Google Meet: New feature reduces background noise when meeting online

General information

To help limit distractions during your video calls, Google Meet can eliminate background noises like typing, doors closing, or the sounds of a nearby construction site. Noise cancellation helps make calls more effective by reducing distractions that can divert attention away from meeting content.

Last year, Google made web noise cancellation available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus and Education Plus customers, then made the feature available on both web and mobile. Now, Google is making two additional updates to the feature's availability:

• Add availability to more users: Noise cancellation will now also be available to users across versions Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Standard. It will be enabled by default for these users.
• As of August 9, 2021, this feature will be enabled by default for Enterprise Plus users: Noise cancellation will be enabled by default for Google Workspace Enterprise Plus users who have not previously disabled the feature. Note that this change may change settings for some existing users. There will be no changes to settings or defaults for Education customers.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 

End users:

• New users: This feature will be ON by default for Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Standard users. When the feature becomes available to their account, users will see a prompt informing them about the feature and its functionality.
• Existing users with Google Workspace Enterprise Plus: Starting August 9, 2021, this feature will be ON by default for all users who have not previously disabled this feature. If you don't want it on by default, turn it on and off for your account before August 9, then the setting won't be changed.
• Existing users with Google Workspace for Education Plus: There will be no changes to settings or defaults for Education customers.

Rollout pace

Added availability to more users:

• Rapid release domains: Progressive rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting June 14, 2021.
• Scheduled release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting June 28, 2021.

Updated default settings for Google Workspace Enterprise Plus users:

• Rapid and scheduled release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 9, 2021.

Available now

• Newly available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Standard customers.
• Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus and Education Plus customers.
• Not available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Education Fundamentals, Frontline, and Nonprofits, as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers.

Source: Gimasys