If there’s one thing that almost everyone can agree upon, looking good on video calls for work can often feel more difficult than necessary. The latest Google Workspace updates may not be able to tame your bedhead or fix your tired eyes, but they will help keep your image in the right place so no one’s staring at the top of your head or up your nose.
The automatic framing feature is available to all Google Meet users. Previously only available on certain upper-level Workspace subscription tiers, this handy feature will now be available to all users.
Default Video Centering for Everyone
Anyone who has ever been on a video call (which is pretty much everyone) knows that sometimes, some participants are more visible than others due to their camera placement. This can affect the meeting flow, as it often means that those most visible get the most time to speak.
By default, automatic framing gives everyone in the Google Meet session equal visibility. The platform will automatically center your video feed before you join the meeting. Even if you need to make camera placement adjustments, the feed will remain steady so that the movement won’t distract anyone from the important discussion; you can also manually reframe the video if you don’t like the placement.
What About Virtual Backgrounds?
Your colleagues probably don’t believe you’re coming to the meeting live from a tropical beach. Still, suppose you use virtual backgrounds for privacy or to hide your messy work area. In that case, the automatic framing won’t affect it. The updated version of Google Meet works better with virtual backgrounds.
That’s because this new version keeps you continuously centered in the frame and eliminates the need to reframe video tiles any time you move. Again, this reduces the potential for distracting movements and allows everyone in the meeting to focus on work, not what’s happening in someone else’s feed.
Remember that if you use a virtual background, you won’t be able to manually reframe the video.
Additional Google Meet Features in the Update
Meeting video enhancements aren’t the only feature Google added to Workspace to make virtual meetings more productive. The update also includes an added capability to open a picture-in-picture feed to share additional resources and information without replacing your face.
Enhanced AI capabilities are also revolutionizing video meetings. Google Gemini can now automatically take notes during the meeting, so you don’t have to. This way, you can focus on what others say during the meeting and have a more meaningful discussion without dividing your attention between the screen and your notes.
These Features Are Available Now
The Google Workspace updates rolled out beginning in mid-November and are now available to Workspace enterprise and individual subscribers, in addition to anyone with personal accounts. You don’t need to do anything to use the automatic framing, as it is now the default setting. However, you can make changes and turn off the framing feature in Google Meet by following the instructions in Google’s Help Center.
