Outlook users can now join Hangouts with new Google plug-in

Google has now released a plugin for Google Apps apps user who also use Microsoft Outlook allowing them to use Google Hangouts to do a video conference call. Users can now initiate or join a Google Hangouts call directly within Outlook's mail or calendar functionality if they also have a Google Apps account.

"Schedule meetings in the blink of an eye with Google Apps shared calendars," Google tweeted. It also added on Google+, "Now you'll be able to start, join or schedule a Hangout directly from Outlook Mail and Calendar."

To do this, you must download and install the Hangouts Plugin for Outlook on your Windows system. After the installation, you'll see a new icon that will allow you to schedule a new Hangout from either Outlook Mail or Outlook Calendar. Users can also join a Hangout once they have received the email by clicking on the external link to join a room.

Google says you can also use Chromebox as well and continue with your workflow: "If you're deploying Chromebox for meetings, now you don't have to stop using Microsoft Outlook® to schedule Hangout video calls."

For more details about using Google Hangouts in Outlook, you can also visit the Google support page.

Source: Google

Chuong Nguyen

Chuong's passion for gadgets began with the humble PDA. Since then, he has covered a range of consumer and enterprise devices, raning from smartphones to tablets, laptops to desktops and everything in between for publications like Pocketnow, Digital Trends, Wareable, Paste Magazine, and TechRadar in the past before joining the awesome team at Windows Central. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, when not working, he likes exploring the diverse and eclectic food scene, taking short jaunts to wine country, soaking in the sun along California's coast, consuming news, and finding new hiking trails. 

158 Comments
  • Wait for more support from this big guy :)
  • No thanks I'm NSA free and I'd like to keep it that way lol
  • You're in the USA. You'll never be NSA-free, mate. Never ;P
  • FML lol
  • I thought the NSA were spying on people outside the U.S..... like Australians -_-
  • I'm not in the USA, and I will never be NSA-free.
  • Or PRC free
  • While the NSA is b.s. They leave me alone. Google's anal probing was a different story. They're like internet herpes.
  • Yes. We continually monitor these forums and compile "research" lists of all who participate in discussions such as this. The Brit is correct, as an American citizen you'll always be monitored (watched). One thing the Brit fails to understand, so will he. We don't care who you are or where you're from, we're watching. ---- Even though I wrote this in jest, I imagine there's a certain amount of truth to it.  
  • Well, i'm Google free, which is better than NSA free!
  • Thanks, but no thanks!
  • It's only to support enterprise users...they dont fckn give a damn to consumer products....
  • Wanting this support for windows phone.
  • Is this real life?
  • Is this just fantasy?
  • is this fantasy like getting some ass from Cortana?
  • Caught In a landslide...
  • No escape from reality...
  • Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see...
  • I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy Because I'm easy come easy go, little high little low
  • Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me.... To me....
  • Ccccccccombo breakerrrrrrr
  • Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you etc
  • These always make my day lol +1020
  • Dumped the goog when i came to win phone... Not for me thanks
  • Ditto. I use absolutely no Google products (except YouTube, but that's different)
  • +1
  • Google is the reason i tried windows so I should be thanking them.
  • Just curious, what web browser do you use on your desktop/laptop?  I tried using IE for a couple of days and just couldn't overcome Chrome's conveniences.
  • IE 11 (Metro) is the best. To get the metro internet explorer you have to set it as your default browser. Only on Windows 8
  • +Surface 2
  • Chrome uses lot of backgrond process , also google wold be mining your data... nothing is free in this google world.. Also care to explain why Chrome is convenient ?
  • Chrome has many little features that I use that are not offered from IE.  To give an example, he first time I accidentally closed a tab in IE, I couldn't recover it easily, but with chrome I know I could have just right clicked the tab and clicked reopen closed tab.  Also, I use adblock plus, and getting apps and extensions isn't nearly as smooth as chrome, and they don't sync across my devices either in IE.
  • Why not use Firefox?  It's like Chrome as far as extensions and features go, but it lacks all the Google tie-ins and data collection.
  • It's easy to get comfy in Google's ecosystem.  That's exactly what I did, until just recently when I switched to WP8.1.  If there's really nothing wrong with what your using right now, there's no point in the hassle of switching to something different.  Thats kind of how I feel about Firefox, as well as the fact that its extensions that I would use are 3rd party, whereas on Chrome they are not. I'm still getting used to WP8.1, but the 3rd party apps like Migram and Metromail are killing me one annyance at a time.  I love the platform but I just wish it was supported more.  I want to tell myself, "hang in there", but for how long?
  • Are you serious about that? Firefox was probably the first browser to build an add-on store. It's many times bigger than Google Chrome's add-on store and the add-ons work much better on Firefox. I don't know what 3rd party extensions you're talking about, but everyone knows the best store is the one you find in Firefox. Let me also remind you Google released their first version of Chrome admitting they were using Firefox's core as their basis. Google Chrome is nothing but a ripped-off and cut-down versión of Firefox that has issues with security, privacy and stability. Oh, but they made it eye-appealing so that everyone would fall for it (/.-)
  • You used to be able to used Firefox extenstions in Chrome with some weird plugin but they've made it so you can now only install stuff from the Chrome store.
  • While this is slightly out of scope: I'm using IE11 for my everyday use (WP/Win8.1), but when it comes to developing some web related stuff, nothing beats Firefox Nightly and it's awesome tools. Used Chromium some time ago, appears useless now... Maybe because I don't use Google apps at all.
  • Me too
  • Almost fully in Microsoft ecosystem therefore not required, currently only two main areas Microsoft needs to address to have many 100% within their ecosystem: Bing to have US features for non-US Come up with a good YouTube altarnative that offers WindowsPhone official app or just buy Vimeo then expand/improve it
  • Vimeo would be a great buy for#MSFT
  • I don't think we need to go that far lol YouTube is good but if Microsoft makes there own I am all over it! As long as its similar to YouTube or better no stupid policies etc....but unless they buy some one or start this isn't happening I rather them buy adobe and just be software cloud gaming and mobile and just let google be part of the internet lol
  • WOW Never thought of buying Adobe, good thinking as that would be perfect if they reduce the Cloud prices at the same while they're at it because the current Adobe monthly charge is not very attractive.
  • Adobe is an enormously profitable company. It's impossible, and it doesn't make any sense for Adobe for now to be sold.
  • Adobe is an enourmous company. I don't know how would they buy it.   I can see a Vimeo purchase, though. Their WP app is amazing
  • It would be good if MSFT got Vimeo, Vevo and Motionplus...and didn't release app for youtube that would be fun to watch.
  • The new Vimeo tv ads look to broaden awareness. Upload without ads in HD.
  • YouTube will never be dethroned. It is just too popular, the go-to destination for millions of people. Sure, Vimeo is great but nowhere near YouTube.
  • I think it could happen but MS can't do it alone, even if they buy Vimeo. They need to get Apple or some other companies to ally on it. Use things like native uploading from iPhone and windows phone, no ads, or something to build up a user base.
  • Considering Apple now uses Bing and their own maps, I think they would consider getting further away from Google.
  • Right, because huge brands have never dwindled to obsolescence before -_-
  • MySpace will never be dethroned. It is just too popular, the go-to destination for millions of people. Sure, Facebook is great but nowhere near MySpace.
  • Bebo will never be dethroned, it is just too popular etc lol
  • "YouTube will never be dethroned..." Like AOL and Yahoo? Never say never in electronics.
  • YouTube is losing users. Because of the Google+ forced integration many users have left or quit watching YouTube.
  • Exactly, that and ads, fucking ads. I watch all my YouTube videos through Bing because it bypasses those god awful ads.
  • Rocking Firefox with Ad Block Plus and I never see any ads on YouTube. Now that they came out with an add-on for IE I can get the same result there too. Ad Block Plus is set up to allow some 'less obtrusive' ads in the interest of allowing sites to still make money to function, but it appears that YouTube has none of those thus far. Posted via the WPC App for Android!
  • I hate that. I miss the simple cronological order. Posted via the WPC App for Android!
  • A Vimeo acquisition would be awesome but only if they rebrand it and call it Zune :D
  • Oh yes, calling it Zune would scream success.
  • Heck, just bring back Zune and integrate it with a vimeo purchase and rebrand Vimeo to Zune - job done. The sync app for WP 8 is worse than rotting homemade compost lol.
  • And the desktop app is gorgeous. What a waste of code
  • Hangout with this Google...wait for it... Fuck Off, I'm not interested.
  • I'm with you pal we now have Skype group for free so who needs hangouts.
  • No thanks, only reason I still have my Google account is my school uses it for their email.
  • Same here. I wish they'd switch to Outlook.
  • +1
  • Same. My school uses Google Apps for everything. Our desktops are running XP and only have Office 2003 because they expect everyone to use Google Docs. And on top of that, my school is going all in on Apple starting next year, replacing all of the XP desktops with Macs, while elementary kids get iPads and middle and high school students get Macbook Airs. I wish they'd choose Microsoft, it'd be cheaper and they support all platforms.
  • Once installed, it is classified as malware.
  • Lol really?
  • Lel, google can suck it
    #googlefree
  • Ye
  • Laughing exponentially loud?
  • Haha +1
  • Nothing will prove to me that Google want to play nice until they release official YouTube and Google Maps apps AT LEAST.
  • Here maps is better. With windows phone 8.1 you get here drive+ for free even when you don't have a Nokia. We have a lot of alternatives for youtube like toib
  • Only thing I dislike about toib is when you skip ahead or backward the sound gets all messed up and it sounds distant. Also you can't like or dislike anything and history doesn't work.
  • Google should at least stop blocking Microsoft's YouTube app. But Google won't even do that. They just keep making up more app requirements that they themselves don't even follow.
  • Well, we do have Waze, which is a Google property, and more useful to me than either Here or Bing Maps. Although I think it's likely that Google will pull the WP Waze app, it is possible they might expand it to include GM.
  • Does this mean Hangouts will come to WP8? Only missing app for me.
     
  • Also wondering the same thing - got excited when I saw this :p
  • Dont' hold your breath, they dont want to give anybody anymore incentive to buy a windows phone.  People will use outlook desktop app, people with all different phones will use outlook, people that are stuck on hotmail will use outlook so there is a broader market and they need hangouts to compete with skype.  They dont need to compete with MS when it comes to providing a place to watch videos or have some type of google voice platform on a smartphpone, so dont expect the same type of support they given to IOS for windows phone anytime soon.  yes, the reason why google propably doesnt support WP is because of the low market share, not because it isn't worth putting resources which it isnt, but they probab.ly dont want to give a competitive advantage away to another competitor.  They already have one big competitior in apple, why create another?  
  • Oh, obviously - that's why I was kind of shocked when I read the headline. Then I read more carefully ;)
  • Skype has now free group calls. Why would you want a hangouts app from google
  • 1) Skype is horrible. I want something light like hangouts chat. 2) People are on hangouts.
  • I can't speak for how light hangouts may be (seeing as how the only place that can be compared is IOS and android), but there are definitely WAY more people actively using Skype than hangouts. If your people are on hangouts, that's fine; I guess people are on lots of things in general. But I wouldn't necessarily count that one against Skype.
  • I want a hangouts phone app, not this convoluted feature for Outlook.
  • If you want Google,buy a Android
  • I want the same thing, google needs to make more cross platform apps. MS makes great apps for iOS and android, MS a real software company.
  • Google is a real advertising company. They're just protecting their interests, in their mind, I guess.
  • Skype has free group calls. Why would you all want a hangouts app from google.
  • I got excited for built-in plugin via IE.. Was disappointed.. Didn't want to use anyway! :P
  • Glad Google is being better with Microsoft!
  • I don't see how this helps anyone but Google. With or without this, people will keep using Outlook because Microsoft Exchange Server dominates the enterprise. Google just wants to get enterprise users away from Microsoft Lync and into Hangouts.
  • Agreed. Kind of like if Microsoft never allowed Office for iPad...they are at what...29 million downloads now? It's Google being a A-hole and giving up money/business for some petty turf wars. 
  • Nope I'll stick with Skype
  • This is like telling diners eating at Masa in NYC that they have access to Waffle House menu items.
  • What and what?
  • How convienent.  MS has no competition for youtube, google voice, etc, so they dont support.  MS has skype a leading platform and google has no problem supporting MS and getting hangouts to work On desktop.  I get it. 
  • Who cares about anything google. No thanks
  • Who uses hangouts?
  • +925
  • People who have Google Glass and/or Google+
  • So no one?
  • Don't care. I'm sticking with Skype
  • Goog, no thanks
  • People are taking this the wrong way. As some kind of sign that google is acting better toward MS. This move is purely to steer users toward google services by targeting the plugin at a piece of software that's on virtually every company computer. So don't take this as a sign that google will suddenly support windows phone. They still enjoy embarrassing MS by trying to sabotage windows phone.
  • It appears it does not work. Downloaded the plugin ,but it does not add two more apps to ribbon where office is. ???.
  • I had the same issue. I believe it's only for business.
  • This is clearly a play by Google to siphon users from the Skype integration present in outlook already.. No thank you Google. I'm good.
  • Bing-o! No thanks google. Kiss my @ss
  • Google+? No thanks.
  • I wonder if this has anything to do with the end of google voice.    Not really interested, people I know use skype or facetime.  I've never been asked for my gmail to use the chat function. 
  • Would be handy for work if it worked with Office RT as well, but no. We are switching to Skype at work now anyway because most of us hate what Hangouts has become.
  • Who the hell does Google Hangout other than Google employees? 
  • ...and lame "entertainers" like Justin Bieber.
  • People who have Google Glass, which would currently be 1 Google Employee
  • Nobody I know uses Hangout. In fact nobody knows what that is. I do know some of my friends uninstall it from their Android to save up space.
  • Can't wait... To never use this!!
  • I wish MS could/would just stick it to Google and shut this down. Or how about a little update to Windows 7 that breaks Chrome. Maybe a Skype extension for Chrome?
  • MS should integrate Skype with outlook and that will be MS hangouts
  • They should but right now the Skype app needs work (i.e no push group notifications on the app), patiently waiting on the new Skype experience which Joe Belfiore mentioned at Build 2014. I'm guessing they want to address the app first however that shouldn't stop them from working on a extension.
  • Microsoft already has a product that does that. It's called Lync and it's excellent. What Microsoft needs to do is merge Skype (consumer product) with Lync (enterprise product).
  • Yeah, alot of people do not know that msft is beginning to own the enterprise social experinece through lync, sharepoint and yammer. And very soon olso. Posted via the WPC App for Android!
  • I wouldn't wanna hangout with any google lover :P
  • My sentiments exactly.
  • Oh, please.  I hate Google, so I have no use for their hangouts.  I connect with my friends via FB or Skype.  Plus, I no longer use Outlook on the desktop--in fact, I use very little on the desktop anymore.  For email I use the Mail app primarily, followed by outlook.com.
  • They can't get any momentium with G+. Even their top devs abandon ship. The only reason why they toss crumbs to us is to pad the books.
  • I just downloaded Google app on my WP just to give it a bad rating and a kick ass review. I ain't even mad.
  • Never used Hangout, only read on internet about it.
  • Does Skype ever work on Windows Phone? For all the praises I see, Skype is third useless app after xbox and Xbox music. I would like to have hangouts on my l625! Still use gtalk on desktop.
  • Yes. My dad uses Skype on his PC to video call Skype on my phone. I use Skype on my phone to join telephone meetings when I'm away from my office.
  • What's a Google?
  • It's similar to a fly that hangs around crap (to put it politely) :p.
  • No way I'm installing a google plug-in and having them access my email account lol. Like most here only use the occasional YouTube video just to watch wpcentral vids or trailers. Mixradio has become my go to place for streaming music. Other than that I am Google free.
  • Outlook plug in? Why Outlook? Am I giving my Outlook email to google to rifle though for the privilege?  That's not happening.
  • Awesome finally. But I'd rather have this in my phone's Outlook app. :D
  • Google Hangouts sucks you should use Skype
  • Yes they do sometimes, but Skype almost always on WP so yeah
  • Ah come on guys, why care so much? Stealing info? Yes as much as every other service from banks to companies like google and so do ms and like every app on the store, why even complain about it, its not like they actually look at your info cos they care to look.. And all social services you are using? I once had the same thinking only because of this WPCentral brainwashing.. Google services just rocks here and are despite "cluttering" look simpler to use and more attractive at least on desktop. And it's free. I would populate my phone right away with all Google products as I do populate my Nexus with all Microsoft products. I use both. I wouldn't mind Google Now on Windows Phone either, as Cortana will anyways need some time to take over all info so it's currently almost useless here. (Great for phone use, but not searching for stuff). Why do I use windows phone then? I just like it and see it as a perfect platform for my use. But services are just services.
  • There's a fundamental difference between a company that sells you products as their main source of revenue, and one that makes most of its money selling your private data to advertisers. It's fairly obvious which one is more likely to screw your privacy purposefully.
  • No one is getting screwed by it, but people just like to complain about it cos thats human :P
  • Just to be real, I'm totally into MS services, but they got to step up their game in actually making it work on Windows Phone - all messaging apps + all existing features, add more features to make people migrate to MS services. Push notifications, push notifications, push notifications..
  • Its sad Google is digging their own grave. They should have developed their apps for WP long ago to still keep WP users in their ecosystem. But I think they didn't think about that. Now WP users are very satisfied with the alternate offerings from Microsoft. I don't even have any Google app/clones on my Windows phone. Am satisfied with what I get from Microsoft. I thought Google was smart. they are now losing users.I wonder if WP users are still desperate for Google apps.. Posted via the WPC App for Android!
  • I love how people shit on giigle like a bunch morons...if you safe from any company then you really are a moron. So many idiots.
  • Not for me!!!
  • The comment section is just great!
    So much for maturity... Posted via the WPC App for Android!
  • which outlook?
  • Is there any way I can subscribe to YouTube without Gmail account ?
  • Yes
  • Thanks but...NOooooo
  • #GoogleFree and proud
  • In Microsoft they are idiots!! Google blocked the youtube app that Microsoft released for windows phone,and the dummies are permitting google to make a plugin for outlook,idiots !!!!
  • I refuse to support Anything google until they support Windows Phone.
  • Nice!!
  • I'm forced to use Google Hangouts because Skype doesn't work on mine or my bf's Surface Pros. Could it be because I have it linked to my Windows Phone 8.1 too?
  • I have almost weened myself off Google/Android. No Thanks.
  • New Client for Hangouts update! The following features are now available: Send pictures and photos from the camera. Now you can fully convey your emotions and impression not only with smiles, but also using funny photos or just beautiful images you would like to share. Cancel sending the message. This feature will be useful if you change your mind to send something. You will see a cross next to the message while it is sending – use this cross to cancel the sending. Saving the send queue. This feature will help you not to miss anything from your one-on-one conversation or group chat, even in case of problems with sending some message. It will be very useful when you have poor internet connection.