Video calling usage is on the rise. Almost every company and organization in the world is switching to video calling tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet to run digital meetings and conferences. Google Meet is new contributor and the search giant has recently made Google Meet free for everyone. Although you don’t need to download and install an application on your computer, you can use virtual backgrounds to make your surroundings look a little different from other participants.
While keeping things simple, Google Meet lacks various video calling functions such as screen recording, background blur, virtual background, Whiteboard and more. You can use Google Meet Chrome extensions to compensate for some.
Using virtual backgrounds during meetings can be a serious distinguishing factor that can portray your personality differently. I don’t prefer participants to look at random things in my background and draw attention during video calls. Google promised to introduce background blur soon. By the way, if you want to use virtual backgrounds, there are several solutions.
In this post, we’ll guide you through the two best ways to use a virtual background in Google Meet. Lets start.
Use Virtual Backgrounds for Google Meet Extension
As I mentioned earlier, you can use extensions in the Chrome web store to enhance the Google Meet experience. We will use the Virtual Background extension to add virtual backgrounds during calls in Google Meet. Follow the steps below to enable the functionality in Google Meet.
Stage 1: Visit the Chrome Web Store and search for Virtual background in the search bar.
Step 2: At the top you will find the Virtual background for Google Meet. Download and install the extension in the Google Chrome browser. (You can also use this extension or any extension from the Chrome Web Store for other Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge, Opera, Brave and more).
Stage 3: After successful setup, go to Google Meet on the web to create meetings.
Step 4: Tap on Start meeting and select Join now to start the video preview.
Step 5: Tap on the Virtual background extension above and enable the extension.
The extension will offer loads of ready-to-use backgrounds to be used during meetings. Tap the relevant one and you will see a live virtual background during Google Meet meetings.
The experience is far from perfect – check the screenshot above. If you move your face too much, you will notice that the video background distorts your video view during the meeting.
Use Snap Camera
Snap Camera is a free desktop app that brings lens fun to your computer. You can use it without a Snapchat account or login. Snap Camera works as a plugin for all the video calling apps out there. Follow the steps below to use Snap Camera to change background in Google Meet.
Stage 1: Go to Snap Camera website and download the app for PC or Mac.
Step 2: Open the Snap Camera app after successful installation.
Stage 3: With the live preview you will see hundreds of lenses made by the community members.
Step 4: Choose your preferred lens and apply. Use the live preview mode to browse the result.
Step 5: Close the Snap Camera app. Do not worry. The app is still running in the background.
Step 6: Open a web browser and go to Google Meet.
Step 7: To use Snap Camera as the default video camera on the service, you need to change the Google Meet settings. Tap the Settings icon in the upper right corner.
Step 8: Go to the Video tab and select Capture Camera from the camera menu.
From now on, every time you start a video call in Google Meet, it will switch to Snap Camera as the default video feed and use the selected lens to replace the background.
You always return to the Snap Camera app and choose another lens to change the style and background.
Pro tip: Just like how you change the default video camera in Google Meet to use Snap Camera, users can apply the same trick to Zoom and Microsoft Teams to apply Snapchat lenses.
Share Screen on Google Meet
Google Meet lets you share screens with attendees. This is very important when you want to show the current screen and discuss the topic in detail. Before starting a meeting, you can tap the Show now button in the lower right corner and choose from two options: share the entire screen or the application window.
Your all screen option will share the current screen with the participants. A window option lets you choose from currently open windows on the PC or Mac. Google Meet’s Screen Sharing lacks several features compared to Microsoft Teams and Zoom. For example, there is no Whiteboard function. Also, you cannot scribble on the screen while sharing screens. I want to see Google Drive integration to share files from cloud service.
Hide Your Background on Google Meet
Google Meet gets the basics right. But at the same time, virtual background, blurred background, Whiteboard etc. It lacks a few nifty features such as As for the virtual background, you can use the Chrome extension or Snap Camera to add some style during video calls. For the rest we will have to wait for future updates.
Next: Confused between Google Hangouts and Meet? Read the comparison post below to find out the difference between the two video calling apps.
Support our work ❤️
If you enjoyed this article, consider leaving a tip to help us keep publishing great content.
