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How to Use Breakout Rooms in Google Meet

Tap a step to follow along in order.

  1. Start a Google Meet call as the host

    Begin or join the meeting as the host -- breakout rooms can only be set up by whoever is running the call.

  2. Open "Activities" and select "Breakout rooms"

    Click the Activities icon in the meeting toolbar, then choose "Breakout rooms" from the menu.

  3. Choose how many rooms to create

    Pick the number of breakout rooms you want, and Meet can assign participants automatically or you can sort them manually.

  4. Open the rooms and check in on them

    Click "Open rooms" to send everyone to their assigned space; as host you can drop into any room to listen in or make announcements to all rooms at once.

  5. Why it's worth using

    In a large class or meeting, only a few people get a chance to speak. Splitting into smaller rooms lets everyone participate more directly in focused discussion or group work.

Good for classes and workshops with lots of participants

When everyone is talking in one big call, only a handful of people actually get airtime. Breaking a large group into smaller rooms means more people speak up, and discussions or group exercises go deeper than they would in the main room.

A feature availability note

Breakout rooms are generally available on Google Workspace plans rather than free personal Google accounts, so if the option is missing from your Activities menu, check what type of account is hosting the call before assuming something is broken.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can participants move between rooms on their own?

By default the host assigns everyone to a room, but hosts can also turn on a setting that lets participants choose which room to join themselves.

Does breakout rooms work on every Google account?

It's tied to specific Google Workspace plans, so it may not be available on a personal or free-tier account.