This article was published on June 16, 2020

You can now make Google Meet calls right from the Gmail app


You can now make Google Meet calls right from the Gmail app

As more people have been working from home than ever, Google Meet has exploded in usage over the last few months. The company has been capitalizing on that popularity by expanding on Meet’s features and integration, going so far as to integrate Meet calls right into Gmail.com last month.

Now the company is doing the same on mobile, allowing Gmail users to make video calls right from their iPhone or Android device.

Considering how much work people do from their phones these days, mobile integration is no surprise, but it’s still nice to see. The Gmail app will soon get a new Meet tab where you can view your upcoming scheduled calls listed on your Google Calendar, and join current ones with one tap.

You can also start a new meeting right from the tab and immediately generate a link to share or create a calendar event yourself. You have the option to secure meetings with an access code as well.

While Google Meet may not have the mindshare that Zoom is enjoying right now, tight integration with Gmail will likely make G Suite users gravitate to its service (frankly, it feels like a bit of an abuse of power, given how popular Gmail is). That said, if you don’t want to see the Meet tab in Gmail, you can disable it from the app Settings.

The feature is rolling out to users starting today and you should see it on your device within the coming weeks.

Correction 4:19 EST: This post previously claimed the feature was only available to paying G Suite users. It in fact works for all Android and iOS users. We regret the error.

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