Updates for Breakout Rooms


Google updated Breakout Rooms (starting October 5, 2020) to make participation available on Meet Web, Gmail Android, Gmail iOS and Meet iOS (Meet Android is coming soon); and moved the feature to the “Extras” menu on the top-right of the Meet call window.  Please see details below for updated instructions and FAQs:

How to Start a Breakout Room as a Moderator of the Meet call

  1. Click on the top-right menu (activities) of the Meet call while on a web browser. Please note that this used to be on the bottom-right corner of the Meet call. 

  2. Select the Breakout Rooms option

  3. Next, configure the rooms and participants

  4. Click the Create button to invite the participants to their corresponding rooms

Please read the FAQs below for more information.

Updated Breakout Rooms FAQs


  • Who can be assigned in Breakout Rooms? 

    • Breakout Rooms will be available for everybody with a signed in Google account. As a moderator you need to use the web version of Meet and be logged in with an Enterprise or Enterprise for EDU account. As a participant you can also join via the Gmail apps on Android and iOS, as well as the Meet apps (Android support is currently rolling out).


  • Why don’t I see the Breakout room menu option?

    • Only the meeting moderator logged in an Enterprise account or Enterprise account for EDU will see the Breakout Room option while on a web call. 

    • Note that the menu option to start Breakout Rooms has moved to the top-right menu (activities) for the final release (instead of the bottom-right overflow menu where it used to be). 


  • Will administrators be able to enable/disable this feature?

    • No. The feature is available to all users.


  • Is there going to be a limit to the number of breakout rooms that can be created

    • There is a maximum limit of 100 breakout rooms. 


  • Which devices are supported?

    • Breakout Rooms is supported for desktop/laptop web browsers for moderators, and on desktop/laptop web browsers and mobile devices for participants (Gmail App on Android and iOS, Meet App on iOS. The Meet App on Android is coming soon). 


  • How are meeting creators able to moderate breakout rooms? Will they be able to drop into the different rooms?

    • They can initiate breakout rooms via a button within the Meet call. Yes, they can also jump between the different rooms.


  • If a meeting is being recorded, will breakout rooms also be recorded?

    • No, only the main room can be recorded. 


  • What meeting privileges do breakout room participants have? 

    • There are no additional privileges for participants. Only the moderator can create the breakout rooms or move participants between rooms. 


  • For adhoc or alias/nicknamed meetings, who will have moderator privileges?

    • In ad hoc or alias/nicknamed meeting spaces, the first user joining will own the space, and will hence have moderator privileges.