Google Meet just got a bit more hands-on – literally! Now, you can jazz up your virtual meetings with a new gesture detection feature. Instead of the usual click, you can physically raise your hand to let everyone know you’ve got a burning question. It might seem like a small thing, but when you’ve spent the day glued to your screen, a little movement can be a game-changer.
Here’s the lowdown on how it works: keep your camera on, make sure your hand is visible (Google suggests keeping it a bit away from your face and body), and give it a little wave. Hold it there for a moment, and voila! Google Meet will recognize your raised hand and notify the rest of the gang. It’s a bit like being back in school, but who can resist a touch of nostalgia?
And for all you animated speakers out there, fear not. If you’re gesticulating wildly, Google Meet is smart enough to turn off gesture detection while you’re talking. It’ll only kick back into action once you’re back to silently nodding along. Worried about unintentional hand-raises during your expressive goodbyes? No problem – you can turn off the feature in a jiffy. Just head to More Options, click Reactions and Hand Raise Gesture, and toggle it off.
Ready to give it a whirl? If you’re in a Rapid Release domain, you should see gesture detection in the next few days. Scheduled Release folks, you’ll experience a gradual rollout starting from November 28, taking around 15 days. And the best part? This feature is up for grabs across most Google Meet Workspace plans, whether you’re on Business Standard and Plus, Education Plus, or a solo subscriber.
