Google Meet, the company’s response to Zoom and Microsoft Teams, has received an upgrade that significantly improves the picture-in-picture (PiP) capability. According to Google’s Workspace Update blogpost, a new set of settings makes it simpler to multitask during a meeting while being present and participating in video calls.
We’re updating the Google Meet picture-in-picture experience to be more engaging and feature-rich. Directly from the picture-in-picture window, you can now:
- Raise your hand
- Use in meeting chat
- Turn captions on and off
- More effectively resize the picture-in-picture view
- Access flexible layouts
With the picture-in-picture window open, you may now “raise your hand,” utilize PiP while in meeting chat, toggle captions on and off, resize the picture-in-picture view more effectively, and access customizable layouts, according to the business. Google demonstrates how it works in the GIF below, as a user types an email while still seeing his coworkers and remaining present in the video chat. You may still raise your hand and utilize other controls if you need to make a point.
That’s a significant improvement over the previous version, which had limited resizing choices and a set aspect ratio. Furthermore, the prior controls simply allowed you to exit the meeting or switch the camera/microphone on/off. While this is a little tweak, it significantly improves the app’s efficiency.
How To Use Picture-In-Picture Mode on Chrome
The procedures for using the picture-in-picture mode are as follows:
- While in a meeting, click the More Options option at the bottom of the screen.
- Open picture-in-picture mode by tapping on it.
- On the right side of the screen, a miniature representation of the meeting will now begin to appear.
The short window is adjustable; simply press hold and drag it wherever you like on the screen. If users want to resize the panel, they simply tap on the edge and adjust the size accordingly.
If someone want to leave, they must hit the back tab symbol to return to the original meeting tab.
The upgrade for Google Meet is currently available on the Chrome browser and will be rolled out more broadly in the coming weeks. Google has detailed instructions on how to utilize the new capabilities available here.
