global remote work.

When Fun Meets Professionalism

There’s always a balance to strike between playful visuals and professional tone. Many users say their first instinct is to try wild animated backgrounds, hologram-style filters, and silly scenes. Once the novelty wears off, they settle into a mix: clean branded backgrounds for client meetings, slightly more creative scenes for internal calls, and full-on “party mode” for team celebrations or social hangouts.

This flexibility is what makes mmhmm genuinely useful. You can dial your presence up or down depending on the context, maintaining professionalism while still letting your personality come through. The result is a kind of “video call dress code,” but in pixels instead of fabric.

The Learning Curve (And Why It’s Worth It)

No one loves adding yet another tool to their stack, and some users do bump into hiccupsespecially around initial setup, camera permissions, or occasional conflicts with other applications. But once they get past that first hour of experimentation, most describe mmhmm as a tool that “just becomes part of how I present.”

The payoff is visible. Teams notice that meetings feel shorter, more focused, and more memorable. Presenters feel less trapped by the grid of faces and more like hosts guiding an experience. That psychological shiftfrom “I’m stuck on camera” to “I’m running a show”is exactly the kind of mindset change that makes remote work more sustainable.

Conclusion: A Little Stagecraft Goes a Long Way

Mmhmm doesn’t fundamentally change what Zoom doesit changes how it feels. By turning your webcam into a flexible, creative stage, it brings personality and polish back into conversations that had started to feel like endless slideshow marathons.

For educators, presenters, sales teams, and anyone stuck in too many video meetings, mmhmm offers a new default: fewer flat screens, more storytelling; fewer awkward transitions, more visual rhythm; fewer “Can you hear me?” moments, more connection.

Will it solve every problem with remote work? Of course not. But if you’re looking for a practical way to make your Zoom chats fun againwith better engagement and better communication as a bonusmmhmm is a refreshingly human answer to a very modern problem.