From now on it is possible to start and/or receive a Google Meet video calling directly from Google Chat. Until recently, it was only possible to send a Google Meet link to someone via Chat, where you had to be lucky that someone immediately saw the chat.
Google Meet offers high-quality video, providing up to 4k video quality, light adjustment, and stylized backgrounds, allowing users to show up looking their best during video calls. If the sound on your PC is turned on, you will now hear a ringtone when someone directly invites you to a Google Meet conversation. In addition, you can see in the mail and chat that someone is calling you.
How does it work?
Starting a Google Meet from Chat / Mail
In Google Chat, a new Google Meet icon is available which can be used to call a person directly via Meet.
- Click on the video icon at the top of the chat screen
- A pop-up appears, showing you who you are calling (you hear a ringtone)
- On first use, you will see a pop-up to give permissions for your camera and microphone use
You can also send and receive video messages for more meaningful interactions with friends, family, colleagues, and classmates.
Answering a Google Meet call from chat / mail
As soon as someone calls you via Meet, you will hear a ringtone. If you are active in Mail or Chat, you will immediately see the pop-up showing who is trying to call you.
- A ringtone is audible and in Mail and/or Chat you will see a pop-up with the name of the person who is calling you. You can open the Google Meet by clicking the Answer button.
- Once you are active in the meeting you can expand the meeting to a full browser tab using the icon in the top right corner (this way you have the full Google Meet experience).
Google Meet integrates seamlessly with other Google Workspace apps like Gmail, Docs, Slides, and Calendar, enhancing your meeting experience with features like emoji reactions, recordings, transcripts, and breakout rooms.
Some people may find it less easy to ignore an incoming call than a request for call. Others will applaud this new feature that may save some unnecessary waiting time. What do you think?
From his role as a change consultant, Ernst-Jan likes to help individuals and teams with the cloud-first workplace. Human change in IT projects is often underestimated. It is not the organization that changes, but the people in the organization that change. It is therefore important to optimally support the people in the organization in change processes.
