• Meet can now automatically crop around a participant before they join a meeting.
• This helps get rid of nearby distractions while using video conferencing.
• Feature is only available on Chrome version M91 or Edge version 91, which means Safari users won’t be able to use it.

Today, Google introduced a slick new upgrade to Meet that will help you maintain concentration throughout your next video conference.

Even though it’s been more than two years since the order to work from home, many of us are still trying to figure out the best way to set up our WFH desks. First of all, our computer monitor needs to be in a comfortable spot so we don’t have to strain ourselves. This means that many people may not be in the best position on screen when they use video conferencing.

In its latest update, Google Meet can now automatically crop around a participant before they join a meeting. This helps get rid of nearby distractions.

Google says on its Workspace updates blog that this only happens once, so there’s no automatic subject tracking like we’ve seen with the iPad Pro’s Center Stage (which relies on the latest hardware).
This is so that your camera view doesn’t keep changing as you move, which can be annoying. However, the support article does say that users can open a settings pane to refocus during a call if they need to.

For now, this feature is only available on Chrome version M91 or Edge version 91. This means that Safari users won’t be able to use it.

Rollout has already started, but some users might not see it in their accounts until the end of November. Workspace Business Standard/Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials/Starter/Standard/Plus, Education Plus/Teaching, and Learning Upgrade, and Workspace Individual are all supported account types, but you also need a supported device. Google’s help page has more information about that.

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