Google Meet Getting Green Room-Like Feature to Check Settings Before Calls

Google Meet has started receiving a green room feature that will allow users to quickly preview how they will appear on camera before starting a video call. Participants of a Google Meet video call will be able to check their peripheral devices, network connectivity, audio quality, and other parameters before entering the call. The feature also allows users to check video quality beforehand and make adjustments. The development was shared on Google’s workspace blog that says the roll out of the new feature started on February 2.

Users of Google Meet will see a new icon before they join a video call that will allow them to get a preview of how they will look on the call, as well as check if all their peripherals are working correctly. Before joining a call, there will be an option labelled “Check your audio and video” that will allow users to adjust various aspects of the call. This option, as per the Google blog post, will show a green room-like preview and let users check if their network connectivity is adequate, if they would need noise cancellation, and if their input and output devices are selected correctly, among other settings.

This will help Google Meet participants avoid things like an unintentionally muted microphone, audio issues, missing headphone or speaker connection, and other such issues. Meet will also show a warning and troubleshooting tips if a problem is detected.

This feature is available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter/ Standard/ Business Plus customers, Enterprise Essentials/ Standard/ Plus customers, as well as G Suite Basic, Business, Education, Enterprise for Education, and Non-profit customers.

Google says the rollout started on February 2 and will take up to 15 days for the feature to be available to everyone.

Recently, Google added a Troubleshooting menu to Google Meet that helps users understand how their local desktop and network environments affect the quality of their video call. Prior to that, Google expanded breakout room availability and allowed users to virtually raise hands in meetings.

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