Check Your Audio/Video and Troubleshoot on Google Meet

Video conferencing in Google Meet became more convenient with the new features which allow to create and initiate a new meeting faster, the users can now make sure their video and audio are correct before joining the call as well as to check their internet speed and troubleshoot while in the meeting. 

This week Fintan Murphy takes us through these three new features in Google Meet and demos how they will benefit the majority of Google Meet users. The three new features are the new Google Meet page that Google has updated, the ‘See Yourself’ feature before going onto a video call, and the new troubleshooting section which allows you to troubleshoot issues with Google Meet that you might be having. 

The New Google Meet Page 

Google Meet’s homepage has had a revamp and may look different from the original one that you are familiar with. One of the largest differences is that you can now add a code or a nickname for a meeting and join it straight away. 

You can click on a new meeting and create a link that can be copied, sharing the details for a meeting that can happen at a later stage without having to create a calendar appointment. This is incredibly useful if you are trying to swiftly share meeting information as it can be sent via email or chat. 

Google Meet now offers the option of an instant meeting. This means you can jump into a video call immediately with a chosen party. You can also schedule a meeting in Google Calendar which will open a new tab for you to book at a convenient time.

The Check Yourself Section 

A feature many users will be excited about, the ‘Check Yourself’ section allows you to make sure your video and your audio are good before joining a call. Due to the majority of business interactions now occurring over video calls, it is important to check how an individual or groups are receiving your audio and visuals. 

One of the major jokes of 2020 was ‘You’re on mute’, but sometimes your reception isn’t as simple as clicking the unmute button. You might not have realised that your audio has feedback or you may have connected a wrong microphone or camera which directly impacts the video conferencing experience. Google is now allowing you to test your sound and video to ensure everything is running smoothly. 

When you click on this section it gives you a start screen that enables you to see the quality of sound coming from your microphone, the speakers, and the quality of the picture from your camera. You also have the option to modify your audio output which can differ from the default microphone or you can connect another piece of equipment in. You can also test your earphones if you’re connecting the sound into the video with that method too. 

Not only are audio options available but Google Meet now gives users the opportunity to change their cameras. You might want to use your FaceTime Camera or maybe you want to use your Camlink. To test these features, you can make a simple recording. This allows you to test the video and the audio. You can then play it back to yourself to make sure it is up to standard. You will know what you look and sound like before you join the call. 

Google Meet: New Troubleshooting Feature 

You will be able to find extra features if you click on the three little dots in the bottom right corner while in the Google Meeting. As you might already know, this is where you can find features like whiteboard and recording. Now you can also find the new troubleshooting feature. This is an incredibly helpful tool which, when clicked on, brings up network stability. 

You are able to check how much data Google Meet is using and how well it is performing on your network. This helps answer the age-old question of who’s connectivity is the issue. There is also system load here so you are able to see how much it is draining your CPU. There are links to help as well if you need advanced tools to troubleshoot your Google Meet. 

In the meet room when you load Google Meet, you will find a quality tool. This quality dashboard only loads for administrators but gives vital information on the quality of calls on your domain and maybe why people have dropped out. As people are continuing to work remotely, this is a fantastic feature to weigh up the challenges and issues people are having with video conferencing. 

As a longstanding member of the Google Cloud Partner Program, Damson Cloud specialises in bringing people and ideas together through new ways of working. We champion change management and digital transformation using some of the internet’s most trusted solutions, including Google Workspace, Happeo and Jamboard. To find out more about our services, check out our library of tutorial videos or our blog.