How to Host a Hangout with your Non-Google Friends

Posted by: Peter Moriarty

Nov 26, 2015 (Updated Feb 28, 2026)

Comments 22

Google recently announced that Hangouts users can share a Hangout with guests without them requiring a Google account to join the hangout.

In this video I show you how to invite a non-googler to your Hangout meetings.

Peter Moriarty

Peter Moriarty is the founder and Executive Chairman of itGenius, an international IT consultancy specialising in Google Workspace for small and medium businesses. Since launching itGenius, Peter has grown the company to serve thousands of businesses across Australia and internationally, with a team of over 60 staff. A recognised technology leader, Peter was ranked in Australia's top 10 entrepreneurs under 30 by both SmartCompany and Anthill. He is passionate about making enterprise-grade cloud technology accessible to small businesses and is based in Calpe, Spain.

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22 Comments

Peter Springett on 2015-11-26 at 12:46

Hi Peter, This looks very interesting…just going to have a ‘play’. Thanks for sharing your update video.
- Peter Moriarty on 2015-11-26 at 13:14
  
  Thanks Peter
  - Peter Springett on 2015-11-27 at 06:12
    
    Worked very well with both Gmail and non Gmail users
Matt Saraceni on 2015-11-26 at 14:44

“thanks baby”
- Peter Moriarty on 2015-11-26 at 15:43
  
  That’s the least offensive if you look lower 😉
Melissa Foote on 2015-11-26 at 17:12

Hi Peter, Thanks for the video. May I ask what recording software you are using to produce this video? Is it ScreenFlow?
- Peter Moriarty on 2015-11-26 at 18:22
  
  We use quite a few tools for our full production stack but ScreenFlow is definitely a part of it
Guy Jenkins on 2015-11-28 at 11:51

Looks good Peter, will definitely be using Hangouts with our remote personnel.
- Peter Moriarty on 2015-11-28 at 20:05
  
  Great stuff Guy
UniversalTech on 2015-12-17 at 09:44

Hi Peter, thanks for the such a wonderful video, it will be definitely a useful tool for us to connect to our remote clients.
- Peter Moriarty on 2015-12-17 at 12:40
  
  Glad you enjoyed it!
Becky on 2016-02-10 at 10:18

This is not working for me. When I click video call, I am not given an option to name the Hangout. It goes straight to the Hangout. When I share the link or invitation with someone, they are prompted to sign in to Google, there is no option to enter your name.
- Peter Moriarty on 2016-02-10 at 10:39
  
  Hmmmmm, did you try from hangouts.google.com?
  - Becky on 2016-02-10 at 11:03
    
    Yes, that is what I am using. I do not have an account for Google Apps.
- Peter Moriarty on 2016-02-10 at 10:40
  
  If you’re on a free account of Google Apps it may also not have been rolled out to your domain yet – our team can take a look at this if you get stuck
Michael 'MC' Carter on 2016-08-15 at 16:09

Great to see Google has finally allowed non-Google account users to join a call. Well overdue. Now to test the clarity of the screenshare, sharing audio and video etc. compared with Zoom, which has excellent quality.
- Peter Moriarty on 2016-09-07 at 13:49
  
  Yep,
  
  Google still have a way to go to push the quality higher, but remember everything is done in the browser so there’s always a small tradeoff
Matt Dippl BHSc TCM, IFM on 2016-09-05 at 19:09

Hey Peter,

Really enjoying and following your content. I’m a google apps user for my business and got lot’s of value from your series with James on SFB.

Hey is it possible to record these type of hangouts? Thank you!

Cheers,
Matt
- Peter Moriarty on 2016-09-07 at 13:49
  
  Thanks Matt,
  
  Unfortunately not – to record you’ll need to use ‘Hangouts on Air’
Bo Pritchard on 2016-09-07 at 05:56

Peter,
Is this tutorial intended to apply to free personal gmail accounts? My work domains uses google apps and I can invite guests to hangouts using that account. But a hangout created using my free personal account requires invitees to “login to their google account” before joining.
Bo
- Peter Moriarty on 2016-09-07 at 13:49
  
  Not sure Bo,
  
  I’ve only tested with a Google Apps for Work account sorry!
sooo-san on 2017-02-14 at 22:11

Hello,

My hangout video page looks different? The first messgae that comes up prompt me to invite people and I can copy the link as well. After sending my link to my other gmail account om my phone and trying to open it , it informed me I needa google+ accoutn to join?