Almost six years ago, Google released a Hangouts app that we now know as Google Meet. Initially, the app was released under Hangouts but gained huge exposure during the pandemic. It took around three years for Hangouts to become a global household name. As of now, Google Meet (formerly Hangouts) is available for Android (via the Google Play Store) and iOS (via the App Store). However, there is no way to download it for PC or Mac.
To be honest, there is no web app released for Google Meet, and this is where the query phrase “Google Meet download for PC” comes in. Many PC users were disappointed and realized there is a way to run Google Meet on both PC and Mac that looks the same as a web application. All credit goes to the Progressive Web App (PWA) that made this possible. So, without further ado, let’s look at how to install Google Meet on Windows.
How to Download Google Meet for Windows, PC, Mac, and More
A Progressive Web Application (PWA) is a simple web application using the same web technology. It can work on any platform with a standard-compliant browser, whether a PC or mobile device. PWAs support numerous applications; fortunately, Google Meet is one of them. Using a PWA, you can run Google Meet on Windows, MacOS, ChromeOS, and even Linux. If we talk about regular Google Meet updates, it updates itself when the browser updates.
After reading about PWA, you might wonder how to install it on your device. This is the only way to help you run web apps that are not officially available today. However, you might need clarification about whether you need a Chrome browser for it or not. The simple answer to this query is that you need Google Chrome version 73 or above to run PWA on your Windows PC or Mac. Being a new thing, you might face difficulty using Google Meet on such a desktop. So, please read and follow these instructions to get Google Meet on your desktop.
Note: Since Google Meet is available on Windows PCs, Macs, ChromeOS, and Linux, you can follow the exact instructions on both devices.
- Simply visit meet.google.com.
- On the next screen, click the PC download icon at the top, right under the search bar.
- A prompt will pop up saying “Install.”
- Click on the “Install” button.
- As a result, the Google Meet Web app will install on your Windows PC or Mac.
- Now, search for the Meet app on your PC’s search bar.
- Click on it to open and join or create a meeting, as usual.
- That’s it! You can run Google Meet on your Windows PC or Mac.
You have a simple option if you don’t want to download any apps and rarely use Google Meet. Instead of downloading the web app, join or create a meeting on the web itself. In the second step, when you land on the Google Meet homepage, select “New meeting” or type the code to join a meeting, and so on. You can use it that way. This was all about downloading Google Meet on a Windows PC or Mac. Besides that, you can use Google Meet without installing any apps. Now, deciding what you want to do is up to you. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask them below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I use Google Meet on a Mac computer?
Ans. Of course, you can do it via the steps mentioned above.
Q2. Do I need to download an app for Google Meet?
Ans. You need to download its application for smartphones, but for desktops, you can run it in a web browser.
Q3. Which Google Meet is the original one?
Ans. The original Google Meet was named Meet, so you can identify it that way.
Q4. Do Google Meet links expire?
Ans. Yes, meeting codes expire 365 days after their last use.