Sharing audio on a Google Meet call just got a lot easier

Google Meet is a free and simple video conferencing program, but it’s not without limitations. The software supports sharing Google Chrome tabs, system windows, and even the presenter’s entire screen to create a collaborative experience with meeting participants. However, Google Meet was historically less versatile when it came to sharing system audio. In an update, Google is tweaking Meet to handle audio sharing better, adding support for sharing device audio with the group.

While presenting a specific app window or your computer’s entire screen, Meet can now share your device’s complete system audio with meeting participants. This makes it possible for users to play audio from an app that’s running in the background during a Meet call. Before the change, Google Meet users had to present a specific tab to share audio from a site with the group.

This handy Google Meet upgrade unlocks new presentation sources, as the software can now share audio from any application or source on your macOS or Windows machine. When starting to present in Meet, users will still see the “Also share tab audio” toggle for sharing a Chrome tab. If a user chooses to share their window or entire screen during the call, they’ll find a new “Also share system audio” toggle.

Flipping the toggle on will share your device’s audio with the Google Meet call, regardless of the original app or source that is playing the sounds. Google says that device audio sharing is a highly requested feature that will “help to create a more immersive experience for your audience, while removing potential for any echoes, ensuring your presentations are clear and professional.”

The feature is rolling out now for all Google Workspace customers on rapid release domains, as well as personal Google accounts. Note that the system requirements for device audio sharing are a computer running macOS 14.02 or newer and Windows 11 or newer. It’ll only work while using version 142 or higher of the Google Chrome browser.

For the best experience, Google recommends setting the audio output in Google Meet as the system’s default output device. Mac users will need to give permission for Meet to access their system audio the first time they share it during a call. Notably, users that merge their audio with other devices using adaptive audio can’t use the device audio sharing feature.

You can try out device audio sharing in Google Meet starting today, and it’s a helpful way to share audio from sources and apps outside of a Chrome tab.