(Pocket-Lint) – Google’s Meet video conferencing app is a great way to connect with people for work or fun. Anyone with a Google Account can start or join a meeting here meet.google.com Or using the iOS or Android app.
You can also add Google Meet to any scheduled Google Calendar event or meeting and start meeting directly from there.
On the desktop, Google Meet works perfectly in your browser so you don’t need to install any additional software if you use Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Microsoft Edge.
In Google Meet, all data between client and Google is encrypted for video meetings in a web browser, Android and iOS apps, and in meeting rooms with Google meeting room hardware. Each meeting has a unique encryption key, and Google Meet security controls are turned on by default.
How to start a video meeting using Google Meet
Anyone with a Google Account can start a meeting. It’s easy to make if you don’t have one. You probably already have one – especially if you have a Gmail account
If you use a computer, start a video meeting with the title meet.google.com Click Google Meet in your web browser, or Gmail or your Google Calendar. If you use a phone or tablet, download the Google Meet app.
- Click Join Google Meet or Start Meeting
- Choose a nickname for your meeting or leave the field blank and use the 10-letter meeting ID created for you. Click Continue.
- Share your meeting nickname or meeting ID with participants.
How to schedule a video meeting using Google Calendar
- In Google Calendar, click Create to start a new calendar entry and invite people to your video meeting
- Choose the option to add video conferencing. You can also edit the automatically generated 10-character meeting ID and use your own meeting nickname.
- Send calendar invitations to your meeting participants.
Keep in mind that people who weren’t invited to your original calendar can only join a video meeting 15 minutes in advance and have to be admitted by the host – so that people don’t join a meeting at random.
How to start a video meeting from Gmail
- In the Gmail sidebar, start a meeting and click Join Now
- Add participants to your video meeting by:
- Click on the copy of joining information to share meeting code with them
- Alternatively, select Add People and send them an invitation email.
Change your Google Meet meeting view to Gallery / Tiled mode
In macOS or Windows, you can choose the Google Meet layout that you like best – otherwise, Google Meet with an auto-switch to display active participants (the person who is talking or presenting).
Click the icon in the lower-right corner of the screen and click More> Change Layout. Different opinions are available here with an explanation for each.
Auto – Enable Meet to choose the layout for you
Tiled – Like the zoom gallery view, it shows 16 people without a presentation. Move your mouse to see the names of each participant. Presentations are displayed on a large tile, with the most active participants next to it. If anyone joins after the meeting has started, their picture will be at the bottom of the screen.
Spotlight – Fills the presentation, active speaker, or pinned feed window.
Sidebar – See active speakers or presentations with additional participants on the side.
Share your screen during your Google Meet
- Go to the bottom right corner and select Show My Screen.
- Choose whether you want to share your full screen, a window, or a Chrome tab
Finally click on Share. - To stop sharing your screen. Just click Stop Screen Sharing.
If you want to show a Google document, slide or a web page, select a Chrome tab Plus, you can choose to share your audio, which is great if you want to watch a YouTube video or something similar.
Pin, mute, or remove participants from your video meeting
Only meeting creators and owners can mute or remove other participants.
Note that you can click to pin a participant’s image to the screen. You can select a participant to mute, pin or move.
To pin someone’s video as the main video you’re watching, go to the thumbnail of that particular person and click the pin icon.
Mute participants
Is there an echo or background noise? If you own a call, you can mute other participants’ microphones by hovering your cursor over the volume icon and clicking Silence.
To remove participants
Only the creator or owner of the video call can remove a participant in the call.
- Go to the top right of the screen and find the People option.
- Rotate the cursor over the one you want to move, and then click on the back arrow.
- Then click on Remove.
Use meeting subtitles
The subtitle function is similar to that available in other apps like Skype and means you can present the conversation in written form on your screen in real time so that it is easy to follow what is being said during the video call. It is only available in English
To activate it, go to the bottom right of Meet and click on Caption.
Written by Dan Grabam. Edited by Max Freeman-Mills.
