Use Companion Mode for hybrid learning and collaboration

Important: Some features require specific Google Workspace editions. Learn more about Google Workspace editions.

You can use Companion Mode to join a Google Meet video meeting on a second screen. In Companion Mode, your mic and video are turned off to avoid any audio feedback.

When there is a mix of participants who are remote or in meeting rooms (hybrid meetings), people in a meeting room don't have access to individually chat, upvote questions or answer polls with meeting room hardware or Nest Hub Max. Instead, you can use Companion Mode to improve participants' collaboration.

• In meeting rooms – Join meetings with audio and video on meeting room hardware or Google Nest Hub Max to speak or listen to remote participants. To share your screen or use chat, polls, Q&A and host controls, use Companion Mode on your laptop. For improved use of features while in Companion Mode, use room check in to have:
  • Your personal video tile is visible to other conference rooms on the call.
  • Your name appear on the conference room tile.
  • Your personal video tile and room name appear when you raise your hand.
• When you're remote – Join a meeting with audio and video as normal.

Connect with Companion Mode and use room check in

Important: The room check in option only appears when a conference room is connected to your meeting.

When you join a Google Meet meeting in Companion Mode, you can check in or connect to a conference room. When you check in, your name appears in the participant list and on the room tile.

• Room check-in is connected to a companion session: If you exit Companion Mode, your connection will be lost and you'll no longer be checked in to your room.
• To find Room check-in, a room device must be on the call: You can only check in to devices that are on the call. If you join a companion without a Google Meet hardware device in the meeting, you won't be prompted to check in. If the Google Meet hardware device joins later, you're prompted in Companion Mode to check in.
• Room check-in isn't verified: It's possible to check in to a room that you're not in. If someone abuses this on the call, to remove on-call participants from the meeting, click Remove from the call. Learn how to remove people during a video meeting.
• Names are sorted alphabetically on the room tile.

You can connect your laptop to a Google Meet meeting in Companion Mode from a meeting invite or with a short link.

Connect with Companion Mode from the meeting invite:

1. In a meeting invite, click Join.
2. Under 'Other joining options', click Use Companion Mode.
   • If you're using a short link, in your browser, enter g.co/companion. Select a meeting or enter a meeting code.
3. Optional: Check in to your conference room.
   • From the pop-up after you join, click Check-in.
   • If there are multiple rooms, in the pop-up, click Choose your room.
   • In the conference room that you're in, click Check-in.

After the meeting starts, check in to your conference room in Companion Mode:

1. In Companion Mode, at the bottom left, click your meeting name.
2. In the dialogue box, click Check in.
3. Optional:
   • To exit Companion Mode and return to the meeting landing page: Click Leave and rejoin to use your audio .
   • To check in to a different conference room: Click Check in to a different room .
   • To check out of your conference room: Click Check out of your room .

Tips:

• To avoid missing chat messages, connect with Companion Mode at the beginning of the meeting. Messages sent before you connect aren't included in your chat stream.
• If you plan to use chat during the meeting, remind meeting room participants to connect with Companion Mode.

Reasons why you may not find a prompt for Room check-in

Use self view to share your personal video tile with remote participants

If you're in a meeting room and join with Companion Mode, you can turn on self view with your laptop camera to share your personal video tile with others on the call. Audio isn't shared and your personal video tile is never shown as an active speaker. When you turn off your camera, self view shows your avatar.

1. Turn on self view: From the bottom of the Companion Mode screen, click Turn on camera .
   • Turn off self view: click Turn off camera .
   • By default, self view is always off and minimised.
2. Change background and apply visual effects: From the bottom of the Companion Mode screen, click More options Apply visual effects .
   • Learn more about visual effects.

Important:

• When video is on, your self view shows up to other Meet users who join with full audio and video.
• Self view only shows on Google Meet hardware devices when you raise your hand and/or when checked in.

Present with Companion Mode on your laptop

You can quickly share your laptop screen in Companion Mode.

From the meeting invite:

1. In a meeting invite, click Join.
2. On the meeting landing page, click Present choose what to share.

Use a short link:

1. In your browser, enter g.co/present.
2. On the Meet home screen, select a meeting choose what to share.

Learn more about Companion Mode

Infographic: Collaboration equity in hybrid meetings

Who can use Companion Mode, and what features are available?

Companion Mode will be available to all Google Meet participants. The availability of features, such as hand raising, depends on your Google Workspace edition. Learn more about Google Workspace editions.

I'm not in a meeting room. Can I use Companion Mode as a second screen?

Yes. When you view the presentation on a second screen, you can unpin the presentation from your primary screen so that you can view more video feeds from participants on your primary screen.

Learn about devices, participants and hosting