Change background and apply visual effects in Google Meet

To help limit distractions or make meetings more fun, you can now blur or replace your background with an image, an immersive background or a video. You can also apply styles to customise your video with various light and colour filters and stylised backgrounds.

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

Important: 

• Sensitive information might be visible when you change your background.
• Availability of styles and backgrounds is subject to client type, account type and settings applied by Google Workspace admins.

Learn what you need to apply visual effects on a computer

If you can't use visual effects, you may not meet the following requirements:

• A browser version that supports backgrounds, immersive effects and styles:
  • Chrome version 91 or above on Windows, Mac or Linux. Learn how to check your browser version.
  • Version 91 or above on Chrome OS. Learn how to upgrade your Chromebook.
  • Edge (Chromium) 91 or above on Windows or Mac.
• Hardware acceleration turned on.
• A browser that supports WebGL.
• A 64-bit operating system.

Enable hardware acceleration 

Turn on hardware acceleration on Windows or Mac: 

1. In the top right of a Chrome window, click Menu  Click Settings. 
2. On the left, next to 'Advanced', click the down arrow .
3. Click System .
4. Turn on Use hardware acceleration when available.
5. Restart Chrome.

Check WebGL support

Check if your browser supports WebGL at webglreport.com and verify that 'Major performance caveat' is marked as 'No'. Your browser might disable WebGL if the device is unstable or causes crashes. You can’t enforce WebGL on unstable WebGL devices. In some cases, it may help to update graphic card drivers or restart your browser. Learn more about WebGL support. 

Learn what you need for cloud-based effect processing

Meet automatically adjusts between device and cloud-based effect processors. Meet prioritises cloud-based processing for devices with four-core CPU or lower (fewer than eight logical cores). This feature is currently available for Windows, Chrome OS and Linux machines that comply with device-based processing requirements.

Cloud-based effect processing is currently available for:

• Blur
• Lighting adjustment

Important: Visual effects that use cloud-based effect processing are available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus and Workspace Individual users in eligible regions:

• Central Asia
• Europe
• North America
• Northern Africa
• Southeast Asia

Support for additional regions is being added.

Change your background and use visual effects

How to change your background in Google Meet

Important: Participants who join the meeting while not logged into a Google Account, as well as participants who need to knock to get admitted, can only change their background or use visual effects once in the meeting. 

Before a meeting

1. Go to Google Meet select a meeting.
2. On the bottom right of your self view, click Apply visual effects .
   • To completely blur your background, click Blur your background .
   • To slightly blur your background, click Slightly blur your background .
   • To select a pre-uploaded background, click on a background.
   • To upload your own image for your background, click Upload a background image .
   • To add a style to your video, click a style.
   • To select a filter, at the bottom, tap Filters the filter that you want to use.
   • Tip: If the filter is interactive, follow the directions on the screen to activate it.
3. Click Join now.

During a meeting

How to: Change your background in Google Meet

1. At the bottom, click More .
2. Click Apply visual effects .
   • To completely blur your background, click Blur your background .
   • To slightly blur your background, click Slightly blur your background.
   • To select a pre-uploaded background, click on a background.
   • To upload your own image for your background, click Upload a background image .
   • To add a style to your video, click a style.
   • To select a filter, at the bottom, tap Filters the filter that you want to use.
   • Tip: If the filter is interactive, follow the directions on the screen to activate it.

Tip: Your camera is automatically turned on when you click on an effect. Your device may slow down when you use effects and backgrounds. You may want to turn off this feature to allow other apps to run faster on your computer.