Google Hangouts Meet Student Guide



Getting Started

Google Hangouts Meet is a video conferencing application that comes standard with the Google Chrome web browser. The application can be used on tablet and other mobile devices with the Google Hangouts Meet app. This app can be downloaded from the Apple App store for iOS devices or Google Play store for Android devices. 

This guide outlines the steps for using Google Hangouts Meet in either a Windows or Mac web browser. The prefered browser for Google Hangouts Meet is Google Chrome.

It is important that your Chrome browser is updated to the most current version to ensure Google Hangouts Meet works properly.

Get a Chrome update when available

Normally updates happen in the background when you close and reopen your computer's browser. But, if you haven't closed your browser in a while, you might see a pending update:

  1. On your computer, open Google Chrome.

  2. At the top right, look at More More.

  3. If an update is pending, the icon will be colored:

  • Green: An update was released less than 2 days ago.

  • Orange: An update was released about 4 days ago.

  • Red: An update was released at least a week ago.

To update Google Chrome:

  1. On your computer, open Chrome.

  2. At the top right, click More More.

  3. Click Update Google Chrome.

  • Important: If you can't find this button, that means you already have the latest version.

  1. Click Relaunch.

When updating, the Google Chrome browser saves your opened tabs and windows and reopens them automatically when it restarts. Any “Incognito” windows will not reopen when Google Chrome restarts. If you'd prefer not to restart straight away, click Not now, and the next time you restart your browser, the update will be applied.

 

Joining a Meeting

Join By Phone

Pin, Mute, or remove Hangouts Meet participants

Pin a Participant or Presenter

How to View Closed Captioning

How to Toggle Your Microphone and Video Camera On/Off

Feedback

How to Present

How to Use Chat in Google Hangouts Meet

How to Exit a Google Hangouts Meet Meeting

Using Google Hangouts Meet on a Mobile Device

Android

iPhone

Questions or Concerns

 

 

Joining a Meeting

  1. Launch the prefered web browser (Chrome).

  2. Sign into your Maricopa Gmail account.

  3. Click the link sent to you by your instructor.

  4. On the next screen, you have the option to turn off your microphone and camera by clicking the appropriate icon (circled). When you are ready, click Join Now.

Join By Phone

To speak and listen using your phone while still viewing the video meeting on your computer, you can have Hangouts Meet call your phone or dial in from your device.

If you're not already in the meeting, your computer joins when your phone connects. If there are more than 5 people already in the meeting, you will join muted. You also join muted if your computer is muted before connecting. 

When you click the link to the meeting, you’ll have the choice to join by phone.


During the Google Hangouts Meet Meeting

Pin, Mute, or remove Hangouts Meet participants

Select a participant from the filmstrip to mute, pin, or remove the person.

  1. Click the People icon to display the participants.


  1. Click on a participant’s name to see the options to Pin, Mute or Remove the user.


Pin a Participant or Presenter

As people are speaking, the active speaker will show on the screen. You can click Pin in a participant's thumbnail image to pin them to the top of the list. One of the challenges you may encounter is that you cannot see what the presenter is sharing. If this happens, it’s simply because they are not the active person on your screen. You will need to “pin” the presenter on the screen. To do this, click the People icon, click on the presenter and click the Pin. This will keep the presenter on the screen.


How to View Closed Captioning

Hover toward the bottom of the meeting window. In the white pop-up bar, click CC Turn on Captions.

How to Toggle Your Microphone and Video Camera On/Off

Hover toward the bottom of the meeting window. In the white pop-up bar, click the microphone to mute and click the camera to turn off your camera. 

To turn them on again, follow the same steps. When they are on, they are no longer red.

 

Feedback

When you join a meeting, do check in by greeting your instructor. If you are not using headphones, your computer speakers may cause feedback and/or a high pitch squeak. To avoid, please keep your microphone muted until you need to speak. Ideally, it’s best to use headphones.

If you are logged in with two devices such as your laptop and your phone, you’ll need to mute both of them.

How to Present

Your instructor may want you to present to the class. All participants have the capability to present. To present, do this:

  1. Hover toward the bottom of the meeting window. In the white pop-up bar, click Present Now.

  1. Choose Your Entire Screen.


  2. Select the screen displayed and choose Share.


  3. To stop presenting, return to the Google Hangouts Meet window. Hover toward the bottom of the meeting window. In the white pop-up bar, click You are Presenting and then Stop presenting. Or, you can simply click the blue Stop sharing button.
     

How to Use Chat in Google Hangouts Meet

  1. Click the Chat icon.

  2. Click once to put your cursor in the text box at the bottom of the Chat window. 

  3. Type your message and click the green arrow.

How to Exit a Google Hangouts Meet Meeting

  1. On a computer, you can either close the browser tab or click the red phone icon at the bottom of the screen.


  2. On a phone, use the back button on your device to back out of the meeting. Here is an Android screen capture:

Using Google Hangouts Meet on a Mobile Device

Google Hangouts Meet on your phone works very similarly to the computer. For you to participate in a Google Meet session on a mobile device, you need to install Hangouts Meet.

Using the Meet app for both Android and iPhone, the ideal way to view the meeting is to hold your phone horizontally. At any time, if you want to access closed captions, mute your microphone, access the attendees list, or pin the presenter, you simply tap on the screen to see the icons or menus.

Below are some screen captures showing how to access the tools/features.

Android

Here’s the vertical view. Some of the icons are hidden under the Options menu (three dots).

Here’s the horizontal view.

iPhone

Here’s the vertical view. Some of the icons are hidden under the Options menu (three dots).

Here’s the horizontal view.

 

 

Questions or Concerns

For any questions or concerns please submit a HelpDesk ticket, email the HelpDesk at [email protected], or call the HelpDesk at (480) 423-6274 and select option 3.