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How to Blur Your Background or Use a Virtual Background in Google Meet

Tap a step to follow along in order.

  1. Start from the pre-join screen or an active meeting

    Open Google Meet and go to either the waiting-room screen before you join, or the toolbar during an active call.

  2. Click the "Apply visual effects" icon

    Click the star-shaped effects icon above your camera preview.

  3. Choose a blur level or a background image

    Pick "Slightly blur" or "Blur" for the strength you want, or select one of the built-in background images instead.

  4. Check the preview, then join or continue

    Review how it looks in the preview thumbnail, then join the meeting or keep going with the effect applied.

  5. Why it's useful

    When you have to join a call from home or a messy space, blurring the background or swapping in a virtual image keeps the focus on you instead of what's behind you.

When your space isn't camera-ready

Video calls don't wait for a tidy room. Blurring your background or dropping in a virtual image means you can join from a kitchen table, a dorm room, or a shared coworking space without worrying about what's visible behind you.

Getting a cleaner-looking blur

Effects work best with steady, front-facing lighting -- a window or lamp in front of you helps the software tell your outline apart from the background. Solid-colored clothing that doesn't closely match your wall color also reduces flickering at the edges, especially on lower-end webcams.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I upload my own photo as a background?

Yes -- open the effects menu and choose the option to add an image, then pick a photo from your device to use in place of the built-in backgrounds.

Does it work on every device?

Background effects need a certain amount of processing power, so older computers and some mobile devices may only offer a limited set of options, or none at all.