Google Meet introduces face touch-up filters for desktop users

On March 15th, Google announced a new feature for Google Meet on web: portrait touch-up! This lets you add a little polish to your appearance before your next meeting.

Remember that cool feature on mobile that lets you subtly enhance your complexion? It's finally coming to your desktop! You can choose from two filter options: "subtle" and "smoothing."  As the names suggest, the subtle filter makes very minor adjustments to your skin tone, brightens under-eyes slightly, and whitens them a touch.  The smoothing filter simply takes those effects and dials them up a notch, but it still looks natural according to Google (think "I woke up feeling refreshed" rather than "special effects extravaganza").

Don't worry, these aren't the dramatic filters you might see on other platforms.  These are designed to be subtle enhancements that leave you looking your best without anyone noticing you're using a filter at all.  To activate them, simply click on "Apply visual effects" in Meet settings, then choose "Appearance."  From there, you can turn on "Portrait touch-up" and pick your preferred filter.

Image credits: Google

There's one catch: this feature is currently rolling out for paid Google Workspace plans only, including Business Standard, Education Plus, and even Google One subscriptions. Free individual Google Workspace accounts won't have access just yet.

While Google might be a bit behind the curve compared to competitors like Zoom and Microsoft Teams that already offer similar features, this update is a welcome addition for those who want to feel a bit more confident during video calls.

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