If Meet or Zoom isn’t performing as well as expected, there are various things you can do to improve your experience.
- Mute your microphone when you’re not speaking.
When your microphone is on, Meet and Zoom will devote part of your Internet connection to an audio stream for you, even if you are not speaking. Mute your microphone when you do not need it to free up bandwidth for your meeting or class. - Stop your webcam video when you don’t need it.
If your instructor or moderator is okay with you doing so, start your video only when you need to show yourself on webcam, and stop your video when it isn’t needed. - Consider disabling custom or blurred backgrounds.
Custom backgrounds can slow down performance during a video chat. If you’re comfortable displaying your present surroundings, disabling background options can improve your session. - Disable HD webcam video.
Sending high definition (HD) webcam video requires more bandwidth than sending non-HD. Disabling HD video or using a lower definition can improve the quality of your connection. - Free up bandwidth from other sources.
Close programs you’re not using on your computer, and close out tabs in your browser that you don’t need at the moment. If you’re using wifi, consider disconnecting your phone, smart speaker, game console, etc., from the wifi during meetings or classes, to conserve local bandwidth.