Google Meet: A Complete Guide for Beginners
What basically is Google Meet?
Google Meet (previously known as Google Hangouts Meet) is a video conferencing tool developed by Google. Along with Google Chat, it replaces Google Hangouts video chats and adds a number of enterprise-specific features.
Google Meet is a video-conferencing application. It is the company version of Google’s Hangouts platform, and it is suitable for all sizes of businesses. Users can use the solution to make video calls with up to 30 other people per high-definition video meeting.
After being completely overshadowed by Zoom for the better part of a year, Google Meet gained popularity during the coronavirus stay-at-home order by unlocking many paid features for free users. It still does not have as many users as some of its competitors, but it is expanding and adding new features.
These enterprise features are ideal for small and large businesses, but Google Meet is also a popular choice for schools. Because many school districts in the United States have already invested in Chromebooks and Google Workspace (formerly G Suite) apps, Meet is a natural fit that natively addresses the majority of classroom needs.
Is Google Meet free to use?
Anyone with a Google Account can host a video meeting, invite up to 100 people, and meet for up to 60 minutes for free. See plans and pricing for additional features such as international dial-in numbers, meeting recording, live streaming, and administrative controls.
Google Meet is available to everyone for free, but there are some restrictions. Meetings are limited to one hour for free users, with a maximum of 100 participants. 1:1 meetings are also limited to 24 hours, which is great news for families looking for an alternative to Skype.
Those limits are significantly increased for Google Workspace Essentials users. Meetings with 150 participants can last up to 24 hours. It also includes a number of useful features for businesses, such as the ability to save meeting recordings to Google Drive, as well as domestic and international call-ins and 24/7 customer support.
How to use Google Meet
Go to the Google Meet page to sign up for the free version of Google Meet. For Google Meet, enter your name, email, country, and primary use (personal, business, education, or government). Accept the terms of service from Google and click Submit.
Here’s how to utilize Google Meet for free once you’ve signed up:
- Go to google.com/meet (or, open the app on iOS or Android, or start a meeting from Google Calendar).
- To begin a new meeting, click Start new meeting or enter your meeting code.
- Select the Google account that you’d like to use.
- Select the option to join the meeting. You’ll also be able to invite others to your meeting.
That’s all there is to it! Enjoy your video chatting.
How to Register for Google Meet
Personal Use: Sign in to your existing Google Account if you’re already using Gmail, Google Photos, YouTube, or another Google product.
Business Use: If you already have a Google Workspace account, simply sign in with your existing credentials.
Google Workspace Admins: Google Workspace and Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals are already included in it.
Turn on video calling for your organization to begin using Meet as part of Google Workspace.
As part of Google Workspace, Google Meet is available for education, healthcare, and nonprofits.
Education: Educators, nonprofits, and healthcare professionals interested in video conferencing can access Google Meet via Google Workspace, which includes additional privacy features and tools.
Schools: Google Meet is available to schools for free as part of Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals. Meet, Classroom and the rest of Google Workspace can be used to support compliance with regulations like COPPA, FERPA, and GDPR.
Hospital: When caring for patients remotely via virtual visits, use Google Meet as part of Google Workspace to ensure HIPAA compliance. You can also use Google Workspace to securely store data in Drive and go paperless with digital intake forms.
NonProfits: G Suite for Nonprofits is free for eligible organizations. Get secure business apps like Gmail, Drive, Docs, and Meet from Google Workspace to help you’re nonprofit collaborate more effectively.
