The important update is the pause
On November 3, Google added a notice to its announcement about custom Vids avatars: the rollout is paused for both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. When we checked the source on November 4, no new date had been provided. The feature should therefore not be described as available to every account.
What was planned
The feature is designed to start with an image from a device, Drive or Photos, which users can refine before creating an avatar. Google describes reusing it within the project. Its help documentation also explains that making a copy of the project carries the avatar into another file.
The pause concerns this image-based addition. It is not an announcement that Vids is shutting down, nor evidence that every avatar feature has stopped working. Preset avatars and their conditions are covered separately in the product documentation.
If a video is due this week
Our advice is not to plan a deadline around a button that has not appeared in your account. Prepare the script and an alternative you can already use, such as your own narration. Before using someone else’s image, make sure you have the necessary permission.
To confirm a restart, check the dated notice in the original announcement. Changing plans or repeatedly uploading an image does not establish that a paused rollout has resumed.
Sources and context
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