Important: This article is about legacy calling in Google Meet (previously known as Duo.)
Learn about the transition from legacy calls to the new Meet call experience.
When you communicate in Google Meet, you can use either:
- Meetings: Create or join Google Meet meetings with a link. Meetings can be scheduled or instant and are cloud-encrypted.
- Calls:
- Legacy calls
- Formerly known as Duo, lets users ring a personal account or phone number directly in an end-to-end encrypted manner.
- Meet calls
- Experience upgraded mobile calls that ring directly to a Google Workspace, personal account, or phone number with cloud encryption.
- Optional end-to-end encryption is available for personal users. Learn about the transition from legacy calls to Meet.
- Legacy calls
To use the new calling experience as soon as it's available to you, keep your Meet app up-to-date. When all parties in the call use the latest version of Meet with the update, an in-app prompt explains that they are now using the new calling experience. Otherwise, the call defaults to the legacy calling experience. Once all users have the updated Meet app, legacy calling is no longer accessible.
Tips:
- You need a mobile data plan or a Wi-Fi connection.
- Calls made through mobile data plans don't use mobile minutes. Charges may apply.
Before you begin
Learn how to get started with legacy calling in Google Meet.
Important: When you tap a contact, call defaults to a legacy call unless everyone:
- Uses the latest version of Meet
- Has the update for the new Meet call experience
The existing group calls continue to be legacy. Learn about the transition from legacy calls to the new Meet call experience.
Start a video or voice call
Make sure you have the latest version of the Meet app and Android 7.0 and up.
- On your Android device, open the Google Meet app .
- If you have multiple accounts, at the top right, tap your avatar and confirm you have selected your calling account.
- At the top, search contacts or dial a number.
- Tap the contact or enter the number.
- Select an option:
- To make a video call, tap Call .
- To make a voice call, tap Voice call .
Use Google Meet on Google Home devices
Important: Your Google Assistant language must be set to:
- Canadian English
- French Canadian
- English UK
- English US
- On your Android device, open the Google Meet app .
- At the top of your contact list, tap Call Home.
If you’re signed in to a Google Home device like Smart Displays with Google Assistant, Google Meet can call your Google Home device.
Start a group video call
You can have up to 32 participants in a group video call.
Create a group- On your Android device, open the Google Meet app .
- At the bottom right, tap New Create group.
- Choose your contacts.
- Tap Done Start .
- Optional: By default, your video is on. To turn off your video, tap Video .
Tip: The name appears for everyone in the group. To name the group:
- Next to the group name, tap Edit .
- Enter a name.
- Tap Save.
- On your Android device, open the Meet app .
- At the bottom right, tap New Create group.
- Select your contacts.
- Tap Done.
- To share the link or add contacts, tap Copy or Share .
- Tap Start.
Important: Child accounts can only join groups if at least one of their contacts is in that group.
- On your Android device, open the Google Meet app .
- At the bottom right, tap New.
- Under “Groups,” call a group or join a live group. If “Live” is under the group name, the call is live and you can join.
- To call an existing group: Tap the group name or participants Start .
- To join a live group call: Tap the group name or participants Join .
- On your Android device, open the Google Meet app .
- At the bottom right, tap New.
- Under “Groups,” tap a group Group options .
- Choose an option and follow the on-screen instructions.
You can join or decline the group. If you join, Google Meet won’t unblock people you blocked.
- On your Android device, open the Google Meet app .
- At the bottom right, tap New.
- Under “Groups,” tap a group.
- Touch and hold the contact you want to remove.
- Tap Remove from group.
Tip: You can also block the group member. If the person you blocked clicks the original link to rejoin the group, they get a message that the group doesn’t exist. The group link refreshes for everyone else in the group. Learn about blocked numbers in group calls.
Make Google Meet calls from other apps
If your carrier has video calling and you and the person you call:
- Have the same carrier: The call might use your carrier’s video service.
- Have different carriers: The call uses Google Meet calling.
- Open the Phone app .
- Choose a contact.
- Tap History Video call .
Tip: Video calls on Google Meet may not be available for every contact.
- Open the Contacts app .
- Open the contact's info card.
- Tap Video .
- Open the Messages app .
- Open a conversation.
- At the top, tap Make a video call .
You can start a Google Meet video call when you say or enter:
- "OK Google, Duo call [name]."
- "OK Google, Video call [name]."
Fix problems with calls
Make sure you install the latest version of Google Meet
Troubleshoot if your device doesn't ring