This article explains how to blur your background in Google Meet before joining a meeting and during one, and how to turn it off.

What to Know

  • Click the three-dot menu icon and select Change background > Slightly blur your background or Blur your background. To turn it off, select Change background > Turn off backgrounds.You can blur your background before joining a meeting or during one.

How to Change Your Background in Google Meet

If you want to hide your background while on a video call and don’t want to use a virtual background, you can blur it in Google Meet.

Blur Your Background While in a Call

If you join a Google Meet and then decide you want to blur your background, it’s not too late.

  • Click the three-dot menu icon on the bottom right.
  • Select Change background.
  • There are two options. For a subtle change, select Slightly blur your background.
  • If you need more cover, choose Blur your background.
  • You can toggle between options to see which one looks the best. The messier (or more chaotic) your background is, the more blur you’ll want.

Before Joining a Call on Google Meet

You can also blur your background before you join a meeting.

Click the three-dot menu icon on the bottom right.

Select Change background.

There are two options. For a subtle change, select Slightly blur your background.

If you need more cover, choose Blur your background.

You can toggle between options to see which one looks the best. The messier (or more chaotic) your background is, the more blur you’ll want.

  • Click the meeting link from the invite to enter the waiting room.
  • Click the Blur background icon in the lower right corner of the video screen.
  • Select the Slightly blur your background icon.
  • If that’s not sufficient, select the Blur your background icon.
  • Click Join now when you’re ready.
  • Disable Background Blur in Google Meet
  • To turn off the background blur, click the three-dot menu icon, select Change background, then click the Turn off backgrounds button.
  • Why Blur Your Background?
  • Blurring your background is useful for a few reasons. It can obscure clutter behind you for a more professional look. Hiding your backdrop can also protect your privacy and others in your household or office.
  • Finally, it also looks nice and keeps the focus on your face, not on what’s going on behind you.
  • However, if you have an older computer, the blur feature could slow it down as it is resource-heavy. If you find it’s interfering with the quality of the Google Meet call, you can quickly turn it off.
  • A lighter weight solution might be to use a virtual background. Google Meet has many options built-in, and you can also upload images.
  • How to Change Background on Zoom

Click the meeting link from the invite to enter the waiting room.

Click the Blur background icon in the lower right corner of the video screen. 

Select the Slightly blur your background icon.

If that’s not sufficient, select the Blur your background icon.

Click Join now when you’re ready.

Disable Background Blur in Google Meet

To turn off the background blur, click the three-dot menu icon, select Change background, then click the Turn off backgrounds button.

Why Blur Your Background?

Blurring your background is useful for a few reasons. It can obscure clutter behind you for a more professional look. Hiding your backdrop can also protect your privacy and others in your household or office.

Finally, it also looks nice and keeps the focus on your face, not on what’s going on behind you.

However, if you have an older computer, the blur feature could slow it down as it is resource-heavy. If you find it’s interfering with the quality of the Google Meet call, you can quickly turn it off.

A lighter weight solution might be to use a virtual background. Google Meet has many options built-in, and you can also upload images. 

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