Google Meet is finally rolling out 1080p video call support, but only for users who are willing to pay. The company announced it is bringing this change to a small number of Workspace and Google One users in an update on April 26.

Furthermore, the 1080p video call option is only available on Google Meet’s web platform, depending on whether your computer’s webcam supports that resolution. Google mentions that sending 1080p video will require more bandwidth and that it will automatically change your resolution if bandwidth is “constrained.” 

By clicking Turn on HD video after clicking on the three dots in the top right corner of your video stream, you can enable the feature, as it is off by default. It’s great that we can now see our coworkers more clearly, as Google Meet previously only supported resolutions of 720p or lower. Platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, and other video conferencing programs already support video calls in 1080p.

According to Google, the following plans: Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, the Teaching and Learning Upgrade, Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials, and Frontline are all compatible with 1080p video calling for all users. Users with a Google One subscription that allows at least 2TB of storage can also use it. Google says the first qualified users will receive support for 1080p video starting April 26 and plans to expand it to the masses through May 4.

Besides this, Google made the option available for users to completely hide the video stream during a Google Meet call last week. It allows you to disable your coworkers’ video feeds and only listen to audio during meetings if that is what you want. No one will be aware that you’ve chosen to disable their camera.

Source: Google Workspace Updates