How to Set Up Google Meet Breakout Rooms

Quick and easy-to-follow guide for Google Meet users

What are breakout rooms in Google Meet

As a Google Meet session organizer, you can set up breakout rooms to separate meeting participants into groups with different sub-sessions.

When can you add breakout rooms to a Google Meet session

You can do this during the session as shown below or while scheduling a session using Google Calendar, as shown here.

Which Google Workspace editions don’t allow you to create breakout rooms in Google Meet

This feature is not available for G Suite Basic, Google Workspace Business Starter, and Education Fundamentals and Standard.

How to create breakout rooms in a Google Meet session step-by-step with images

Step 1

While in a meeting in Google Meet at https://meet.google.com, click the Activities icon at the bottom right.

Step 2

Select Breakout rooms.

Step 3

Click the Set up breakout rooms icon.

Step 4

Add a time limit to end breakout rooms after a set amount of time

If you click the Timer setting, check the End breakout rooms after a set amount of time box and specify how long you want the breakout rooms to last.

When this time runs out, a 30-second countdown starts before all participants return to the main room.

Step 5

The breakout rooms settings appear.

You can adjust the number of breakout Rooms, set a Timer, Shuffle participants randomly between rooms, or click Clear to reset the settings to the default.

Step 6

Rename a breakout room

You can click a breakout room’s name to change it.

Step 7

Assign session participants to specific breakout rooms

Click and drag a meeting participant to move them to another breakout room.

When ready, click Open rooms at the bottom.

Step 8

Joining a breakout room

Participants that you place into another breakout room receive this notification asking them to join.

Step 9

When they click Join, they leave the main session and go into the breakout room. If you have set a timer, they can see how much time remains in the banner on top.

They can Ask for help or Return to the main call.