What you need to know
- Google has increased the video resolution of its Meet video conferencing service to 1080p.
- The upgraded resolution is only available on the web if you're using a computer with a 1080p camera and in meetings with two participants.
- Full HD resolution is limited only to users with a paid subscription to Workspace's higher-end tiers or Google One subscriptions with 2TB or more.
Google has upgraded the quality of Meet video calls to 1080p after years of restricting users to a fuzzy resolution. However, it's only available on the web and will be restricted to certain paying users.
In a blog post announcing the change, Google says improved video resolution is only possible if you have a computer with a 1080p camera. In addition, it will only be available for meetings with two participants. Previously, Meet video calls were limited to as high as 720p or as low as 360p in bandwidth-constrained situations.
As a result of the upgrade, your Meet calls in full HD will require additional bandwidth. It seems like a small price that many users are willing to pay in exchange for a high-quality video call experience. That said, the resolution will be automatically adjusted based on your internet connection to ensure the best possible call quality.
If you're using Google Meet for a professional or business meeting, a 1080p resolution may be desirable to ensure that everyone can clearly see each other and any presentations or documents being shared. However, if you're using Meet for more casual or personal purposes, such as catching up with friends or family, a lower resolution may suffice.
There are caveats, though. Google Meet's upgraded video resolution can only be accessed by users with a paid subscription to Workspace's higher-end tiers, including Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials, and Frontline.
On the other hand, the higher resolution is not available to personal Google accounts unless you have a Google One subscription with 2TB or more storage space. The feature is turned off by default, however, so you'll need to enable 1080p either through a popup at the start of a meeting or in the settings menu.
The rollout of 1080p resolution for Meet is part of Google's efforts to make its video conferencing service more competitive with some of the best conferencing platforms, such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. The upgrade is starting to roll out, and it should arrive for all eligible users by the middle of May.
