How to Blur Background in Google Meet

With the rise of remote work and online classes, video-conferencing platforms like Google Meet are becoming all-important. One of its features, blurring the background, gives you the option to maintain privacy in any setting. Here, I, Tracy, from Valadilene.org, will walk you through how to blur your background in Google Meet effectively in just a few simple steps.

Before You Join the Meeting

If you’re looking to blur your background before entering a meeting, here’s what you should do:

1. Go to Google Meet and click on the scheduled meeting you wish to enter.
2. Before clicking Join Now, look towards the bottom right of your screen for a button titled Change Background.
3. Here you have the option to either slightly blur your background or completely blur it. Choose the one that best suits your need by clicking on it.
4. Once you’re set, hit Join Now.

During the Meeting

If you’re already in a meeting and decide to blur your background, follow these steps:

1. In your Google Meet screen, go towards the bottom right corner and click on the three dots to open ‘More Options’ menu.
2. Select the ‘Change Background’ option.
3. Choose your desired level of background blur (slight or full).

Things to Remember

While the background blur feature in Google Meet is useful, bear in mind that it may demand a lot from your device’s hardware. If you’re finding that your device is overheating, running slowly, or the battery is draining fast, you might want to switch off the background blur feature.

If you find any difficulties, reach out to me, Tracy at tracy@valadilene.org. My mission with Valadilene.org is to make tech less intimidating and more approachable to all and am here to help.