What you need to know
- Google Meet's latest feature will automatically kick users out of a meeting.
- The feature works when there's only one user present in a meeting for a certain amount of time.
- Hosts now have a consolidated space for controls.
We've all had moments where a meeting just hasn't started yet, and you're left twiddling your thumbs while you wait for someone to show up. Google Meet has started rolling out a new feature that may sound kind of familiar if you've ever binge-watched a Netflix series, and it could help potentially avoid some awkwardness while you wait for a meeting to start.
The new feature will automatically kick a user out of a Google Meet call if they're the only person present. First, a prompt will appear after five minutes, asking if the user wants to exit the call or stay on. From there, the user will be kicked out if they don't respond to the prompt within two minutes.
Google says it hopes adding this feature "will help prevent situations where your audio or video is unintentionally shared." The feature will be turned on automatically, although you can toggle this feature on and off in the settings menu under General > Leave empty calls.
Additionally, Google is making it easier for hosts and co-hosts to find meeting controls. Instead of having them scattered about the Google Meet settings, they're now being consolidated to one area, so they're easier to find.
Google Meet hosts can now find host management controls in the bottom bar using the Host controls button.
These features start rolling out Monday, depending on your domain. The "Leave empty rooms" feature will initially roll out to desktop and iOS devices, with the best Android phones being left out for now — although it'll arrive soon for these devices. The new consolidated host controls are arriving for desktop users.
