How to record a Google Hangouts session to watch it later or share it with others

Devon Delfino

Sep 24, 2019, 02:38 IST

How to record a Google Hangouts session to watch it later or share it with others

Getty Images
To record a Google Hangouts session, you just have to open a menu within the session.

It's possible to record a Google Hangouts session to share with people later, even if they weren't part of the original conversation.
Recording a Google Hangouts session can help make everyone on your team aware of new events or policies, especially if they weren't able to attend certain meetings.
However, only certain G Suite subscribers can record Google Hangouts sessions.
Assuming you have access to this feature, here's how to record a Google Hangouts session.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Google Hangouts is a tool that can help connect teams or companies through text chats and video meetings. And when it comes to sharing vital information, recording those meetings can be a valuable tool to add to your arsenal.

Recording a Google Hangouts meeting is great for people who can't attend the meeting when it happens. Once it's recorded, you can send out a link to those who weren't able to attend the meeting, and thus be sure everyone knows what's going on.

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

Before you get started, you should be aware that the ability to record a Google Hangout is only available in the G Suite Enterprise and G Suite Enterprise Education editions, which are paid subscription services.

For more information on which G Suite memberships have what features, see our article, "'What is Google Meet?': A guide to Google's professional video-conferencing service, including pricing options and how to join a meeting."

Assuming you have one of those two memberships, here's what you'll need to do to record in Google Hangout:

How to record a Google Hangouts session

The process is simple:

1. Start or join a video meeting - if you don't have a link to the meeting, go to hangouts.google.com and then start the meeting by pressing "Video Call."

Devon Delfino/Business Insider

If you need to start a video conference, you can do so from the Hangouts homepage.

2. If you're creating a new meeting without a guest list, invite the participants by clicking the "People" button in the top-right corner, clicking "Add People," and then typing their email addresses into the pop-up window.

Devon Delfino/Business Insider

Hangouts will automatically suggest inviting people in your contacts.

3. Once you're ready to start the meeting, click the three dots in the lower-right corner of the screen.

4. Select "Record meeting."

William Antonelli/Business Insider

Once you've opened the three dot menu, you can start recording.

After that, simply wait for the recording to start. Anyone in the meeting will get a notification that the meeting is being recorded, as well as another notification when the recording stops.

To stop the recording, click the three dots again and select "Stop recording." It takes about ten minutes or so for the recording file to be generated. Once it is, the video will be saved to the meeting organizer's Google Drive, in a folder labeled "Meet Recordings."

The organizer will also get an email letting them know when the recording is ready, including a link to the recording.

How to play, save, or share a Google Hangout recording

To play or share the recording, simply double-click the file link in Google Drive. Or if you get the email, click the included link, wait for it to open, and then select whether you want to play it immediately, share it, or save it to your Drive.

For those who aren't the organizer, the event link in Google Calendar will automatically be updated so it leads to the recorded video file.