Turn recordings into transcripts and summaries in minutes
Upload audio or video for multilingual transcription, AI notes, and action items
What You Need Isn't a Second Device—It's a Meeting Experience Without Interference
The most common issue in hybrid meetings: some people in the conference room join via the room hardware, while others open their laptops and join the same meeting.
The result is often microphone feedback, duplicate video feeds, and difficulty hearing who's speaking.
To make matters worse, people in the room want to use chat, polls, raise hand, or Q&A, but the room hardware isn't always easy to operate.
Google Meet Companion Mode is designed to solve this problem. If you frequently host hybrid meetings, this article will help you decide if this mode is worth using.
Before Choosing Companion Mode, Understand These 4 Key Points
Audio and Video Are Off by Default
When you join a meeting with Companion Mode, your personal device's microphone and camera are muted by default.
This isn't a glitch—it's intentional. The room's audio and video are handled by the conference room hardware, while your laptop is used only for interactive features, preventing feedback and duplicate audio pickup.
It's Not a Standalone Way to Join a Meeting
Companion Mode is more like a "second screen." You still need the conference room hardware or a Nest Hub Max to handle the primary audio and video.
On your personal device, Companion Mode handles chat, screen sharing, polls, Q&A, and host controls.
Room Check-In Is a Critical Step
If you want your name to appear on the room tile and let remote participants know who's in the room, you need to use Room check-in.
Without check-in, your personal feed won't show on the room tile, making it harder for others to identify you.
Some Features Require Specific Google Workspace Plans
Companion Mode itself is a Google Meet feature, but some interactive features vary by Workspace plan.
If you're on the free tier or a lower-tier plan, the features you can actually use may be fewer than what tutorials describe.
What Is Google Meet Companion Mode?
Companion Mode is a joining mode in Google Meet designed for hybrid meetings.
In short, it lets you join an ongoing meeting from your laptop, tablet, or phone while in a conference room, but your device's audio and video are muted by default to avoid interfering with the room hardware.
This mode is best suited for scenarios where the room hardware handles "listening and speaking," and your personal device handles "typing, sharing, and interacting."
According to Google's official documentation, in hybrid meetings with both remote and in-room participants, people in the room typically can't use the room hardware or Nest Hub Max to individually chat, vote, or answer questions. Companion Mode fills that gap.
Core Features and Highlights
Room Check-In: Let Others Know You're in the Room
After enabling Companion Mode, you can choose to check in to a specific room.
Once checked in, your name appears in the participant list and on the room tile. If you leave Companion Mode, this connection is severed.
This is especially useful in large hybrid meetings, so remote participants don't have to guess "who's in the room right now."
Full Interactive Features on Your Personal Device
Room hardware can typically display chat messages, emojis, raise hand, and captions, but it's not always easy to operate.
Companion Mode lets you use these features on your own laptop or phone, with an experience closer to the standard desktop version of Google Meet.
Stop organizing recordings by hand
Upload audio or video and automatically get a transcript, summary, and action items
Screen Sharing and Host Controls
If you need to share a presentation or manage the meeting, Companion Mode can handle that too.
You can share your screen from your laptop or use host controls without turning on your microphone or camera.
Personalized Accessibility Settings
Companion Mode lets participants enable captions and adjust text size on their personal devices without affecting what others see in the room.
This is particularly useful for participants who need assistive features.
Plans and Availability
Companion Mode doesn't require an additional fee—it's a built-in feature of Google Meet.
However, note that some interactive features may vary depending on your Google Workspace plan. If your Workspace plan is older or has limited features, some Companion Mode capabilities may not be available.
For the actual features available, refer to your Workspace admin settings and Google Meet's official documentation.
How to Enable Companion Mode on Laptop and Phone
Laptop or Desktop
Step 1: Open Google Meet and go to the pre-join screen.
Step 2: In the join options, click "Use Companion Mode."
Step 3: If needed, check in to the room directly from the pre-join screen.
Step 4: Confirm your microphone and camera are muted, then join the meeting.
Quick Link
You can also use Google's short URL, g.co/companion, to go directly to the Companion Mode join flow.
Then enter the meeting code or select a scheduled meeting.
Phone or Tablet
Step 1: Open the Gmail or Google Meet app.
Step 2: Select the meeting you want to join.
Step 3: Choose Companion Mode from the join options.
Step 4: Confirm audio and video are off, then complete the join.
Pitfall Guide: 4 Common Mistakes with Companion Mode
Pitfall 1: Thinking Companion Mode Can Be Used as a Standalone Meeting
Companion Mode isn't a full way to join a meeting. It mutes audio and video by default, so if you're in a room but the room hardware isn't in the meeting, Companion Mode won't automatically handle sound and video for you.
Pitfall 2: Forgetting Room Check-In
Without check-in, your name won't appear on the room tile.
Other participants will only see the room hardware's name, not who's inside. If you want remote colleagues to know you're present, remember to check in.
Pitfall 3: Turning On Your Microphone in Companion Mode While in a Room
This is the most common cause of feedback.
The room hardware is already picking up audio. If your laptop's microphone is also on, both devices picking up audio simultaneously will cause echo. Unless the room hardware can't pick up audio, keep Companion Mode muted.
Pitfall 4: Confusing It with Joining Directly
When you join directly, your laptop uses both the microphone and camera.
Companion Mode, on the other hand, turns these off by default and only keeps interactive features. If you're in a room but join the regular way, you're likely to cause feedback and duplicate video feeds.
Summary: Should You Use Companion Mode?
If you're in a conference room for a hybrid meeting, the answer is: yes.
It lets the room hardware focus on audio and video, while your personal device handles chat, sharing, and interaction.
Here are recommendations for common scenarios:
- In a room, need to type in chat or vote → Use Companion Mode
- Need to share your screen but don't want to turn on the mic → Use Companion Mode
- Need to let remote colleagues know you're in the room → Use Companion Mode and complete Room check-in
- At your desk, no room hardware → Just join directly
In summary, Companion Mode isn't meant to replace the standard way of joining; it's meant to make the hybrid meeting experience smoother. If you frequently host hybrid meetings, we recommend giving it a try, especially the Room check-in step, which greatly improves meeting visibility.
References
- Use Companion mode for hybrid learning & collaboration - Android - Google Meet Help
- What is Companion Mode in Google Meet?
- Google Meet Companion Mode: How It Works
- Complete Guide to Google Meet Companion Mode – Gecko Technology Partners
- What is Companion Mode in Google Meet? A Complete Guide for 2026
Turn every recording into actionable outcomes
Get 60 free transcription minutes when you sign in. No credit card required.
Related Reading
You might also like
2026 Outlook Teams Meeting Notes Comparison: Which Method Saves the Most Time After the Meeting?
The new Outlook has built-in Teams meeting toggles, making scheduling a 30-second task—but the real cost is post-meeting organization. This guide breaks down the 5 key checks for scheduling Teams meetings in new Outlook, from version identification to account requirements and step-by-step actions, and compares three post-meeting documentation methods: Teams built-in transcription, Otter.ai, Notta, and Tinrec, to help you choose the most time-saving meeting workflow.
5 LINE Call Recording Methods Tested for 2026: Can iPhone and Android Record Both Sides?
LINE has no built-in call recording feature, and iPhone screen recording often captures only your own voice. This guide covers 5 practical LINE recording methods—from iOS 18 built-in call recording and Android screen recording to computer system audio capture—and compares how to use Tinrec to turn recordings into transcripts, summaries, and action items.
5 LINE Call Recording Methods Tested for 2026: Which One Actually Captures the Other Person's Voice?
LINE itself has no call recording button, so the real question is whether you're using a phone or computer, iPhone or Android. This guide covers 5 common LINE call recording methods, whether each captures the other party's voice, and how to use Tinrec afterward to turn audio into transcripts, summaries, and action items—solving both 'recording it' and 'making it useful.'
5 Best Microsoft Teams Meeting Transcription Tools in 2026: From Built-in Recording to AI Summaries
Creating a meeting in Teams takes three clicks, but the real time sink is post-meeting organization. This guide first breaks down the differences between the three entry points for creating Teams meetings—calendar meetings, channel meetings, and Outlook—along with a pre-send checklist. Then it compares five solutions that turn meetings into transcripts, summaries, and action items, helping you move from 'meeting ended' to 'ready to act.'
6 Ways to Save LINE Voice Messages and Calls in 2026: Tested and Compared
Can't find a download option when you long-press a LINE voice message? This article covers 6 methods to save LINE recordings—from sharing to Files on mobile, saving on desktop, Keep notes, to AI transcription tools. We tested which method is least likely to lose files and explain how to turn saved recordings into transcripts, summaries, and action items.
What Is LINE IN Recording in 2026? 2 Recording Solutions Compared: Don't Confuse It With LINE Call Recording
LINE IN recording captures a line-level input signal, which is completely different from recording a LINE call. This article first explains in 3 minutes the equipment, connections, and most common volume misunderstanding for LINE IN, then compares PLAUD NotePin and Tinrec across five dimensions: device requirements, post-meeting organization, scenario coverage, Chinese-language experience, and team collaboration, to help you decide which method to use for preserving important audio.
How to Save LINE Voice Messages to Your Phone in 2026: 5-Step Guide
How do you save LINE recordings to your phone? This guide tackles three common misconceptions and walks you through five steps to download LINE voice messages, convert them to MP3, and back them up to the cloud. It also explains why LINE call recording isn't managed by LINE and how to turn saved audio into searchable, queryable text data.
How to Save LINE Recordings in 2026: 5-Step Guide to Voice Messages, Call Recordings & Backup
LINE recordings come in two types—chat voice messages and call recordings—and they're saved completely differently. This guide walks you through 5 steps to save voice messages to your phone, computer, and cloud, explains how to handle call recordings, covers 4 common mistakes that make files disappear, and shows how to turn saved recordings into searchable, queryable text with AI tools.
3 LINE Voice Message Download Methods Tested in 2026: Which One Actually Works?
LINE doesn't offer an official download button for voice messages, and online tutorials contradict each other. This guide covers three approaches—saving via Keep Notes, sharing to Files, and third-party backup tools—comparing compatible devices, batch capability, and real limitations, plus how to transcribe recordings after downloading.