Google Meet‘s latest feature update is aimed at helping keep all participants in a video conference as visible as possible.
The update, called video framing, is activated when a participant first joins. Their video camera will zoom in to focus on their face, cutting out unneeded background visuals and ensuring the user’s face will be clear to others on the call.
It’s an automated process, and it only happens once — so no one will be distracted by a constantly shifting and refocusing camera.
How to Set Up Video Framing
Unlike how the Admin-specific feature controls work, any Google Meet users with the video framing tool will be able to turn it on by themselves from their Meet view.
Here’s what to click in order to find the feature, according to the announcement:
More > Settings > Video > Reframe
The feature is designed to kick in for two specific reasons: If the user is too far from the camera, or if the user is not centered within the frame.
Who’s Getting It and When?
The video framing feature will be available on most Google Workspace plans, including Workspace Individual.
It will be not available on Workspace Essentials, however, and any customers of G Suite Basic or Business won’t get it either.
Those in the Rapid Release track have already gotten their extended rollout started on October 14, though it may take 15 days or more before everyone gets the functionality. Meanwhile, the default Scheduled Release track will start rolling out the feature on November 2, 2022.
Should Your Business Opt for Google Meet?
Google’s workplace software ecosystem covers everything from the G Suite to Google Assistant, Calendar, and Gmail. With Meet, you’ll be able to integrate all your internal and external conferencing calls with the various notes and calendar events you might already have listed.
And Google Meet is free, as well, although you’ll bump up against a 60-minute time limit and won’t get some features, including this new video framing tool.
We do have a few other web conferencing services to suggest, though, and our top picks include Zoho, GoTo Meeting, and Zoom.
You can check out our full guide to business web conferencing to learn what factors led us to rate those web services higher. But hey, if correct video framing is the core feature you need from video call software, don’t bother: This article just gave you all the information you need.
