Google is finally adding a new feature that will make it easier to preview video and audio before giving access to a website like Zoom. This new feature will be similar to Microsoft Teams’ audio and video preview screen, as Chrome will allow you to preview yourself or audio directly on Windows 11 (and Windows 10).

In the current version of Google Chrome, it is not possible to preview your camera or audio when giving access to the websites. This could soon change in an upcoming release. First spotted by Windows Latest, multiple Chromium Gerrit posts and Google’s documentation confirmed Chrome will provide real-time previews of the camera and microphone.

I tested the feature in Google Chrome 123 by turning on an experimental flag, “chrome://flags#camera-mic-preview,” and relaunching the browser. In our tests, we observed that Chrome also lets you choose the camera and audio device before giving you access to the website.

This is a pretty nifty change. It means you can block access to unwanted cameras and mics/audio devices at the browser level on services like Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet.

“In addition, users with multiple devices will be able to select a camera or microphone at the time permissions are requested, unless the site has requested a specific device through getUserMedia(),” Google noted in a documentation spotted by Windows Latest.

As noted by Mozilla’s documentation, the getUserMedia function allows a website to request a specific type of hardware, such as an audio device with a specific feature like built-in noise cancellation or a camera with high-quality resolution.

This won’t affect the preview experience offered by video conferencing web apps like Microsoft Teams or Zoom, but it will provide greater control over your camera and audio.

For the camera, you will see yourself in a rounded rectangle shape where the video will appear. For the microphone, there are two overlapping rounded rectangles. One shows the maximum possible sound level, and the other shows the current sound level, updated every fifth of a second for smoother feedback.

Google has posted a graph that explains how the process works, but here is my understanding of the implementation:

• View: This part shows the user interface and deals with actions like choosing devices and changing settings.
• Coordinator: It organizes the display based on information from the Mediator and handles requests based on what users do in the View. It is overseen by a higher-level coordinator.
• Mediator: This part works with the backend services and is managed by the Coordinator.
• ViewController: It arranges the display based on information from the Coordinator and updates the Coordinator about any changes from the user’s side.
• In situations where custom displays are needed, like for showing video or audio levels, the usual setup is simplified. The Coordinator directly manages these displays without needing a separate ViewController.

With this new feature, Chrome makes it easier for users to manage their settings and feel more confident during online meetings.

As mentioned, you can try the feature by turning on the experimental flag in Chrome 123: chrome://flags#camera-mic-preview and relaunching the browser.

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