Let’s face it – if someone told us two years ago that we would be using video conferencing tools daily, we would have called them crazy. The worldwide pandemic has made the curiosity over how to see everyone on Google Meet a reality for professionals. In 2020, the number of people who use Google Meet rose to a hundred million daily active users (DAU). Today, we are indeed looking for a solution to see everyone without compromising on the quality of your video call.
We have two easy solutions on how to see everyone on Google Meet, that will take you under 5 minutes!
In this article:
- Why do we need to see everyone at the same time?
- How to see everyone on Google Meet?
- How to download and install Grid View
- How to use Google Meet Grid View
Why do we need to see everyone on Google Meet?
Unfortunately, many work environments do not function the same way online as they do when all the workers are physically present. In other words, large companies, small businesses, and educational institutions have shifted to an online medium of communication. Unsurprisingly, there have been some hitches on the way. Google graciously suspended its previous time limit of sixty minutes for unpaid accounts, allowing hundreds of thousands of children across the globe to carry on with their education.
Today, Google Meet meetings can host up to two hundred and fifty guests. Even with the increased capacity and numerous features designed to make the life of a netizen easier. Yet, professionals want more! So, let’s jump into how to see everyone on Google Meet with our step-by-step guide!
How to see everyone on Google Meet?
The normal Google Meet video conference shows 4-9 participants at any given time. Even this depends on what kind of layout setting you have. To change the layout, follow these instructions:
- At the bottom right corner of the Google Meet window, click the three dots.
- Choose ‘Change Layout’.
- Select ‘Tiled View’.
This should allow you to look at more than just audible speakers at a time. Google Meet is designed so that the Spotlight option is on by default so that the person on screen for participants shifts every time someone becomes ‘the speaker’ – this means that it looks for the participant with the most prominent voice or a singular speaker and pins them temporarily for the rest of the attendees, assuming that is who you should be paying attention to.
However, in meetings where every person’s reception matters, we need to see everyone’s face. Luckily, everything these days comes with customizability, as does Google’s video conferencing tool. The easiest answer to the question “how to see everyone on Google Meet at the same time?” is to download the Grid View Chrome Extension.
The Google Meet Grid View does require you to use the Google Chrome browser for its optimal functioning – but once you add it to your browser, it will recalibrate every meeting so that you can see every single attendee’s face in a single, neatly arranged layout. Unfortunately, these extensions do not work on mobile devices or tablets like an iPad – you will have to be using a PC, a Mac, or a Chromebook.
Keep in mind that if your laptop or computer is from your institution or workplace, they may have already installed and set up this tool for you, in which case, you can skip the next few steps. Check if you can already see everyone simultaneously and if you can find the GridView extension on your list of Chrome extensions. The solution to your video conferencing problem may be hidden all along!
Download and install Grid View
If you didn’t already instal this hidden gem, it is time to download it. To download Grid View, follow these steps after opening your Chrome browser.
- Open the Google Chrome App Store, which you can find in the top left corner of the browser’s bookmark bar.
- Search “Grid View” and click on ‘Add to Chrome’.
- The extension will request video and audio permissions, which you need to grant.
Using Google Meet Grid View
You have the tool, but how do you use it? If you go to the Google Meet dashboard the next time you join a meeting after adding the Grid View extension, you will find a new button to the left of the participant count. Simply click on the button to turn grid view on and off.
The next time you use Google Meet, you will find that the box allotted to every speaker in the call has been made into one of the equal dimensions and that your screen can easily accommodate all of them. The video conferencing experience is immediately made easier, and you no longer have to shift and sift through the participant list to see who is speaking, who is permanently on mute, or if someone has their camera on by accident (and needs to be informed immediately!).
But this is not all you can do with the GridView extension. When you click on the button, there is a drop-down menu that shows you four options that can make further changes in your view:
- Only show participants with video
- Highlight speakers
- Include yourself in the grid
- Enable grid view by default
We’ll briefly explain all of these below! 👇
Only show participants with video
Using this option, you can remove all those faceless black squares with their mics muted, people who have definitely left the meeting unattended. Instead, you can have your grids filled with people who are listening, attentive, and active participators in the meeting. This feature also saves a lot of area on your screen.
Highlight speakers
Now that you figured out how to see everyone on Google Meet and not just the speakers, you may be finding it hard to focus on the ones who are speaking at the moment. Use the ‘highlight speakers’ option so that the Grid View algorithm draws to your attention the owners of the prominent speakers in the discussion. Now you can know who’s speaking without giving up being able to see the rest of the speakers.
Include yourself in the grid
To get a full view of the meeting, you shouldn’t forget the most important member – yourself! Allowing yourself to be seen as a part of the meeting will give you the advantage of seeing what you look like to the rest of the crowd and let you feel like you’re part of the larger team. If you’re looking particularly pretty, you can even glance at yourself occasionally in admiration. No one can stop you.
Enable gridview by default
Don’t want to go through this process every time? Then simply check this box, and enjoy grid view for all future Google Meet conferences! This is the simplest way to see everyone on Google Meet! Woohoo 🎉🎉
Now you know how to see everyone on Google Meet!
Grid View allows participants to feel like they are a part of something – while this illusion cannot replace the actual feeling of being around your peers, it can work as an effective substitute. If you’re one of those people who enjoy group study meetings where everyone coexists in companionable, comfortable silence, adding the Grid View chrome extension might contribute to the experience. Grid View lets you feel this companionship without compromising on quality and without jarring glitches that disrupt your conferencing experience.
So, now you know how to see everyone on Google Meet, and you’re probably looking for other Google Meet hacks? Check out our own list that includes hacks, productivity tips, and extensions you probably don’t know about, that will upgrade your Google Meet game!
