Duo now lets you send personalized notes when you can't get to a video call

Can't make it to your Duo video call? You can now send a one-off note.

What you need to know

• Google is rolling out a new feature in Duo that lets you send one-off notes when you're unable to answer a video call.
• You get to choose from several background colors, fonts, and brushes.
• The feature will roll out globally this week to users on Android and iOS devices.
• Similar to calls and video messages, notes are end-to-end encrypted.

Google is making the Duo calling experience that much more personalized by introducing a new notes feature. If you're unable to answer a video call on the platform, you now get the option to send a one-off note along the lines of "call you later," or "in a meeting right now."

What's interesting is that you get a decent amount of customizability, with eight background colors, six fonts, and three brush strokes to choose from. You can also resize, move, and rotate the text to make your note that much more personal. Here's a better idea of what the notes look like:

Google says it introduced the feature after receiving feedback from users that they'd like a more visual way to connect with their friends when they're unable to join a video call.

As with everything else to do with Duo, the notes you send are also end-to-end encrypted. The feature is rolling out globally to users on Android and iOS this week, so if you don't see it already, you should be able to in a few days' time.

Google Duo

Free at the Play Store

Google Duo is a robust video calling platform that delivers great video quality while consuming less resources. The service intelligently switches between Wi-Fi and cellular data based on signal strength, and your calls are always end-to-end encrypted.

by Harish Jonnalagadda