Google Hangouts (Meet & Chat)
Learn how to use Google Hangouts for online meetings and chats.
Google offers video conferencing and instant messaging as part of its G-Suite collaboration tools.
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Hangouts Meet is Google’s video conferencing platform that allows for virtual meetings and classrooms (up to 250 members per call).
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Hangouts Chat is Google’s instant messaging and chat room app. It functions as a 1-to-1 instant messaging app, as well as a group messaging chat option.
Information for Health Sciences Personnel
In adherence to HIPAA regulations, the use of Google Workspace for storing PHI is not supported. Review information on GSuite for Health personnel on Pulse (AD login required) or direct any questions to 3help@ucsd.edu.
Please visit the ITSS page to learn about the G Suite for Education acquisition process.
Using Hangouts Meet
Training
The best instructions for using Meet are here on Google’s help pages.
For a guided training experience, start with resources for beginners (Level 1), and work your way to more advanced tips and topics:
- Level 1: Start and join video meetings
- Level 2: Collaborate in video meetings
- Level 3: Learn productivity tips for Meet
For instructors and classrooms
Google has thorough documentation for educators who wish to use Hangouts Meet in their classrooms:
- Read Use Hangouts for Real-Time Communication (requires login)
- See Google's larger collected tips on using their tools with distance learning.
- Watch this 1-hour Google webinar for instructors: Enabling Distance Learning with G Suite and Chrome
Mobile apps
Google Meet can be used on a computer or mobile device.
Meet apps are available on iOS and Android:
Special features
Learning environments are rapidly changing in response to COVID-19, so Google has released premium Hangouts Meet features that were previously only available to enterprise licensing customers.
This means that all users now have the ability to record Meet calls, stream live, and host calls up to 250 members. (At this time, these premium features are only available until July 1, 2020.)
Using Hangouts Chat
Hangouts Chat is a powerful way to communicate with people in your organization. Start a message with one or more coworkers or students, create a room for ongoing conversations with groups of people, and use bots to help automate your work.
Chat works in your computer browser and in mobile apps for Android and iOS. Chat keeps all your messages in sync no matter which devices you use, even if you switch between them.
Training
The best instructions for using Hangouts Chat are here on Google’s help page.
Download the app
Hangouts Chat can be used on a computer or mobile device (Meet apps are available on iOS, Android, Mac, and PC).
- Download and install native apps for Hangouts Chat on Windows and macOS.
- Download the mobile app from the Google Play store.
- Download the mobile app from the Apple App Store.