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Call prep guide

How to Prepare for Your Live Session

To make sure your session starts smoothly without technical delays, take about 5 minutes to test your camera, microphone, and browser permissions. Do this as early as you can, so if anything comes up you have time to fix it or reach out to us for help.

1. Test Your Setup in Google Meet

You don't need a Google account or Gmail address to join your session—you can join directly from your web browser as a guest.

Open the device you will join from. Each section includes the preview-screen test and, if that test fails, the permission steps for that device.

Windows PC+

Step 1: Pre-Flight Hardware Check

Before diving into software settings, make sure your gear is connected properly:

  • Connections: Ensure external webcams and USB microphones are fully plugged in.
  • Bluetooth: If using wireless earbuds or a headset, double-check that they are powered on and connected to your PC.
  • Hardware Mutes: Check that any physical mute switches on your headset or cable are toggled on and unmuted.

Step 2: Verify & Test Devices on the Preview Screen

When you open your meeting link, you will land on the preview screen before clicking “Join now”. Look at the control bar at the bottom of the video tile:

  1. Check Your Microphone:
    • Click the Microphone dropdown at the bottom left.
    • Select your intended input device (for example, your external mic or headset).
    • Speak out loud—ensure the small green audio dots or indicator pulses as you talk to confirm an input signal.
  2. Test Your Speakers:
    • Click the Speakers dropdown.
    • Select your output device (for example, headphones or computer speakers).
    • Click Test audio to play a test chime and verify you can hear playback clearly.
  3. Test Your Camera & Make a Test Recording:
    • Click the Webcam dropdown to pick your active camera feed.
    • To check both audio and video together, select Make a test recording. This records a short clip so you can play it back and hear exactly how you'll sound to others.

Step 3: Adjusting Volume & Microphone Sensitivity

  • Output Volume: Use the taskbar speaker icon, or a physical headphone volume dial, to set a comfortable listening level.
  • Microphone Sensitivity (Input Gain): Google Meet automatically balances your microphone gain. If you sound too quiet or distorted, right-click the Speaker icon → Sound Settings → Input / Device Properties → adjust the Volume / Gain slider.
Only use the steps below if the tests above fail, Google Meet shows a black screen, or you see a “Camera/Microphone is blocked” message.

Google Chrome

  1. Click the Site Controls / Tune icon (sliders with circles) to the left of meet.google.com in your address bar.
  2. Look for Camera and Microphone:
    • If visible in the pop-up menu, toggle both switches to ON / Allow.
    • If not visible immediately, click Site settings, find Camera and Microphone in the permissions list, and set both to Allow.
  3. Return to the tab and Refresh the page.

Microsoft Edge

  1. Click the Lock icon or Tune icon to the left of the address bar.
  2. If Camera and Microphone appear in the quick menu, toggle both to Allow.
  3. If they aren't shown in the quick menu, click Permissions for this site, locate Camera and Microphone from the settings list, and set them to Allow.
  4. Return to the Google Meet tab and Refresh the page.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Click the Permissions / Lock icon (or the camera/mic indicator) to the left of the address bar.
  2. Under Permissions, click the × next to any Blocked camera or microphone permissions to clear the saved block rule.
  3. Refresh the page.
  4. When Firefox asks “Will you allow meet.google.com to use your camera/microphone?”, choose your devices and click Allow.
macOS+

Step 1: Pre-Flight Hardware Check

Before diving into software settings, make sure your gear is connected properly:

  • Connections: Ensure external webcams and USB microphones are fully plugged in.
  • Bluetooth: If using wireless earbuds or a headset, double-check that they are powered on and connected to your Mac.
  • Hardware Mutes: Check that any physical mute switches on your headset or cable are toggled on and unmuted.

Step 2: Verify & Test Devices on the Preview Screen

When you open your meeting link, you will land on the preview screen before clicking “Join now”. Look at the control bar at the bottom of the video tile:

  1. Check Your Microphone:
    • Click the Microphone dropdown at the bottom left.
    • Select your intended input device (for example, your external mic or headset).
    • Speak out loud—ensure the small green audio dots or indicator pulses as you talk to confirm an input signal.
  2. Test Your Speakers:
    • Click the Speakers dropdown.
    • Select your output device (for example, headphones or computer speakers).
    • Click Test audio to play a test chime and verify you can hear playback clearly.
  3. Test Your Camera & Make a Test Recording:
    • Click the Webcam dropdown to pick your active camera feed.
    • To check both audio and video together, select Make a test recording. This records a short clip so you can play it back and hear exactly how you'll sound to others.

Step 3: Adjusting Volume & Microphone Sensitivity

  • Output Volume: Use the menu bar volume slider, or a physical headphone volume dial, to set a comfortable listening level.
  • Microphone Sensitivity (Input Gain): Google Meet automatically balances your microphone gain. If you sound too quiet or distorted, go to System Settings → Sound → Input → adjust the Input Volume slider.
Only use the steps below if the tests above fail, Google Meet shows a black screen, or you see a “Camera/Microphone is blocked” message.

Apple Safari

  1. Click Safari in the top menu bar (or right-click the address bar) → select Settings for This Website…
  2. In the pop-up window under the address bar, set both Camera and Microphone to Allow.
  3. Reload the page.

Google Chrome

  1. Click the Site Controls / Tune icon (sliders with circles) to the left of meet.google.com in your address bar.
  2. Look for Camera and Microphone:
    • If visible in the pop-up menu, toggle both switches to ON / Allow.
    • If not visible immediately, click Site settings, find Camera and Microphone in the permissions list, and set both to Allow.
  3. Return to the tab and Refresh the page.

Mozilla Firefox

  1. Click the Permissions / Lock icon (or the camera/mic indicator) to the left of the address bar.
  2. Under Permissions, click the × next to any Blocked camera or microphone permissions to clear the saved block rule.
  3. Refresh the page.
  4. When Firefox asks “Will you allow meet.google.com to use your camera/microphone?”, choose your devices and click Allow.
Android+

Step 1: Pre-Flight Hardware Check

  • Bluetooth: If using wireless earbuds or a headset, connect them before you open the meeting link.
  • Hardware Mutes: Check that any physical mute switches on your headset or cable are toggled on and unmuted.

Step 2: Verify & Test Devices on the Preview Screen

When you open your meeting link, you will land on the preview screen before tapping “Join now”. Phones and tablets do not show the microphone, speaker, or camera dropdowns, Test audio, or Make a test recording. Meet uses the microphone, speaker, and camera your device is already using.

  1. Open the meeting link in your web browser. When asked, allow Camera and Microphone.
  2. You should see yourself in the preview. If the picture is black or missing, the camera is off or blocked.
  3. Tap the microphone and camera buttons so they are on, not crossed out. If you see a camera-switch button, use it to choose the front camera.
  4. Connect Bluetooth earbuds or a headset before you open the link. There is no speaker list to pick from, so sound follows whatever your phone or tablet is already using. Set the level with your device's volume buttons.
  5. Speak out loud with the microphone on. You will not get a test chime or a playback recording on a phone or tablet, so this check confirms the preview and that the microphone is unmuted.
Only use the steps below if the tests above fail, Google Meet shows a black screen, or you see a “Camera/Microphone is blocked” message.

Google Chrome

  1. Tap the lock or tune icon to the left of meet.google.com in the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions or Site settings.
  3. Set both Camera and Microphone to Allow.
  4. Reload the page.
  5. If the browser still cannot use them, open your phone's Settings → Apps → Chrome → Permissions, and allow Camera and Microphone.
iOS (iPhone & iPad)+

If you are joining your booking from an iPhone or iPad using the Apple Mail app, please be aware of a known rendering issue with iOS calendar invitations. This can cause email layouts to appear distorted and Google Meet links to fail.

What to Expect & How to Fix It

  • Distorted Email Formatting: The confirmation email may display raw text, misaligned buttons, or missing styles. All event details remain accurate even if the visual layout appears broken. The main problem is that this broken formatting can stop the meeting link from working when you try to join.
  • Google Meet App Redirect Loop: Because the link is malformed, tapping it in Apple Mail can make your phone open the Google Meet app and ask you to sign in. You should not need to sign in. This can also cause an infinite login loop or an error in the Google Meet app.

Recommended Workarounds

  1. Open from your calendar app (Best): Open the booking in your calendar app and use the Google Meet link from there. Open that link in your web browser. Use the Google Meet app only if you are happy to sign in with your Google account.
  2. Join via Code: The 10-letter meeting code is the last part of the Google Meet URL. In https://meet.google.com/abc-defg-hij, the code is abc-defg-hij. Copy that code, open the Google Meet app, tap Join with a code, and paste it.
  3. Last resort: clean up the link. If the other options don't work, press and hold the meeting link in Apple Mail and choose Open in Safari, or copy it and paste it into Safari or Chrome. Extra formatting is often stuck onto the address. The link will not work until you delete that extra text so only https://meet.google.com/abc-defg-hij remains.

Test Your Camera and Microphone

The steps below are for checking your setup before the call. They are separate from the Apple Mail workarounds above.

Step 1: Pre-Flight Hardware Check

  • Bluetooth: If using wireless earbuds or a headset, connect them before you open the meeting link.
  • Hardware Mutes: Check that any physical mute switches on your headset or cable are toggled on and unmuted.

Step 2: Verify & Test Devices on the Preview Screen

When you open your meeting link, you will land on the preview screen before tapping “Join now”. Phones and tablets do not show the microphone, speaker, or camera dropdowns, Test audio, or Make a test recording. Meet uses the microphone, speaker, and camera your device is already using.

  1. Open the meeting link in your web browser. When asked, allow Camera and Microphone.
  2. You should see yourself in the preview. If the picture is black or missing, the camera is off or blocked.
  3. Tap the microphone and camera buttons so they are on, not crossed out. If you see a camera-switch button, use it to choose the front camera.
  4. Connect Bluetooth earbuds or a headset before you open the link. There is no speaker list to pick from, so sound follows whatever your phone or tablet is already using. Set the level with your device's volume buttons.
  5. Speak out loud with the microphone on. You will not get a test chime or a playback recording on a phone or tablet, so this check confirms the preview and that the microphone is unmuted.
Only use the steps below if the tests above fail, Google Meet shows a black screen, or you see a “Camera/Microphone is blocked” message.

Apple Safari

  1. Tap the aA / Page Settings icon on the left side of the address bar.
  2. Tap Website Settings.
  3. Set both Camera and Microphone to Allow.
  4. Tap Done and refresh the page.

2. Quick Checklist Before You Join

  • Internet Connection: Make sure you have a good internet connection. If you are on Wi-Fi, sit where you get a solid signal.
  • Bluetooth Devices: Connect wireless headphones or earbuds before opening the meeting link so your browser detects them as active audio inputs.
  • Close Heavy Apps: Close high-bandwidth background apps or downloads to keep your video feed stable.
  • Lighting: If you are joining with video on, keep your main light source in front of you (not behind you) so your video feed isn't washed out.

Important: iPhone & iPad Users

If you are joining your booking from an iPhone or iPad using the Apple Mail app, please be aware of a known rendering issue with iOS calendar invitations. This can cause email layouts to appear distorted and Google Meet links to fail.

View the iPhone & iPad guide

Important: Microsoft Email Users

If your email address is hosted on a Microsoft-managed email service, your booking confirmation email may automatically be routed to your Spam or Junk folder.

Affected Email Domains & Services

This applies to:

  • Personal Microsoft Domains: @outlook.com, @hotmail.com, @live.com, and @msn.com.
  • Custom, Work, or School Domains: Any custom domain hosted on Microsoft 365 or Exchange Online, such as yourname@company.com or student@university.edu.

Action Required

  1. Check Your Junk/Spam Folder: Look for a confirmation email sent from no-reply@cal.com.
  2. Mark as “Not Junk”: Open the email and select Not Junk or Never Block Sender to help future updates and meeting reminders reach your inbox.
  3. Add to Safe Senders: Add no-reply@cal.com to your email contact list or Safe Senders list.