How to Use Filters in Google Meet (and Turn Them Off)

Google Meet has three kinds of visual effects: backgrounds, filters and appearance tweaks like lighting and touch-up. Filters change the colour and style of your whole video, from warm tones to playful styles. They're handy for a team social, and best left off for a client pitch. Here's where to find them and how to switch them off again.

How to use filters before you join a meeting

1. Open the Google Meet link so you see your video preview.
2. Under your video, at the bottom right, click Backgrounds and effects.
3. Pick Choose backgrounds and effects.
4. Open the Filters tab and click the filter you want.
5. Close the panel and click Join.

How to use filters during a meeting

1. At the bottom of the screen, next to the microphone button, click Video settings.
2. In Backgrounds and effects, select the Filters tab.
3. Click a filter. You'll see it applied in your self view straight away.
4. Click Close when you're happy.

How to use filters on your phone

In the Meet app, tap Effects at the bottom of your self view, before or during the call, then browse the filters and styles. Effects on phones need a reasonably recent device, so older phones may not show every option.

Backgrounds, filters and appearance: what's the difference?

Tab	What it changes	Good for
Backgrounds	What's behind you: blur, an image or a generated background	Hiding a messy room
Filters	The colour and style of your whole video	Team socials, fun calls
Appearance	Touch-up, lighting, studio look and framing	Looking sharper on camera

You can stack effects from different tabs, for example a blurred background plus studio lighting. Meet shows how many effects you've applied as a number in a small green bubble on your self view.

How to turn filters off

1. At the bottom right of your self view, click Turn off visual effects.
2. Pick the effects you want to remove, or click Remove all.

The catch: not every account gets every effect

If you can't find a filter a colleague is using, it isn't a bug. Google says the backgrounds, filters and styles available depend on your device, your account type and settings your Google Workspace admin controls. Some features, like generating an AI background and the touch-up options, are only included in some editions. On a work account, your admin may have switched effects off altogether.

Joining without signing in has its own limit: Google notes that guests who aren't signed in, or who have to knock to join, can only change backgrounds and effects once they're in the meeting, not on the preview screen.

Effects can slow your computer down

Filters run live on your video, which takes processing power. Google warns that your device may slow down and that effects can increase battery use. On computers with fewer processor cores, Meet automatically moves the processing to Google's cloud to help. If your video starts stuttering or your fan sounds like a jet engine, turn effects off first.

Other things worth knowing

• Clicking an effect turns your camera on automatically, so don't experiment while you meant to stay off camera.
• Your self view is mirrored, but everyone else sees you the right way round.
• Your video may be cropped to fit other people on screen, so the edges of a filter or background might not show.

If your camera quality is the real problem, my guide to using your iPhone camera as a webcam is a simple upgrade that makes more difference than any filter.

When to use filters, and when not to

• Yes: internal socials, workshops with a playful tone, creative sessions.
• Maybe: lighting and framing from the Appearance tab, which simply make you look clearer.
• No: sales calls, interviews, client reviews. A strong colour filter can make you look less trustworthy, not more fun.

If filters don't work at all

1. Update your browser. Effects need a reasonably recent version of Chrome, Edge, Firefox or Safari.
2. In Chrome, make sure graphics acceleration is switched on in the browser's system settings.
3. Restart the browser and rejoin the meeting.
4. Try a different browser on the same computer to see whether the problem moves with it.
5. On a work account, ask your Google Workspace admin whether effects are enabled.

If effects work in one browser and not another, it's almost always the browser's graphics settings rather than your account.

My verdict

Filters in Google Meet live in Backgrounds and effects: click Video settings during a call or Backgrounds and effects before you join, then open the Filters tab. Use them for fun internal calls, stick to Appearance tweaks for client work, and turn them off at the first sign of lag. If an option's missing, it's your account edition or your admin, not your computer. For more on running remote calls well, see my guide to managing a virtual team.

Frequently asked questions

Why don't Google Meet effects work in my browser?

Update the browser, make sure graphics acceleration is on in Chrome, restart it, and check your admin hasn't turned effects off.

Where are filters in Google Meet?

Click Video settings next to the microphone during a call, or Backgrounds and effects before joining, and open the Filters tab.

Why can't I see filters in Google Meet?

Availability depends on your device, account type and your Workspace admin's settings, and some effects are only in certain editions.

How do I remove filters in Google Meet?

Click Turn off visual effects on your self view and choose Remove all.

Can I use Google Meet filters on my phone?

Yes. Tap Effects at the bottom of your self view in the Meet app.

Do filters slow down Google Meet?

They can. Google says effects may slow your device and use more battery.