You can’t use Google Duo as a separate app any more: Google merged it into Google Meet in 2022, and the old Duo app was renamed and given the Meet icon. To make a “Duo-style” video call today, open the Meet app on your Android phone or iPhone, tap New (or Search contacts), pick a person and tap Call. On a computer, go to meet.google.com and click Calls on the left. Both you and the person you’re calling need the latest version of Meet for the call to ring through properly.
So if you’re searching for how to use the Google Duo app, the honest answer is that you’re really learning Meet’s calling feature. The good news: the basic idea hasn’t changed. You still ring a contact directly, the way you would with a phone call.
What happened to Google Duo?
Google announced in 2022 that it was folding its two video apps into one. Duo got Meet’s features (scheduled meetings, backgrounds, in-meeting chat, captions), and the Duo app’s name and icon changed to Google Meet. People who already had the older Meet app saw it renamed “Google Meet (original)”.
Then came a second step. Calls that still ran on Duo’s technology are now labelled legacy calls, and Google is replacing them with a newer system it calls Meet calls. According to Google’s transition FAQ, legacy calling goes away once all users have moved to the updated app. 9to5Google reported in May 2025 that Google planned to retire the remaining Duo pieces in September 2025. As of October 2026, the practical takeaway is simple: keep Meet updated and you’ll be on the current calling system.
How do I use Google Duo calling in the Meet app on my phone?
Install or update Google Meet from the Play Store or App Store, sign in with your Google Account, and call from the home screen. Here are the steps Google gives for starting a one-to-one Meet call:
- Open the Meet app.
- Check that the right Google Account is selected. If a contact is missing, tap your profile picture and switch accounts.
- Tap New, or tap Search contacts.
- Type a name and choose the person from the suggestions.
- Tap Call.
Before the call connects you get a pre-call screen. That’s where you mute the mic, switch your camera off if you only want audio, and pick which phone number to call from if you have more than one. Personal accounts can also turn on Additional encryption there.
Duo was known for working with just a phone number, and Meet still lets you add one. A number already linked to your Google Account is verified automatically; otherwise Meet texts you a code, and your carrier may charge for the SMS.
Making a group call
- In Meet, tap New, then Group call.
- Search for and select contacts. Google allows up to 31 people in the selection.
- Tap Next, then Call to ring everyone who can receive Meet calls.
If nobody you picked can receive a Meet call, tap Create and share a link instead and send it over. One change catches long-time Duo users out: you can’t add or remove people from an existing group call any more, and old Duo groups can’t be reused. Start a fresh group call with the people you want.
Can I make a Duo-style call from a computer?
Yes. Google’s steps for calling from a computer go like this:
- Go to meet.google.com and sign in.
- Click Calls on the left side.
- Search for the person or people you want, then click Continue.
- Choose Voice call or Video call.
If the other person can’t receive calls (for example, they haven’t updated Meet), you’ll see a message saying so. Click Email invite or Share full details, or copy the meeting link and send it yourself.
Calls versus meetings in Google Meet
This is the part that confuses most former Duo users. The Meet app now does two different things, and Google treats them differently. Google’s overview of the new Meet app sums it up: calls ring a contact directly, while meetings are rooms people join with a link or code.
| Calls (the old Duo idea) | Meetings | |
|---|---|---|
| How it starts | You ring a contact or group | You share a link or code (looks like abc-defg-hjk) |
| Where to start it | New > pick contact > Call | New > Create a new meeting or Schedule in Google Calendar |
| Who can join | People you call (Meet calls can also ring a phone number) | Anyone with the link who’s let in |
| Encryption | Cloud encrypted by default; personal accounts can add extra encryption | Cloud encrypted |
| Best for | Quick family and friend calls | Planned chats, bigger groups, people without your number |
To join a meeting someone sent you, open Meet, tap the search bar, tap Enter a Meet Code, type the code (the hyphens are optional) and tap Join meeting. Meetings need a Google Account; an account set up with only a phone number can’t create one until you add an email address.
Which Duo features are gone?
Some favourites didn’t make the move. Google’s comparison of legacy and Meet calls lists what changed:
- Knock Knock (the live video preview before you answer): gone in Meet calls.
- Family mode (doodling on the call) and Mirror mode: gone.
- Moments (in-call photos): take a normal screenshot instead.
- Low light mode: replaced, for some users, by video lighting adjustment and portrait touch-up.
- Data saving mode: replaced by Meet saver mode.
- Duo messages (the short video and voice notes): no longer available at all.
In return you get in-call chat, live captions, screen sharing, stacked effects, hand raise and better layouts on tablets and foldables. Call history also changed for the better. Duo kept it on the phone that made the call; Meet calls save history to your Google Account, so it follows you to every device. You’ll find it under Menu > Settings > History.
Why can’t someone reach me, or why can’t I reach them?
Usually one side hasn’t updated Meet. When not everyone has the latest version, Google says the call falls back to the old legacy system or tells you to share a link. Update the app on both phones first.
A few other causes from Google’s FAQ:
- The contact doesn’t show as reachable when you search their number. Meet may need permission to use your device contacts. In your Google activity settings, turn on Save contact info from your signed-in devices.
- Strangers can call you. Meet makes you reachable by email by default. Go to Menu > Settings > General and switch on Only contacts can call me.
- Phone number won’t verify. Check the number for typos. If the code arrived as a normal text, you may have to type it into Meet yourself. Some carriers aren’t supported.
- Calling a child’s account. Underage personal accounts only get calls from saved contacts, so the child needs you in their contacts first.
- Work or school account. Admins decide who can call you. By default, those accounts only receive calls from contacts and people in the same organisation.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Duo still available to download?
Not as Duo. The Duo app became Google Meet, so the app you install from the Play Store or App Store today is Google Meet, and it handles both calls and meetings.
Is Google Meet calling free?
Yes. Calling and basic meetings work with a free personal Google Account. Google says video calls on your phone have no time limit; some extra features depend on a Google Workspace or Google One plan.
How many people can join a Google Meet group call?
When you start a group call on your phone, you can select up to 31 contacts. For meetings, Google’s app overview says you can connect up to 100 people.
Can I still see my old Duo call history?
Legacy (Duo) call history was stored only on the device that made the call. 9to5Google reported an export option at Settings > Calling settings (Legacy) > Legacy calling account > Manage legacy calling history > Export legacy call history, which saves a CSV file; if your app no longer shows that menu, the history can’t be recovered from Meet.
Do Meet calls work between Android and iPhone?
Yes. Google lists Android, iOS and the web for the Meet app, so an Android user can call an iPhone user as long as both have the current Meet app and a Google Account.
Featured image: Czapp Árpád / Pexels
