How To Use Google Hangouts? – Easy Tutorial 2022
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How to use Google Hangouts?
Google Hangouts is a video chat service that allows you to communicate with other people in real-time. You can send and receive messages, photos, and even record a voice message. The service was launched in 2009 and has been growing ever since. It is available to anyone with an internet connection.
A communications tool called Google Hangouts makes messaging and video chatting possible. There are various ways for starting a session for a one-on-one discussion or discourse involving multiple parties. It’s also helpful for those who work from home because it makes it easy to schedule a meeting with coworkers from anywhere in the world.
In this article, we’ll go over each of those options, give you a brief explanation of how Google Hangouts functions in each situation, and look at solutions for some of the more typical issues you might run across.
1. Open Hangouts
Simply open this link in your browser to begin a Google Hangouts session: https://hangouts.google.com. That’s how simple it is. To start a session, you must sign in to your Google account if you haven’t already (although you can join chats without being signed in).
An alternative method of using Hangouts is through its Chrome browser plugin, which does essentially the same functions.
In step 8 of this guide, we’ll look at how users of mobile devices can use the Google Hangouts applications for Android and iOS.
2. Start messaging
Simply press on the Message icon and choose the recipient’s name from the list of contact that appears to send a message using Hangouts. If they aren’t on the list, you may also search for them by entering their email address, name, or phone number in the search box at the top of the sidebar.
When you click on the appropriate name, a dialogue box appears. You can give your chat invitation a title here before clicking Send Invite to start the conversation. It couldn’t be simpler to have a message-based chat once the other side has accepted your invitation.
You can continue the chat when you’re ready in the future. Additionally, you may start a group chat and invite more people by clicking on the icon of a person with a “plus” next to it at the top of the conversation window (again, simply type the relevant names to search for the people you wish to add).
3. Make a video call
A new window will open when you click the video call icon. Enter the email address of one person you want to contact in the Invite People dialogue box, and then select them from the menu that appears below. Click the green “Invite” button now. The recipient(s) will be informed of your call and have the option of picking it up.
A link to the video chat session will be copied to your clipboard if you choose the alternative of clicking Copy Link to Share. You can then paste the link into an email and send it to the person you want to talk with. Should they do that they can then join the call immediately from their email inbox by clicking the provided link; additionally, they are not required to be logged into a Google account.
Similar to text-based communications, once a session has begun, it is also possible to add new participants by clicking the person icon with a plus sign next to it in the top right corner of the screen.
4. Video call basics
If the receiving party accepts the call, you will then be able to video chat, so chitchat all you want. The major controls are located at the bottom of the screen. You can end the connection by pressing the red button in the center. You can also mute the microphone or switch off your camera by pressing the buttons on the left or right, respectively.
5. Troubleshooting mic issues
What happens, though, if your video conference doesn’t seem to be working properly? One of the most frequent issues is that your microphone doesn’t seem to be working, which makes it impossible for the person you’re chatting with to hear you.
Go over the fundamentals first, making sure you haven’t silenced the microphone. Ensure that the mic is correctly attached. Make sure no other apps are running on your computer that could clash with this one and utilize the microphone.
By clicking on the cog symbol in the top-right corner of the screen, you can visit Google Hangouts settings, where you can also check that the proper microphone is selected with three vertical dots. Verify again that the correct microphone is chosen in this submenu.
If everything else fails, we’ve discovered that resuming the call can occasionally fix audio problems. You can also try letting the other person start the video call. Changing to a different browser and/or restarting your computer are additional options that you might want to consider. In our experience, gremlins are frequently fixed by simply starting things up again in one of these ways. Sometimes, Hangouts can just be a bit flaky.
6. Video chat bells and whistles
There are some useful supplementary functionalities to be aware of while you’re in a video chat.
To begin with, you can send an on-screen text message by selecting Chat from the three vertical dots menu in the top right corner, typing your message, and then press Enter. Everyone in the call will be able to see the message flash up.
A share screen option may also be there, as you may have noticed. You can select to share your entire screen or just a specific program window by clicking here and then the blue Share button. The person on the other end of the call can now view as you move around your desktop, which is a great alternative to attempting to orally explain how to do anything on a computer.
When Hangouts starts sharing your screen, a small notice appears at the bottom of the screen to let you know. To end the screen sharing session, click the blue Stop Sharing button.
7. Chrome extension
Would you rather use the addon for Google’s Chrome browser than chat in a browser tab? Simply click this link to download it, install the extension, then launch Chrome by selecting the tiny green speech bubble icon in the top-right corner.
Simply click on the name of the person you want to chat with by selecting New Conversation (the green “plus” button top-left). By clicking on the tiny video camera icon in the top-right corner of the chat window, you can also initiate a video call.
8. Mobile apps
Anyone can use Hangouts with the Android and iOS apps if you’re using a mobile device. If they aren’t already pre-installed on your phone, just download and install them from their respective app stores. You can decide whether to allow the app access to your contacts after installation in order to help it locate buddies.
See that sizable green “plus” button at the bottom-right of the screen when you launch the application. You can then select to start a new chat or video call by simply pressing it. You may access your contacts’ conversation histories by tapping on any of their names. At the top are icons to initiate a video call or a phone call.
Although you don’t have the added features like being capable of sharing your screen or text chat in-line, the basic controls for a video call are the same as a desktop chat.
In conclusion, it’s not easy to find the How to use Google Hangouts? You can also read the 5 best video conferencing apps for Android.
