How to Start a Google Meet on Any Device

This is an independent guide. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Google LLC.

You need to start a Google Meet in 30 seconds. Maybe your manager just pinged you with "quick sync?" or a client wants to hop on a call right now. You open your browser, stare at the Google Meet homepage, and wonder: do I click "New meeting" or "Start an instant meeting"? What's the difference? And how do I get the link to my coworker who's waiting?

Google Meet is one of the most widely used video conferencing tools, and starting a meeting should be simple. It is, once you know where the buttons are. But Google has tucked meeting creation into at least four different places: the Meet homepage, Gmail, Google Calendar, and the mobile app. Each one works slightly differently.

This guide walks you through how to start a Google Meet on every device and platform. You'll get step-by-step instructions for desktop, phone, Chromebook, and iPad, plus how to create a Google Meet link, share it with participants, and set up Google Meet for better meetings.

How to Start a Google Meet on Desktop

Starting a Google Meet on your computer takes about three clicks. You don't need to install anything. Google Meet runs entirely in your browser (Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari all work).

Starting from Gmail: You can also start a Google Meet straight from your inbox. Look for the Meet icon in Gmail's left sidebar (or the video camera icon on mobile). Click it, then select "New meeting" or "Join a meeting." Gmail generates the same meeting link you'd get from meet.google.com.

Starting from Google Calendar: Create a new calendar event, click "Add Google Meet video conferencing," and save. Google Calendar generates a Meet link and includes it in the invite. Every attendee gets the link automatically. This is the best option when you're scheduling a meeting for a specific time.

Picture this: Raj from product needs to run an impromptu design review. He opens meet.google.com, clicks "Start an instant meeting," and pastes the link into his team's Slack channel. Everyone joins within 30 seconds. No calendar invite needed, no app to download.

How to Start a Google Meet on Phone

The Google Meet mobile app works on both iPhone and Android. You can download it free from the App Store or Google Play Store.

1. Open the Google Meet app on your phone
2. Tap "New meeting" at the bottom of the screen
3. Choose from three options: "Get a meeting link to share," "Start an instant meeting," or "Schedule in Google Calendar"
4. Tap "Start an instant meeting" to join right away, or tap "Get a meeting link to share" to copy a link first
5. Share the link via text, email, WhatsApp, or any messaging app

On Android, you can also start a Google Meet directly from the Google app or the Phone app's contacts screen. On iPhone, the Meet app is your primary starting point.

No app? No problem. You can also open meet.google.com in your phone's mobile browser. The experience is similar to desktop. Tap "New meeting," choose your option, and share the link. The browser version works well in a pinch, though the app gives you better notifications and picture-in-picture support.

How to Start a Google Meet on Chromebook

Chromebooks work the same way as any desktop browser since Google Meet is browser-based. There's no separate app to install.

1. Open Chrome and go to meet.google.com
2. Sign in with your Google account (most Chromebooks sign you in automatically)
3. Click "New meeting" and select "Start an instant meeting"
4. Allow camera and microphone permissions when prompted
5. Copy and share the meeting link with your participants

Chromebooks in schools often have admin restrictions. If you're a student and can't access meet.google.com, your school's IT administrator may have blocked direct meeting creation. In that case, your teacher creates the meeting and shares the link with you.

Teachers using Google Classroom can start a Google Meet directly from a class. Open your Classroom, click the Meet link in the header area, and students join from their Classroom page. This keeps the same recurring link for every class session.

How to Share a Google Meet Link

Every Google Meet generates a unique link that looks like meet.google.com/abc-defg-hij. Here's how to create and share that link depending on your situation.

Generate a link without joining:

1. Go to meet.google.com
2. Click "New meeting" then "Create a meeting for later"
3. Google generates a link instantly. Copy it and send it wherever you need.

Copy the link during a call:

1. While in a meeting, look at the bottom-left corner of the screen
2. Click the meeting name or link displayed there
3. Click "Copy joining info" to grab the link and meeting details

Share via Google Calendar:

1. Create a calendar event and add "Google Meet video conferencing"
2. Add attendees by typing their email addresses
3. Save the event. Google sends each attendee an email with the Meet link built in.

Emma from HR schedules weekly all-hands meetings through Google Calendar. She adds the entire company distribution list, and every employee gets the same recurring link every Monday at 10 AM. New hires get the invite automatically when they're added to the list.

Google Meet links don't expire immediately after use. You can reuse a link by starting a new meeting at the same URL. However, for security, Google may deactivate unused links after a period of inactivity. If you need a permanent meeting room, consider setting up a recurring calendar event that keeps the same link.

Google Meet Tips for Better Meetings

Starting a Google Meet is the easy part. Running a good meeting is harder. Here are practical tips to get more from your calls.

Test your setup beforehand. Before your meeting starts, go to meet.google.com and click "Check your audio and video" in the settings. This lets you preview your camera, test your microphone, and choose the right speakers. Catching a bad mic before the call saves everyone from the "can you hear me?" loop.

Use keyboard shortcuts. Press Ctrl+D (Cmd+D on Mac) to toggle your microphone. Press Ctrl+E to toggle your camera. These Google Meet shortcuts save you from fumbling with on-screen buttons.

Turn on captions. Click the "CC" button at the bottom of the screen. Google Meet generates real-time captions that help participants follow along, especially in noisy environments or when someone has a poor connection.

Share your screen selectively. When you click "Present now," you can share your entire screen, a specific window, or a single Chrome tab. Sharing a single tab prevents accidentally showing notifications, other browser tabs, or your messy desktop.

Set up a custom background. Google Meet supports virtual backgrounds and background blur. Click the three-dot menu, select "Apply visual effects," and choose a background. This works well for working from cafes, co-working spaces, or anywhere your background is distracting.

Lock the meeting after everyone joins. Meeting organizers can go to "Host controls" (the shield icon) and toggle on "Lock meeting." This prevents uninvited participants from joining, which matters for sensitive discussions or public links shared widely.

For teams that find standard video conferencing etiquette limiting, spatial meeting platforms like Flat.social offer a different approach. Instead of everyone staring at a grid, participants move through a virtual space and talk to whoever is nearby.

Google, Google Meet, Google Workspace, Google Calendar, Google Classroom, Gmail, Chrome, Chromebook, Android, and Google Play are trademarks of Google LLC. This site is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google LLC.