Google Meet introduces new layouts prioritizing faces and minimizing distractions for enhanced virtual meetings.

Google Meet is set to introduce a significant in-call layout redesign aimed at improving hybrid meetings. The new features, including “Dynamic layouts,” will focus on enhancing visibility by prioritizing users’ faces and optimizing screen space for everyone involved. Starting March 31, these features will be gradually rolled out, with Dynamic layouts available to all users. However, Dynamic tiles and Face match will be limited to organizations using Google Meet hardware.

Users will still have access to legacy layout options. This follows a redesign of Google’s ‘New’ call page that took place last October, signaling a broader effort to enhance the user experience. Dynamic layouts utilize face tracking technology to optimize video views. By automatically cropping out unnecessary background elements, this feature ensures that participants see close-up images of each other’s faces, reducing distractions.

Additionally, the visual design will refresh with color-sampled tile theming for individuals with turned-off cameras while allowing for more flexibility in cropping and an increased pin limit from three to six for personalized layouts. Dynamic tiles target participants using Google Meet hardware, granting each member in a meeting room an individual video tile. For instance, if colleagues join a meeting from the same boardroom, they can utilize centralized hardware while benefiting from uniquely identifiable tiles. AI-enabled active speaker detection will also highlight the speaker’s tile automatically.

Another enhancement, Face match, works in conjunction with Dynamic tiles. It enables users to label their tiles using Companion Mode, ensuring that names are visible to all meeting participants. However, users must identify themselves again if they step out of the camera view for too long. In summary, all three features—Dynamic layouts, Dynamic tiles, and Face match—offer a fresh approach to video conferencing, particularly for organizations leveraging Google Meet hardware.

The rollout will begin on March 31 and may continue into May for full availability, ensuring a more connected and streamlined meeting experience.