Google Meet runs in any modern browser at meet.google.com. No downloads are required. For a more app-like experience, install it as a Progressive Web App via Chrome or Edge, and it'll appear in your Dock like a native Mac app.
Google Meet is free for up to 100 participants with a 60-minute limit per call. Paid Google Workspace plans extend meetings to 24 hours and support up to 1,000 participants on Enterprise tiers.
Google Calendar automatically adds a Meet link to any event with guests. Use In Your Face to get clickable meeting notifications without ever opening Calendar.
The free plan doesn't include recording or noise cancellation. Use Capto to record meetings locally and JoyCast to remove background noise. Both work with any conferencing app on your Mac.
For cleaner screen shares, pair Google Meet with the right tools. PliimPRO hides desktop clutter before you share, and Spellar AI captures a bot-free transcript with action items after the call. All mentioned apps are available with a Setapp membership. Try them free for 7 days.
Google Meet works natively on macOS. You can join calls in any modern browser or install the Google Meet Progressive Web App for a dockable, full-screen experience.
Here's a summary of Google Meet's key features and how to enhance your video calling experience on Mac:
*Setapp is a subscription platform offering 300+ macOS, iOS, and web apps for a flat monthly fee.
How to use Google Meet on Mac (the easiest way)
You can use the app right from your Gmail account or by visiting it directly in a browser. While Google Meet technically supports Safari, I've found the audio quality works best in Google Chrome or Firefox.
The easiest way to turn on the Google Meet app is from your Gmail:
Open your mailbox at gmail.com.
On the leftmost navigation bar, click the video camera icon labeled Meet (if you don’t see it, it means it’s disabled in the settings).
Choose New meeting or Join with a code.
4. If you click New meeting, you’ll see a pop-up window with a shareable meeting link. Click Start now to start the meeting.
5. If you click Join with a code instead, you'll see a pop-up window where you should paste your meeting code and then click Join.
Alternatively, visit meet.google.com and then either paste the link and click Join or start a new meeting from there by clicking New. If you have a paid Google Workspace account, your meetings will automatically be sourced from your Google Calendar, which is very handy.
While you're in a meeting, you can let in any other participants or deny entry to someone who wasn't invited. You can also change the way participants are displayed by clicking on the three dots at the bottom and choosing Adjust view. The options here are to display the speaker only (Spotlight), display the speaker and others as thumbnails (Sidebar), display everyone as tiles (Tiled), or use Auto (dynamic), which automatically resizes tiles and highlights active speakers.
You can also click the Participants tab to see who's in the meeting, and if you are a host, you can even mute someone. You can mute yourself or turn off your camera at any time. To end a meeting, just click the red phone icon.
How to use Google Meet with Google Calendar
One of Google Meet's most convenient features is its seamless integration with Google Calendar, a staple tool for most teams and organizations. If you're not already using Google Calendar on your Mac, here's how to set it up.
When you schedule a meeting and add guests in Google Calendar, a Google Meet link is automatically added to the event for everyone. Once you click Join with Google Meet, you'll land in the meeting with the same easy controls right there: Turn your microphone or camera on and off, raise your hand, or send a message in the chat.
How to download the Google Meet app
If you'd like to join meetings on the go, you can download Google Meet for iOS. But what about using a Google Meet app on Mac?
Google Meet now offers a Progressive Web App (PWA) for Mac users who want a more app-like experience. Here's how to install it:
Open Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge on your Mac.
Navigate to meet.google.com.
Click the install icon in the address bar (it looks like a computer with a down arrow).
Choose Install when prompted.
The Google Meet PWA will now appear in your Applications folder and Dock, functioning like a native Mac app. You can also continue using Google Meet directly in Safari or any modern browser without installation.
How to enhance screen sharing in Google Meet
While Google Meet covers the basics of an online meeting, I've found that pairing it with the right productivity tools makes a huge difference in meeting quality. Here are some apps I’ve been using to make my video meetings more productive and effective:
PliimPRO is a custom presentation mode for Mac that I use to clean up my Mac desktop before I need to do a screen share. The presentation mode removes desktop clutter, disables notifications, and hides active apps. That way, I don’t have to worry about any awkward moments during the presentation.
If I need to display an app during a meeting, I use CleanPresenter. Instead of navigating through multiple open windows during a live screen share, it lets you choose and share the specific app window you want from the menu bar. This makes for a smoother, more efficient presentation. What’s also nice is that you can select an appropriate background from an array of beautiful wallpapers to further accentuate your content.
I use Spellar AI for important Google Meet calls to make sure I don't miss anything important. It records and transcribes your meetings directly on your Mac with no bots joining the call. Once it's synced with your Google Calendar, it just works in the background. After each meeting, you get an AI summary with the key decisions and action items already pulled out for you. It's become one of those tools I can’t imagine doing without now.
If you're working from a noisy environment, I highly recommend JoyCast. It works as a virtual microphone that sits between your Mac and any conferencing app and removes background noise automatically. I just selected JoyCast as my input device once, and now every call sounds like I'm in a quiet studio even when I'm not.
When I need to record a Google Meet session locally, without relying on Google's built-in recording, I reach for Capto. It records the screen with audio, and if I need to share the recording afterward, I can trim it, add annotations, or add a voiceover right in the app.
What is Google Meet?
Google Meet is Google's cloud-based platform for secure video meetings and calls across any device. It's hard to keep up with all of Google's chat services. You might remember Google Allo, Google Hangouts, Google Talk, Google Spaces, Google Duo, Google Chat, and probably more.
The Google Meet vs. Hangouts distinction trips up a lot of users, so here's the short version: Hangouts launched in 2013 as part of Google+, then split into Google Chat (for messaging) and Google Meet (for video calls). Today, Google Chat and Meet target business and enterprise users, while Google fully discontinued classic Hangouts in 2022.
Is Google Meet free? Yes, for the basics. The free plan supports up to 100 participants with a 60-minute limit per call. Google expanded access in 2020, making it available to everyone with a Google account. Google Workspace page notes that paid plans extend meetings to 24 hours and support up to 500 participants on Business tiers, or up to 1,000 on Enterprise tiers.
People often compare Google Meet to Zoom. These two apps are quite similar in basic functionality but differ slightly on the edges. For example, Google Meet now includes recording features in select plans. Unlike Zoom, you don't need to download anything for Google Meet to work — it runs entirely in your browser, which some users and organizations prefer for simplicity and security reasons.
Make Google Meet work better for you
Now that you know how Google Meet works on Mac, a few extra tools can take it from functional to genuinely great. In Your Face keeps you on time, PliimPRO and CleanPresenter make screen sharing look polished, JoyCast cleans up your audio, Capto handles local recording, and Spellar AI takes care of notes and action items after the call.
Every one of these apps is available through Setapp — a single subscription that gives you access to 300+ Mac and iOS tools. Try them all free for 7 days and see how much smoother your Google Meet calls can be.
FAQ
What is Google Meet?
Google Meet is Google's video conferencing platform for secure meetings across devices. The free version supports up to 100 participants for 60-minute calls. Paid Google Workspace plans offer up to 500 participants and 24-hour meetings. Key features include screen sharing, automatic captions, end-to-end encryption, and seamless Google Calendar integration. Access it through any browser at meet.google.com or via the mobile apps.
Does Google Meet work on Mac?
Yes, Google Meet works perfectly on Mac through any modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari) at meet.google.com. You can also install the Progressive Web App for a more native experience. Access Meet directly from Gmail's sidebar, Google Calendar events, or the Meet website. For best audio quality, use Chrome or Firefox rather than Safari.
How do I install the Google Meet app on my Mac?
To install the Google Meet Progressive Web App on Mac: Open Chrome or Edge, go to meet.google.com, click the install icon in the address bar (computer with down arrow), and choose Install. The app will appear in your Applications folder and Dock. Alternatively, use Google Meet directly in any browser without installation. The PWA provides a cleaner, app-like experience with better system integration.
Why isn't Google Meet working on my Mac?
If Google Meet isn't working, try these fixes: Reload the page or restart your browser. Update to the latest browser version. Check System Settings > Privacy & Security for camera and microphone permissions. Disable browser extensions temporarily. Restart your Mac if issues persist. For Safari users, switch to Chrome or Firefox for better compatibility.
Is Google Meet free on Mac?
Yes, Google Meet is free on Mac with a Google account. The free tier includes 60-minute meetings with up to 100 participants, screen sharing, and captions. Paid Google Workspace plans ($7+ USD per user/month) add features like 24-hour meetings, 500 participants, recording, noise cancellation, and breakout rooms. Educational accounts often get premium features at no cost.
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