Google Meet’s Sidebar layout keeps an active speaker or shared screen as the main image and places additional participant thumbnails beside it. It can suit a presentation where you want to follow content while retaining some awareness of the group. It does not promise a thumbnail for every connected participant.
Choose Sidebar during the meeting
On a computer, open More and Change layout, then select Sidebar. Check that the current presentation or speaker appears in the main area. If the expected presentation is absent, ask the presenter to confirm sharing is active. Changing your layout does not start another person’s share or repair their source selection.
Balance content and people
Inspect the thumbnails you need for the discussion. Browser size and active content affect how many tiles can appear. A normal-size window may need adjustment to make both the document and a relevant participant readable. If the presentation text is still too small, use its Enlarge control or supported zoom controls, or ask the presenter to focus the source on the relevant section.
Verify visibility without inferring attendance
Use the People panel to check a participant who does not appear in the sidebar. Their absence from the visible thumbnails does not establish that they left. If you need a different balance later, return to Change layout and choose Auto, Tiled, or Spotlight as appropriate. Meet saves layout preferences, so inspect the setting again when the next meeting has a different purpose. As a presentation viewer, your zoomed-content movements do not change other viewers’ screens. Keep the presenter informed when critical material remains unreadable, and use an approved file link when following the source independently would be clearer.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 4, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.