How To Set Up Gmail Chat

Millions of people worldwide are yet practicing social distancing in the current coronavirus pandemic, which means that digitally keeping in impact is more than important than ever. This includes creating video meetings with your coworkers while working remotely or checking in with your friends and family. If y'all find yourself looking for a robust tool for either of these use cases, you might want to expect at Google Hangouts.

Related: Top 10 tips for remote work: Stay productive while working from domicile

Google Hangouts is a gratis chat, audio calling, and video calling service. Fifty-fifty meliorate, it'southward fairly straightforward to employ. All y'all need to get started is a Google business relationship. Before we talk about how to apply Google Hangouts, let'southward talk about what it is exactly.

What is Google Hangouts?

Hangouts originally started as a feature in Google+ long before the social network's timely demise. Google somewhen launched a standalone Hangouts app in May 2022. Since then, the app has gained (and lost) a few features. Unfortunately, the Hangouts brand split into a slightly confusing set of advice tools over time. The apps at present include Chat, Google Encounter, and Dialer.

Classic Google Hangouts lets users message either one-on-one or in groups of upward to 150 people. They can as well video chat with other individuals or in groups of up to 10. On the other hand, business Google account users can video chat in groups with upwards to 25 people.

Related: 10 best alternatives to FaceTime on Android!

The other apps in the Hangouts ecosystem are for Google Vocalization subscribers and G Suite users. If you have a Voice account, Hangouts users tin can call anyone worldwide for gratis using the Dialer app.

If you have a G Suite business relationship, you lot can also use Hangouts Chat and Meet. Conversation offers a similar experience to Slack with Google search functionality built-in and Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets integration. Run into touts similar video chat functionality to classic Hangouts but with a more robust feature set. This includes support for video and sound meetings with up to 250 users and Google Calendar integration for meeting details and scheduling.

Google volition probably retire Hangouts somewhen and move free users over to See and Chat without needing G Suite accounts. Until then, the standard Hangouts app is available for everyone. It's also accessible online and has a Google Chrome extension.

How to apply the Google Hangouts App

Perhaps the all-time and easiest style to utilize Hangouts is with the app. Information technology'due south available on Android and iOS, and you don't need to worry nigh peripherals since your smartphone contains a built-in camera and microphone.

To get started, you will need to download the Google Hangouts app. From there, you'll need to sign in to the Google business relationship of your choice. In that location's no need to set up a Hangouts profile considering it uses the information you accept already set from your Gmail account.

Read also: 10 best VoIP and SIP apps for Android!

Once yous've signed in with the account of your selection, you can now start messaging and video chatting.

How to get-go a new conversation or video call

Tap the green and white "+" button at the app's bottom right and select either New conversation or New video call.
You can and so type in the proper name, email address, or telephone number of an existing Hangouts user to start a text-based conversation or video call.
- If y'all commencement a new chat with someone who does not apply Hangouts withal past inbound their email accost or telephone number, it volition send them an invite to use the service.
To bulletin multiple people at one time, you can create groups past selecting New group below the contact entry field and adding upwards to 150 people.
To video chat with multiple people at once, only add up to ix contacts in the entry field when starting a video telephone call.
- If yous have a business account, you tin video conversation with up to 24 other people.
You lot can add together more people to groups at any time by selecting the three vertical dots at the top right of the UI from within the group and borer People.
You tin can also invite more people to an ongoing video chat by tapping the three vertical dots at the top right of the video call and selecting Invite.
- In that location's an option to share a link to an ongoing video call. If you share that link with someone and click it, they can join the video phone call by simply signing in with their Gmail account.

Once yous've started an individual or group conversation, you will be able to pick up where yous left off by selecting the conversation from the app's master page.

How to utilize Hangouts in your web browser

If you would rather use Hangouts in your web browser, it'due south pretty simple. First, you'll need a microphone and webcam if you want to video chat. Most laptops will accept both of these congenital-in. If your laptop does not, or you lot are using a desktop, you'll need to set up some external peripherals.

Related: The 6 best webcams you can purchase

Once you exercise that, navigate to hangouts.google.com in your computer browser. Y'all'll need to sign in with your desired Google account if you are not already. Once yous're at that place, starting text and video conversations is pretty straightforward.

How to first a new conversation or video call

Tap the Bulletin or Video call icon in the middle of the screen.
You tin then type in the proper name, electronic mail address, or phone number of an existing Hangouts user to start a text-based chat or video phone call.
- If you enter the email address or phone number of someone who does not use Hangouts yet, it will ship them an invite to employ the service.
To message multiple people at in one case, you tin create groups by selecting New group beneath the contact entry field and adding up to 150 people.
To video chat with multiple people at in one case, just add upward to nine contacts in the entry field when starting a video phone call.
- If you have a business business relationship, y'all tin can video chat with up to 24 other people.
You lot tin add more people to groups at whatever time by selecting the person icon at the tiptop left of the conversation window.
You can also invite more people to an ongoing video chat by tapping the icon of a person with a "+" next to it at the UI's top right.
- There'southward an option to share a link to an ongoing video call. If you share that link with someone and they click it, they can join the video telephone call by simply signing in with their Gmail account.

Also, note that your data continuously syncs between the app and the website. That means you lot tin can set up a group video telephone call in your browser and access it someday from your mobile phone.

How to use the Chrome extension

Lastly, there'south the Chrome extension. Only like the website, y'all'll demand a microphone and webcam if you desire to video call. You'll also need to utilize Google Chrome or some other Chromium-based browser like the new Microsoft Edge.

If you're already signed into your Google account on your browser, the extension will automatically sign in to your Hangouts account. If yous're not signed in, Hangouts volition prompt you to exercise so. Once you end signing in, starting a new conversation or video call is quite similar to the previous methods, with a few minor differences.

How to start a new conversation or video call

Tap New conversation at the top left-hand of the window.
You can then blazon in the name, electronic mail address, or phone number of an existing Hangouts user to beginning a text-based chat.
- If y'all enter the email address or phone number of someone who does not employ Hangouts however, it will ship them an invite to employ the service.
To bulletin multiple people at in one case, you can create groups by selecting New grouping below the contact entry field and calculation up to 150 people.
To video chat, you demand to beginning a chat first and so click the video camera icon at the top correct of the conversation window.
You tin besides invite more than people to an ongoing video chat past tapping the icon of a person with a "+" adjacent to it at the UI'south top right.
- You can invite upwardly to nine other people in a video phone call nether a standard Google business relationship and 24 other people under a business concern business relationship.
- There's also an option to share a link to an ongoing video phone call. If you share that link with someone and they click information technology, they tin bring together the video call by simply signing in with their Gmail business relationship.