On this page
- Choose how to create your meeting
- Find the meeting access settings
- Manage meeting access settings
- Use Host management settings
- Set up meetings with internal and external guests
- Join a meeting on a second screen
- Enhance your Meet experience with Gemini
- Join and participate from your mobile device
Choose how to create your video meeting
You can create a meeting from Google Calendar, the Meet landing page (meet.google.com), mobile apps, a chat window, meeting room hardware devices, and other meeting entry points. Here are guidelines to help you choose.
Schedule in Calendar to…
- Place the event on your guests’ calendars from where they can easily join the meeting
- Assume host privileges
- Set up security controls and add co-hosts before the meeting (in Calendar settings)
- Let external guests join without having to knock (they must be signed in to a Google Account)
Start an instant meeting to...
- Enter the meeting now and get a meeting URL and phone dial-in number to send to others
- Assume host privileges
You can set up security controls and add co-hosts after the meeting.
From meet.google.com, click New meetingStart an instant meeting.
Use a nickname
Not recommended if it matters who owns or hosts the meeting
Make up any name for your meeting, such as quick-sync, and share it with others. Anyone in your organization can go to a meeting entry point like meet.google.com, enter that name, and join the same meeting.
Note that external guests can’t join the meeting with the nickname. The host must instead send them a link with the meeting code, or a dial-in number and PIN.
Find the meeting access settings
As the meeting organizer or a host, you can set host management and meeting access controls as follows:
- Creating or editing a Calendar event—Click Video call options .
- In a meeting—At the bottom right, click Host controls .
Manage meeting access settings
In the meeting access settings, you can choose when guests can join the meeting, and who can join a meeting without having to knock.
Host must join before anyone else | |
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On | A host must join the meeting first |
Off | Guests can join the meeting before any host |
Meeting access type | Who can join without knocking |
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Open |
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Trusted |
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Restricted |
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Note: Meeting access settings apply only for the current meeting. Settings for a recurring meeting apply to all future occurrences of the meeting, until you update the settings.
These settings replace Quick Access settings:
The settings above (Open, Trusted, Restricted) replace an older version of Google Meet that had Quick Access settings. Meetings scheduled before this change are set as follows:
- Quick Access on--meetings default to Trusted and your guests can join before you.
- Quick Access off--meetings default to Restricted and your guests won’t be able to join until you join.
Use Host management settings
Your Google admin sets the default Host management setting for your organization.
As the meeting organizer or host, you can turn on Host management to moderate the meeting and control participation. You can also make other participants co-hosts to share moderation privileges. Note that turning on Host management removes certain privileges from other participants. See the table for details.
Host management On | Off | |
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Who can... | Only (co)-hosts | Any internal participant |
Eject or mute a participant | ✔ | ✔ |
Accept knocks to join the meeting | ✔ | ✔ |
Dial out to a phone caller to join | ✔ | ✔ |
Start a recording or live stream | ✔ | ✔ |
Add / remove other co-hosts* | ✔ | NA |
Apply locks so only hosts can:
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✔ | NA |
Mute everyone with one click | ✔ | NA |
End the meeting for all participants (instead of just leaving) |
✔ | NA |
* A co-host can't remove the original host. Learn more about adding co-hosts.
Meetings with internal users
Here are some common scenarios for meeting with people inside your Google Workspace organization.
Open the meeting to anyone in your organization
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Restrict the meeting to guests you invite or accept
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Organize a meeting someone else moderates (you won’t be there)
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Delegated users: If you manage someone else’s calendar as a delegated user and schedule a meeting on that person’s primary calendar, they are the meeting host. In that case you don’t have to make them a co-host.
Moderate a large meeting with a panel of presenters
During the meeting, limit screen sharing to your presenters. Manage unwanted background noise with the Mute all option.
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During the presentations:
Tip: If there’s distracting background noise from any guest, use the Mute all option to quickly mute everyone in the meeting. Participants who need to speak can then unmute themselves. At the bottom right, click People Mute all . |
Live stream a discussion panel
To view a live stream, a viewer must be in either your organization or a trusted domain added by your Google admin.
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For specific steps: Set up a live stream |
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For the event with participants:
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Include external users in your meeting
You can have people outside your Google Workspace organization join meetings, too, even if they can't sign in to a Google Account. Here are some options:
Let external users join automatically
They must be signed in to a Google Account.
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Invite external users but require non-invited users to knock to join
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Allow signed-out users to join
If your guest can’t currently sign in to a Google Account, you can still have a video meeting with them.
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Add as co-host: Even if a participant isn’t signed in to a Google Account, you can still make them a co-host. After they join the meeting, add them as a co-host in the People panel. A co-host who isn’t signed in has all privileges of other co-hosts except they can’t send email invitations to additional guests.
Join a meeting on a second screen
The best way to join a meeting on a second screen without creating audio feedback is to join using Companion mode.
In Companion mode:
- Your microphone is always off to reduce the risk of audio feedback from the second screen
- You don’t see the participant grid, making it easier to see presentations
- You can click Present now to share your screen
- Your participant tile doesn’t show to other participants unless you turn on your camera or raise your hand
When to use Companion mode
If you're in a room that has Meet audio and video, you can join in Companion mode from your laptop. Do this to:
- Present your screen without risking audio feedback
- Raise your hand: Your participant tile appears in the participant grid so others in the meeting know you have something to say
- Use the meeting chat, or participate in polls or Q&A activities
- Turn host controls on or off
Join a meeting in Companion mode
Go to the meeting from a Calendar event or using the meeting link. From the meeting entry page (green room), do one of the following:
- Click Use Companion mode. If you are in a conference room, check in so that your name and the room name appear on your participant tile.
- Click Present to join in Companion mode while also sharing your screen.
Learn more about Companion mode.
Enhance your Meet experience with Gemini
If your organization has Gemini for Google Workspace, you can use it in Meet to generate unique backgrounds, enhance your audio and video for a studio-like experience, provide real-time captions in multiple languages, and take meeting notes.
Use AI to create a background image
Learn more about how to change backgrounds and apply visual effects in Google Meet.
Create a background image before a meeting
- On a computer, open meet.google.com.
- Select a meeting.
- At the bottom right of your self view, click Apply visual effects Generate a background .
- Enter a prompt. For example:
- "Luxurious living room interior"
- "A magical sunny forest glade"
Tip: For better results, try including reference to a style or mood, a setting, and objects in the environment. For example: "A cozy coffee shop with flowers."
- (Optional) You can select a style to customize the background image you create.
- Click Create samples to see several suggested background images.
- (Optional) After you click Create samples, you can:
- Edit your prompt: At the top of the panel on the right, click the prompt. Edit your prompt and click Create other samples.
- See more suggested background images: Click Create other samples.
- Click one of the generated images to use as your background in your meeting.
- Click Close to exit "Generate a background" setup.
Create a background image in a meeting
- On a computer, open meet.google.com.
- Join a meeting.
- On the bottom, click More options Apply visual effects Generate a background .
- Enter a prompt. For example:
- "Luxurious living room interior"
- "A magical sunny forest glade"
Tip: For better results, try including reference to a style or mood, a setting, and objects in the environment. For example: "A cozy coffee shop with flowers."
- (Optional) You can select a style to customize the background image you create.
- Click Create samples to see several suggested background images.
- (Optional) After you click Create samples, you can:
- Edit your prompt: At the top of the panel on the right, click the prompt. Edit your prompt and click Create other samples.
- See more suggested background images: Click Create other samples.
- Click one of the generated images to use as your background in your meeting.
- Click Close to exit "Generate a background" setup.
Give feedback on generated background images
Gemini for Google Workspace is constantly learning and may not be able to support your request.
If you get an inaccurate or unsafe suggestion, you can submit feedback to us.
- Hover over the desired image.
- On the bottom of the image, click Good suggestion or Bad suggestion .
- If you click Bad suggestion , you can select the issue you found and enter additional feedback.
- Click Submit.
Provide general feedback on background images
- On a computer, open meet.google.com.
- Select a meeting.
- At the bottom right of your screen, click More options Report a problem .
- To describe your issue or suggestion, click Report an issue or Suggest an idea.
- To help identify the issue, click Capture screenshot Send.
To report a legal issue, create a request.
Turn on studio look
To help improve your Google Meet video quality, studio look uses artificial intelligence to fix issues caused by low light or low quality webcams. This process automatically happens in the cloud to enhance video quality without any impact to device performance.
- On your computer, open meet.google.com.
- Select a video meeting.
- In the green room before you join or during the meeting, navigate to the Effects panel.
- In the green room, click Apply visual effects on the bottom right of your self view. During a meeting, hover over your self view and click in the center.
- Alternatively click More options Apply visual effects.
- Under “Appearance,” turn on "Studio look."
Turn on studio lighting
Important: In order to view and use this feature, you must have a processor that is equivalent or more performant than Intel Core i9-9880H (8C/16T), Intel Core i5-1235U (2P8E/12T), AMD Ryzen 5 5500U (6C/12T), and Apple M1 (4P4E/8T).
Studio lighting can be used to simulate studio-quality lighting. You’ll be able to adjust the lighting position, brightness, and color to look your best.
- On your computer, open meet.google.com.
- Select a video meeting.
- In the green room before you join or during the meeting, navigate to the Effects panel .
- Click More options Settings .
- In the green room, Click on the bottom right of your self view. During a meeting, hover over your self view and click in the center.
- Alternatively click More options Apply Visual Effects.
- Under “Appearance,” turn on "Studio lighting."
- To have Google Meet automatically brighten your self view, select Auto.
- To customize your lighting sources, select Custom .
- The light intensity can be adjusted using the slider from the panel.
- The light color can be changed from the panel by selecting the different colored circles.
- The light position can be changed by dragging the Light 1 and Light 2 circles in your self view.
Turn on studio sound
Studio sound will automatically improve poor audio quality from typical bluetooth headsets and dial-in participants by using AI to recreate higher audio frequencies. Currently, this feature is available for meetings on the computer and dialing-in into a meeting by phone.
In order to use studio sound, you must meet all device requirements for Noise cancellation. Studio sound is automatically applied when noise cancellation is enabled.
Before a meeting
- Go to meet.google.com select a meeting.
- Before you join, in the top right-hand corner, click More options Settings .
- Click Audio .
- Turn on Noise cancellation.
- Click Join now.
In a meeting
- At the bottom, click More options Settings .
- Click Audio .
- Turn on Noise cancellation.
Join and participate from your mobile device
Participate from your phone’s mobile app
You can join and participate in a video meeting from your phone’s mobile Meet or Gmail app. You then use your phone’s audio and video, and you have the same access and participation rights as if you joined from your computer.
Use a phone for audio & your computer for video
If you have a poor network connection, try to improve performance by using your phone for audio instead of your computer. You still use your computer for video.
On your computer, do one of the following:
- In the meeting—Click MoreUse a phone for audio
- On the meeting entry page—Click Join and use a phone for audio.
Follow instructions to enter your number and be called. You keep participating with video from your computer, but you speak and listen through your phone.
Learn more: Use a phone for audio in a meeting
Dial in with audio only
If you can’t join with video, such as when driving, dial in with a phone number.
- Dial in from your phone—Use the meeting’s phone number and PIN. This information is on the Calendar invite and also available to people in the meeting.
- Have someone in the meeting dial out—A participant with dial-out privileges can call you from the meeting. From the People panel, they click Add peopleCall.
Learn more: Use a phone to dial in to a meeting
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