Companion mode gives a laptop access to a Google Meet meeting without adding ordinary meeting microphone and speaker audio. It is useful beside a conference room’s audio system or as a second screen. Decide which device will handle conversation before joining so your laptop connection has a clear purpose.
Choose the Companion joining option
Open the meeting invitation on your laptop and select Join. On the landing page, under Other joining options, choose Use Companion mode. Google’s alternative is to open g.co/companion, then select a meeting or enter its code. Check the meeting identity before connecting, particularly when several room bookings are nearby in time.
Confirm what the connection provides
In Companion mode, microphone and meeting audio are off. Use the room hardware or your primary meeting device for speaking and listening. The laptop can provide chat, presentation, and eligible activities. It can still play notification sounds and audio from other applications, so Companion mode does not silence the entire computer. Optional personal camera self-view is separate from meeting audio.
Establish the room and participation context
If prompted, check in to the conference room you actually occupy. A room device must be connected to the meeting for room check-in to appear, and availability can depend on account and administrator settings. Join near the beginning if you need chat context, because Google’s Companion guidance says earlier messages are not included in that chat stream. Verify that you can see the intended presentation and reach the required activity before the discussion begins. If you need personal conversation audio instead, leave Companion mode and rejoin through the normal audio-enabled path.
References
Reviewed against the linked official product guidance on November 4, 2026. Features, limits, screen labels, and access can vary by account, platform, region, and organization policy.