What you need to get started on Hangouts
- A Google Account
- Access your computer’s mic and camera
- Internet Explorer, Firefox & Safari browsers: Download and install the latest version of the Hangouts plugin.
- You can sign in to Hangouts on more than one device:
What you can do with Hangouts
- Send Hangouts messages: You can start a Hangout conversation with just one person or have a group chat with several people.
- Make video calls: Have face-to-face video calls with up to 9 other people. You can invite individuals or circles.
- Make phone calls: Almost all calls you make to the U.S. and Canada are free, but a few destinations will cost USD 1 cent per minute depending on the specific phone number. Costs may vary depending on the local currency. Calls to destinations outside of the U.S. are at low rates, but calling isn’t available to all locations.
- Send text messages: You can send text messages using Hangouts with your Android device or your Google Voice phone number.
- Share photos, locations, and stickers: You can share photos, stickers, and emoji in conversations. On mobile devices, you can also share your location with other people.
