How to make a video call with Google Meet on your phone

If you're one of the millions of people who became a Google Meet video chat devotee during lockdown, good news: You can now access Meet directly from the Gmail app on Android and iOS, making it easier to join video calls from your phone.

In April, Google made Meet and its premium features, such as unlimited call time and screen sharing, free to consumers through Sept. 30. The move put it in more direct competition with Zoom, which saw a massive surge in users when the pandemic hit, but also experienced a number of security issues, including uninvited guests "Zoombombing" meetings. 

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You can already find Meet in Gmail on your web browser, but launching it from an app saves you a step. Meet should be available in the Gmail app in your phone sometime in the coming weeks, according to a Google blog post from June 16. Here's how to use Google Meet on your phone when the rollout hits your device. 

How to use Google Meet on your phone

Step 1. Open the Gmail app. 

Step 2. Tap the Meet tab at the bottom right of the screen. 

Step 3. Tap New meeting to start a meeting instantly, get a meeting link to share or schedule a meeting in Calendar. Or, tap Join with a code to join meetings shared with you by entering a meeting code. 

Then just chat away on your phone and take those calls on the go. 

Need more video chat tips? Check out 10 free Zoom alternative apps for video chats, how to make video meetings less weird, tips for how to use Zoom like a pro, how to look and sound great online with your webcam and how to turn your phone into a webcam.