How to Fix Google Meet Background Change Issue

Google Meet has become more popular than ever. From companies adopting remote work setups to schools conducting online classes, Google Meet is a top choice. Just like other video conferencing platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, Google Meet offers the option to change your background. It even includes a background library for users to choose from. This feature is handy as it helps you hide your surroundings for privacy or make your video calls more interesting. In this article, Mytour will guide you on how to fix the Google Meet background change issue.

Fixing the Background Change Issue in Google Meet
 

How to Fix Google Meet Background Change Issue

With Google Meet, you can organize or join meetings directly from your web browser on your computer without the need to download software. However, Google Meet currently works best on certain web browsers such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. Microsoft Internet Explorer is also supported but with limitations. According to Google, for the optimal experience with all features on Google Meet, you should use Google Chrome.

1. Follow the Correct Steps to Change Background in Google Meet

To enable the background (Background) during a Google Meet, you need to follow the correct steps. You can do this before joining the meeting or even while the meeting is in progress. Here are the specifics:

Method 1: Enable Google Meet background before joining the meeting.

- Launch Google Meet on your device, log in to your personal account. Next, enter the meeting code or click on the meeting link to join the meeting.

- On the join screen, where you can preview your video, click on the effects icon (three-star icon) at the bottom right of the screen to choose a suitable background to display.

- Here, you can choose features like blurring the background or replacing the Google Meet Background with a suitable image.

Method 2: Enable Google Meet background while in the meeting.

In the meeting interface, click on the (...) icon and select 'apply image effects' to change your background.

2. Use a Device with Suitable Configuration

The Google Meet background change feature may not work on all computers, browsers, or accounts. Therefore, if you encounter the Google Meet background not changing issue, your device may not meet specific requirements. Here are the details:

* Requirements to change Meet background on computer:

- Use a web browser version that supports the background change feature

+ Chrome version M87 and above on Chromebook, Windows, Mac, or Linux.
+ Edge (Chromium) version 87 and above on Windows and Mac.

* Download links for the latest Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge:

Get it now: Google Chrome

Get it now: Microsoft Edge

- Ensure Hardware Acceleration is enabled.
- Browser supports WebGL 2.0.
- Operating system version is 64-bit.

To check the version of Chrome and Microsoft Edge (Chromium), follow these steps:

- On Chrome: Click the 3-dot icon at the top right of the browser, select Help > About Google Chrome.
- On Microsoft Edge: Click the 3-dot icon at the top right of the browser, select Help and Feedback > About Microsoft Edge.

Note: You can use Google Meet on Firefox, but this browser does not support the background change feature. Therefore, if you don't find the option to change the Meet background on Firefox, switch to using the Chrome browser.

* Requirements to change Meet background on Android devices:

- Device running Android 9.0 or above, with 3 GB RAM, at least 4 CPU cores, CPU clock speed of at least 1.6 GHz, and ARM64 architecture.

Not finding the camera is a common issue when using Google Meet. You can effectively and quickly troubleshoot the Google Meet camera not found error by following this article.

• Read more: How to fix Google Meet camera not found error

* Requirements to change Meet background on iPhone, iPad:

- iPhone 8 and above.
- iPad 5th generation and above.
- iOS 12 and above.

* Download the latest Google Meet:
- Download Google Meet for Android
- Download Google Meet for iPhone

3. Enable hardware acceleration in the browser

To easily utilize the background blur/change feature in Google Meet and ensure smooth operation, it's recommended to enable hardware acceleration in Chrome settings on Windows or Mac. Follow these specific steps:

Step 1: Launch the Chrome browser, click on the three-dot icon at the top right of the toolbar for customization and control of Chrome. Next, select 'Settings'

Step 2: On the left menu bar, click on 'Advanced' => 'System' and enable the option 'Use hardware acceleration when available'

4. Update Chrome browser

The background blur, change Google Meet Background feature only works on Chrome version M84 and above. Therefore, if facing the Google Meet background not changing issue, you need to check and update Google Chrome to the latest version.

Details on how to update Google Chrome on your computer to the latest version have been shared by Mytour in this article, feel free to refer and learn.
 

5. Clear browser data

If you've tried the above methods but still can't change the Background on Google Meet, you should also try clearing your web browser data. This can be done by clicking on the (...) in the Chrome browser, selecting 'Settings' => 'Privacy and Security' and then choosing 'Clear browsing data'.

For other web browsers, you can clear browser data in a similar way.

6. Request admin to enable the 'Allow users to choose custom images' feature

In some cases, you may encounter the Google Meet error of not being able to change the background when the meeting organizer locks the option 'Allow users to choose custom images.' This option is set for paid education accounts or organizational accounts.

To resolve this issue, you need to contact your Google Meet organizational Admin.

7. Restart your computer

If you've tried all the methods above and still can't fix the Google Meet background not changing issue, you can try restarting your computer. Additionally, you can also try closing the Google Meet tab in your browser and trying again.

So, you must meet the requirements shared in the article to use Google Meet's background change feature. After that, you can easily change the background before joining a video call or during an ongoing video call.

After learning how to troubleshoot the issues, the Google Meet background not changing error above, to enhance your skills in using Google Meet for meetings, online classes, you can refer to our guide on how to enable meeting subtitles on Google Meet.

If you encounter issues like unable to open Meet or even screen sharing errors, there's no need to worry. You can refer to the following article for troubleshooting tips to use Meet more effectively.

Read more: Unable to open Meet

Read more: Screen sharing error on Google Meet