In this guide, we will show you various methods to fix the issue of being unable to change the background in Google Meet. Quite a few video conferencing services saw a massive spike in their userbase during the last couple of years when work from home became the new norm. Among them, it was the offering from Silicon Valley giant that many users were inclined towards. One major season for the same is its deep integration into the Google ecosystem.
However, inspite of all the goodies attached, it isn’t free from its fair share of issues either. During the last couple of months, numerous users are voicing their concerns that they are unable to change the background in Google Meet. Whenever they are trying to do so, they are instead being greeted with the “Something went wrong and your background can’t be replaced” error message. If you are also in the same boat, then this guide shall help you out. Follow along.
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Fix Cannot Change Background in Google Meet
It is recommended that you try out each of the below-mentioned workarounds and then see which one spells out success for you. So with that in mind, let’s get started.
FIX 1: Enable “Let users select custom images”
First and foremost, you should keep in mind that only the admins can determine if participants can change their background or not. This option, titled “Let users select custom images” is disabled by default. So you will have to ask your admin to enable it and then only you will be able to change your background in Google Meet.
Moreover, according to Google, “Users who join the video call while not logged into a Google account and users who need to knock to get admitted, can only change their background once in the video call. Users who join a Google Workspace for Education video call can’t select their own background images.” So keep this point in mind before trying out this functionality.
FIX 2: Check WebGL support
Next up, you should also check whether your web browser supports WebGL or not. While most browsers do checkmark this requirement, but still, let’s re-verify the same. So head over to this website and then check out the results.
After that, generate your browser’s WebGL Report and make sure that the Major Performance Caveat states No. If your browser fails either of these two tests, then you should move over to a more advanced browser like Edge, Chrome, or Firefox, and then try changing your background in Google Meet.
FIX 3: Enable Hardware Acceleration
If the Hardware Acceleration feature is disabled in your browser, then it could lead to the aforementioned issue. Therefore, you should consider enabling it right away, using the instructions given below.
- Launch the browser of your choice and head over to its Settings menu.
- Then go to System and enable the toggle next to Use hardware acceleration when available.
- Now try changing the background in Google Meet, you shouldn’t face any issues.
FIX 4: Update to 64-bit Browser
If you are still using a 32-bit browser, then you wouldn’t be able to change the background in Meet. Therefore, uninstall that browser version and switch over to a 64-bit version. You will be able to download it from the browser’s official site itself.
FIX 5: Disable Extensions
In some instances, a third-party add-on might conflict with the proper functioning of the browser, Therefore, you should consider disabling all the extensions, test out the results and then ultimately find the culprit. Here’s how all of this could be carried out-
- Launch Chrome and head over to the below location:
chrome://extensions/
- Now disable all the extensions and check if the issue has been resolved.
- If it has been, then re-enable all the extensions to re-create the issue.
- As soon as the issue re-appears, the last enabled extension would be the culprit.
- So hit the Remove button next to that extension and then restart your browser.
- Now check if it fixes the issue of being unable to change the background in Google Meet.
FIX 6: Reset Meet Link
In some instances, the issue might be related to the meeting itself. Therefore, it is recommended you close that meeting and then restart a fresh meeting from scratch. While this calls for quite a lot of effort, but if it does end up rectifying the issue, then it would be worth the effort.
FIX 7: Delete Browser Data
If a lot of temporary data has been accrued over the due course of time or if the stored data has been corrupted, then in both these scenarios, it might spell out trouble for you. Therefore, you should consider deleting these data and let it repopulate the same with a fresh instance from scratch. Here’s how it could be done:
- To begin with, launch Chrome and head over to the below location:
chrome://settings/clearBrowserData
- Then select Cookies and Other Site Data and Cached Images and File.
- Then click on Clear Data and wait for the process to complete.
- Check if you are now able to change the background in Google Meet.
FIX 8: Enable Chrome Flag
Chrome Flags are experimental features that could be sued to enable certain hidden functionalities. And as of now, we would be using one such flag to get the job done. Follow along.
- Launch Chrome and head over to the below location
chrome://flags/
- Then search the following flag: Override software rendering list.
- Now change its State from Disabled to Enabled and then restart your browser
- Check if it fixes the issue of being unable to change the background in Google Meet.
FIX 9: Reset Browser
If none of the aforementioned methods managed to spell out success, then your next course of action should be to reset the browser to its factory default state. Doing so will remove all the customizations and tweaks, delete cache cookies and history, and disable all the extensions as well. So make sure to sync all the browser data with your Google account before proceeding with the below steps:
- Launch Chrome and head over to the below location
chrome://settings/reset
- Then click on Restore Settings to their original default.
- After that, click Reset Settings in the confirmation dialog box.
- Once done, restart the browser and the underlying issue would now have been resolved.
So these were the numerous methods to fix the issue of being unable to change the background in Google Meet. Do let us know which one spelled out success for you. Likewise, if you have any queries concerning the aforementioned steps, do let us know in the comments. We will get back to you with a solution at the earliest.
