There's no escaping Google Meet on Chromebooks now

Acer Chromebook Spin 513
(Image credit: TechRadar)

In an effort to make it easier for users to stay connected while working from home or learning remotely, Google has announced that Google Meet will now come pre-installed on all Chromebooks.

The search giant's video conferencing software has proved to be a helpful tool to keep in touch with friends, family and coworkers during the pandemic which is why the company has decided to pre-install the app as part of the latest update to Chrome OS.

Going forward, the Google Meet app will be available in Chrome OS' Launcher so that Chromebook users can easily start a video call without having to open their browser or download the app from the Google Play Store.

Google has also made performance improvements to Meet on Chrome OS such as adapting video calls to different network conditions and adjusting video performance when a user is sharing their screen.

Stay connected from anywhere

In addition to announcing that Google Meet will now come pre-installed on Chromebooks, Google also revealed in a new blog post that Chrome OS now supports eSIM for cellular connectivity.

With an eSIM-compatible Chromebook such as the Acer Chromebook Spin 513 or Acer Chromebook 511, users can download and switch between carrier profiles without having to insert or remove a physical SIM card from their devices.

eSIM is quite a useful feature especially for those who can't be bothered to run to the store to pick up a SIM card as well as for international travelers that need to frequently switch between carriers while away from home.

If you have an eSIM-compatible Chromebook, you can go to Settings, and then click on “Mobile data” in the “Network” section to add a connection.

Anthony Spadafora

After working with the TechRadar Pro team for the last several years, Anthony is now the security and networking editor at Tom’s Guide where he covers everything from data breaches and ransomware gangs to the best way to cover your whole home or business with Wi-Fi. When not writing, you can find him tinkering with PCs and game consoles, managing cables and upgrading his smart home. 

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