Google Meet, one of the world’s most widely used video conferencing platforms, has just rolled out its most radical redesign yet: the Material 3 Expressive update. The most talked-about change? Buttons so large, they’re impossible to miss—ushering in what some are calling the “era of ludicrously capacious buttons.”
Material 3, also known as Material You, is Google’s latest design language, emphasizing personalization, accessibility, and expressive elements. With the Expressive variant, Google is pushing these concepts even further, giving Google Meet a vibrant, playful, and unmistakably modern look.
The most immediate and eye-catching change is the size of the buttons. From the moment users open the updated app, they’re greeted by call, mute, and share buttons that are dramatically larger than before. These capacious controls dominate the interface, making it nearly impossible to fumble a tap—even on the smallest screens.
Google’s design team cites accessibility and user experience as the primary motivations behind the redesign. In a world where video calls are now routine for work, school, and socializing, ensuring that everyone from young children to older adults can easily navigate the interface is paramount.
Accessibility First: Larger buttons are easier to see and tap, especially for users with visual impairments or motor difficulties.
Touch-Friendly Design: As more users join meetings from mobile devices and tablets, oversized buttons reduce accidental taps and improve overall usability.
Expressive Aesthetics: The new buttons aren’t just big—they’re colorful, animated, and responsive, aligning with Material You’s philosophy of making digital experiences more personal and delightful.
As with any major redesign, the response from Google Meet’s vast user base has been mixed. Some users praise the update for its accessibility and fresh look, noting that the larger buttons make the app less intimidating for newcomers and more usable for those with accessibility needs.
Others, however, have taken to social media to poke fun at the “comically large” controls, joking that you could “land a plane” on the new mute button or “host a meeting just by sitting on your phone.” Yet even critics admit that the redesign makes it nearly impossible to accidentally hang up or miss a key feature during a call.
By embracing the Material 3 Expressive philosophy, Google is signaling a clear commitment to inclusivity and user-centric design. The company believes that digital tools should adapt to people not the other way around and that playfulness and boldness have a place in serious productivity apps.