You can host a free video call with up to ten contacts , chat in groups and send messages to people even if they’re offline. The default settings mute the microphone whenever a video is being played. Mireia Fernandez Cristia Updated 3 months ago. YouTube integration makes it powerful YouTube integration has been the most amazing addition to an already seamless communications tool. It is highly recommended for professional use.
 
 

 

Google Hangouts – Get Started with Hangouts on Desktop or Mobile.

 

The best part is that you can see all participants even while watching a video. Their images are displayed below the video being played. It saves you the trouble of reshuffling your chat screens every now and then. Though you could choose from plenty of communications tools, Hangouts wins the race with ease of use, clean interface, and YouTube integration. The chat feature is very easy-to-use and lets you get in touch with anyone instantly. Google gives you the ability to turn off chat recordings.

One of the most amazing communications tools, Hangouts offers exceptional user experience. Backed by Google, it comes with a wide range of features to enhance and simplify your messaging and video chats. It runs on Windows 7 and higher. For running it on a Windows desktop or laptop, you need to open the browser-based version or add it as an extension to Google Chrome. While Hangouts is a great choice, you might be looking for a few alternatives. Skype, the leading name among communications tools, offers several features.

However, you need to download and install the software, which makes cross-device usage tedious. WhatsApp for Web is another good choice, but comes with limited features for usage on desktop or laptop, such as the lack of video calls.

You can use Discord in a browser too! In the past, the company has been troubled by some serious privacy issues. The instant messaging features of Hangouts go beyond the traditional format.

You can make the interaction fun by adding images, emojis, GIFs, and maps. Since Hangouts is available for multiple platforms, syncing your contact list is hassle-free. Hangouts makes conversations more lively with emojis, photos, and video conferencing for free. To send a photo, click the image icon on the bottom-right to send your photos to everyone in the group. For video calls, click the video call button , and another window will pop up.

Once your call begins, you can quickly turn off cameras or mute microphones with one simple click. In addition, you can use in-call messaging to share links, photos, and notes with everyone during the video call. This app is designed to sync all your chats across devices , so if you use it on both a PC and Android device, then Hangouts will automatically update messages without any hassle. In addition, you don’t have to worry about manually syncing devices as this app does most of the work in the background using little resources.

Send your friends a message and start talking anytime they’re offline. An appealing feature of Messages is the ability to send messages even when somebody’s not online.

If you want to respond later, you can snooze your notifications. This will help prevent the distractions of phone calls and messages while focusing on what’s important now. Additionally, with Google Voic e, you can make phone calls using a US number and your own voice. You may also send text messages or check your voicemail to keep up with friends and family.

Google has been busy making their well-known chat app even better by adding a new feature that will let users see the history of conversations with friends and family members. With this update to the application called ‘ Hangout History ,’ all of your conversations are saved on Google Drive for easy access.

This is a handy feature in case you need to remember something specific someone said, like a phone number or address. Hangouts offer a basic but still serviceable video call quality. The clarity of the sound that comes through in each Hangout is a little less than what you would expect in other apps like Zoom or Microsoft Teams. It can be a struggle for participants on your Hangouts calls to maintain clear connections. Even if you have excellent internet, the other party may not, and will be subject to blurriness or delays in their voice.

This can lead to people constantly talking over each other, which can be frustrating and awkward during meetings. Security concerns with video conferencing platforms are a big issue these days, but Hangouts has this covered. The chat app offers security features that come bundled in the G Suite , like preventing unwanted participants from hijacking your call.

With the help of the Hangouts Chrome Extension on browsers such as Safari or Firefox, you have access to everything that would be available in an instant messenger—from screen sharing to voice chat , even video calls. Hangouts also supports video conference groups , and users can make free video calls with up to 10 people.

If your conversation history is being clogged by concluded conversations, users can archive them for better organization. These archived conversations can still be accessed at a later date.

Alternatively, users can opt to leave the conversation entirely, but that would result in the conversation no longer being accessible to the user. Google Hangouts is great for professional use thanks to its no-nonsense interface and features.

If you need a messaging app without any unnecessary stuff or embellishment then Google Hangouts is a good app for you. Good tool for communication. Allows meetings just like in our boardrooms. Laws concerning the use of this software vary from country to country.

We do not encourage or condone the use of this program if it is in violation of these laws. In Softonic we scan all the files hosted on our platform to assess and avoid any potential harm for your device. Our team performs checks each time a new file is uploaded and periodically reviews files to confirm or update their status. This comprehensive process allows us to set a status for any downloadable file as follows:. We have scanned the file and URLs associated with this software program in more than 50 of the world’s leading antivirus services; no possible threat has been detected.

Based on our scan system, we have determined that these flags are possibly false positives.