Custom backgrounds are one of Zoom's best features. Now Google Meet has it too.

Google has launched a feature that allows users to set custom backgrounds. In a blog post, the company stated that this new feature "allows you to show more of your personality and also helps hide your surroundings. The default "curated" collection of images includes landscapes, office spaces, and abstract paintings. Users can also upload their own images.

The video calling industry surged during the pandemic. Last week Google CEO Sundar Pichai said that Meet had 235 million meetings per day and over 7.5 billion video calls per day.

Zoom's virtual background tool was the one that separated it from its rivals in the early months of the pandemic, when millions of people relied on video conferencing services to telecommute and keep in touch with friends and family. To keep up, the best alternatives to Zoom, such as Google Meet and Microsoft Teams, quickly began adding features to their services; Teams introduced custom backgrounds, Meet introduced background blurring, and Microsoft Teams introduced a new feature called "video conferencing.

Google Meet will also make all premium features free until the end of 2021. This includes unlimited time video calls with up to 100 people. In contrast, Zoom has a 40-minute call limit for free meetings with more than three participants.

The custom background feature will be available on October 30 and will be available to eligible users (Essentials, Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise for Education, Nonprofits customers, and users with personal Google accounts). Note that this list does not include participants in the Education meeting.

Currently, the new features are only available on ChromeOS and the Chrome browser on Windows and Mac desktop devices. Support for mobile apps will be available soon. 13]

To change the Google Meet custom background before the meeting, click "Change Background" in the lower right corner of Self View. Choose one of the default options or upload your own image.

Already in a meeting? Click the three-dot setting icon, then click Change Background.