Google hangouts app how to#
Google hangouts app upgrade#
Google hangouts app android#
Google hangouts app Pc#

Google announced in 2018 that Hangouts would eventually be shut down. The service fell out of favor with Google's legendarily fickle messaging strategy in 2016 with the launch of Google Allo.

Google hangouts app android#

As Android's default messaging service, Hangouts amassed 5 billion downloads, and at one point, it even handled Android SMS duties, just like Apple's iMessage.

Google hangouts app upgrade#

The service launched in 2013 as an in-place upgrade to Google Talk.

Google hangouts app how to#

The person on the other end of the call can then watch as you navigate around your desktop, and this can be very useful for showing someone how to do something on the computer, rather than trying to explain it verbally.Ī little message pops up at the bottom of the screen to let you know that Hangouts is sharing your screen, and you can click on the blue Stop Sharing button when you wish to finish your screen sharing session.Further Reading A decade and a half of instability: The history of Google messaging appsThe shutdown of Hangouts has been a long time coming. If you click this, you can choose to share your entire screen – or just an application window – and click on the blue Share button. You may also notice that there is a Share Screen option. Everyone in the call will see the message pop up (this can be handy if you’re having mic troubles, as discussed in the previous section, because it’s an alternative way to temporarily communicate).

While you’re in a video chat, there are some nifty extra bits of functionality to be aware of.įor starters, it’s possible to send an on-screen text message: just click on the three vertical dots icon top-right, click Chat, type in your message and press enter. Sometimes, Hangouts can simply be a little flaky, and in our experience, gremlins are often resolved simply by firing things up again in one (or all) of these manners.

Google hangouts app Pc#

You could also try switching to a different browser and/or rebooting your PC these measures may help. If all that fails, we’ve found that restarting the call can sometimes resolve audio issues – try having the other person initiate the video call, too. Double-check that the appropriate microphone is selected in this submenu (click the down arrow to see all the options). You can also make sure that the correct microphone is selected under Google Hangouts settings, which is accessed by clicking on the cog icon at the top-right of the screen (in some browsers, this may be under the button with three vertical dots, again top-right). Also, ensure that you aren’t running any other programs that use the mic, and might be conflicting. Make sure that the microphone is connected properly (check the cable to the PC).

The first thing to do is go through the basics: check that you haven’t muted the mic (as described in the above section). Troubleshooting mic issuesīut what if your video call doesn’t appear to be functioning properly? One of the most common problems you might encounter is that your microphone doesn’t appear to be working, and the person you’re chatting with can’t hear you (or vice versa).

If they click that link, they can then join the call directly from their email inbox (and what’s more they don’t have to be signed in to a Google account).Īfter a session has started, it’s also possible to invite more people to the call by using the icon of a person with a ‘+’ next to it (top-right of the screen), as we’ve already seen with text-based messaging. The recipient(s) will be alerted of your call, and can choose to answer it (or decline).Īlternatively, click on Copy Link to Share, and this will copy a link to the video chat session to your clipboard, which you can then paste in, say, an email, and send it to the person (or people) you wish to chat with. In the Invite People dialog box, type in the email address (or the name) of the person (or people – it’s possible to add multiple folks) you wish to contact, and click on them in the menu that pops up below. Make a video callĬlick on the icon for a Video Call and a separate window will pop up.