Change background & apply visual effects in Google Meet

To help limit distractions or make meetings more fun, you can now blur your background or apply:

• An immersive background
• A static background
• A seasonal background
• A custom image provided by you or your organization
• Special effects such as filters

You can also apply styles to customize your video with various lighting, color filters, and stylized backgrounds.

To help devices better run real-time video, you can process static background images, blur effects, and light adjustments in the cloud. This feature saves battery and processor power and optimizes meeting quality.

Important:

• Sensitive information might be visible when you change your background.

• In your self view, your background will appear mirrored or inverted. However, the other participants in the meeting will see the correct orientation.

• Availability of backgrounds, filters, and styles are subject to client type, account type, and settings applied by Google Workspace admins. Workspace admins can let users apply backgrounds and special effects.

Change background  

Important: To use Change background and Effects on an Android device, you must use one of the following devices with Android version P:

• A Samsung Galaxy S9 and up
• Pixel 3 and up
• Other similar devices

1. Open the Meet app select a meeting.
2. Before you join or during a meeting, tap Effects at the bottom of your self view.
   • You can adjust and stack visual effects across different categories. Tap the category and scroll down.
     • Under the “Backgrounds” tab
       • To slightly blur your background, tap Slightly blur .
       • To completely blur your background, tap Blur .
       • To upload your own background, tap Upload .
       • To select a pre-uploaded background, tap the background you want to use.
       • To remove the effect, tap No effects or tap .
     • Under the “Filters” tab
       • Tap the filter you want to use.
         • Tip: If the filter is interactive, to turn it on, follow the on-screen instruction.
     • Under the “Appearance” tab
       • To lightly touch up your appearance, select an option under "Portrait touch up."
       • To adjust video lighting, tap under "Adjust video for low light."
       • To change the style, tap the style you want to use.
   • To select or remove the stacked effects, on the right of your self view, tap Stack .
     • Select the effects you want to remove or to remove all effects, tap Remove all.
     • To minimize the stack view, tap Close .
     • The number in the green bubble indicates the number of effects you've applied.
3. Once you’re done, on the top right corner, tap Done to close the Effect panel.

Background effects may increase your battery usage. You may want to turn the effects off if your battery is low. Your video may be cropped to view other participants so some of the background or effect may not be visible to other participants.

Tip: To see how you look with a different background, check your self view.