Google Brings Companion Mode to Meet on Mobile

Previously available in Google Meet on PCs and Chromebooks, Companion mode is now available on Android, iPhone, and iPad too.

“Companion mode in Google Meet is designed to seamlessly connect those in meeting rooms with their remote teammates, giving everyone access to interactive features and controls, while leveraging the best of in-room audio and video conferencing capabilities,” a new post to the Google Workspace Updates blog explains. “Using Companion mode from your mobile device is a quick, lightweight way to participate in meetings without opening a laptop. This can be particularly useful in meeting spaces where room for a laptop is limited, or as an easy, discreet way to participate during large in-person meetings, such as all hands or town halls.”

Google first announced Companion mode in 2021 and then released it on the web for PCs, Chromebooks, and Macs, in early 2022. At that time, it was promoted as a post-pandemic hybrid work feature that allowed remote meeting participants to engage interactively with chat, screen-sharing, hand-raising, polls, and host controls functionality.

With today’s release, Google Meet users on mobile can check in to meetings so they are identified by name, share emoji reactions without interrupting a speaker, raise their hands to signal that they wish to speak, toggle live captions, chat with participants, and zoom into presented content as needed.

Companion mode for Google Meet is now rolling out to all users on Google Workspace and Gmail for consumers and will be enabled by default. There are no admin controls for those in Google Workspace, though audio and microphones will be automatically muted when you enter a meeting. It could take up to 15 days to see this functionality in Google Workspace, Google says.