Workspace: Google Meet Companion Mode gets video feed capability

In 2021, Google launched “Companion mode” in Google Meet which allowed users to connect to meetings without sharing their full audio and video. This is very practical for situations where you want to avoid audio feedback due to having a second screen nearby joined to the same meeting, while still being able to access interactive features such as chat, screen sharing, hand raising, polls and more.

Companion mode in Google Meet is now getting a new trick. You will now be able to turn on your camera and share your video feed. This feature will be available by default and has no Admin controls. You will be able to join a meeting on the web using Companion mode from the “green room” and then once you’ve joined, you can select “Turn on camera.” This differs from joining a Google Meet the traditional way in that you will remain muted for the call, thus minimizing accidental audio leaks or unwanted feedback.

The feature will be available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as legacy G Suite Basic and Business customers starting on May 3rd for those on the Rapid Release channel, although it may take up to 15 days for full feature visibility. Users on the Scheduled Release domain will begin to see the gradual rollout starting on May 17th.

To use companion mode, you can navigate directly to g.co/companion or g.co/present if you intend to immediately share content. I am confident that the new video feed capability will be beneficial for collaboration, especially in hybrid work models where you can have several employees in a conference room and the rest remote. This way, you can keep interruptions to a minimum while still making your presence known.