To simplify the process of joining meetings through Companion mode within a conference room and to prevent disruptive audio feedback, you can automatically do a room check-in through ultrasound Proximity Detection.
To know you’re in a room, Meet uses an ultrasonic signal. Once you’re physically detected inside a room, it shows the “Use Companion mode” button before you join the call. This wayfinding feature helps you join meetings seamlessly and without echoes. When you join through the Companion mode button, you’re automatically checked into the correct room.
Your Workspace Administrator can determine if Proximity Detection is on or off for specific rooms. The feature is on by default for newly enrolled devices. Learn more about how to turn proximity detection on or off.
Join meetings with Companion mode & Proximity Detection
Important: You must be in a physical Google Meet meeting room with a supported Meet hardware device.
- Once you’re in the physical meeting room, from your laptop, go to Google Meet.
- Click on the current meeting.
- Once on the pre-meeting page, under the “Join now” button, a "Meeting room detected. Use companion mode." message displays.
- Click Use Companion mode.
Supported devices
For information on hardware devices that support Proximity Detection, refer to the Meet certified peripherals and devices listed here and here. Devices not included in these lists may still support Proximity Detection, but your Workspace Admin must test them for compatibility.
Availability & known limitations
- You can only use Proximity Detection on laptops that use a Chrome browser.
- Proximity Detection is limited to a meeting’s pre-call screen (the greenroom) and for a brief period after you join a meeting through Companion mode.
- If Proximity Detection fails or is unavailable, you can use manual room check-in after you join through Companion mode.
- Proximity Detection doesn’t work if:
- You try to join a meeting through g.co/present or g.co/companion.
- Your meeting has over 50 participants.
- You filter out certain frequencies on a hardware device or operating system level. To check if you filter anything out:
- For Chrome OS users: Turn off studio-style mic or noise cancellation.
- For Windows users: Disable Audio Enhancements.
- For Mac OS users: Turn off Voice Isolation.
- You turn on studio-style mic features.
- This is only applicable on some Chromebook devices.
- If you have multiple microphones, Proximity Detection only selects one. If you use a USB headset or dongle as your mic, it may cause Proximity Detection to fail. This can happen if:
- The microphone’s range is limited.
- The microphone’s audio processing filters out ultrasonic sound.
- The headset is off.
Tip: If you have sensitive hearing, you may be able to hear faint ultrasonic tones.
Turn off Proximity Detection in a meeting
Users can turn off Proximity Detection in a meeting from the in-call room controls. When the device joins a new call, this setting resets to on. To turn off Proximity Detection from your Meet hardware touch controller device:
- In a meeting, tap More
Detection.
- Turn off Ultrasound.
