Google Meet settings (for admins)

How to apply automatic chat notices across a workspace in Google Meet. There are three pieces of work: distributing the browser extension from the Google Admin console, putting the notice in a state where it can be pinned, and enabling the feature in Pulse. The same settings apply on both macOS and Windows machines.

Enterprise plan

#1. Distribute the browser extension

The notice in Google Meet is posted by the Pulse browser extension. Users can add it themselves, but distributing it automatically from the Google Admin console removes the per-machine work. You can distribute to everyone at once, or narrow the audience by organisational unit (OU) or Google group.

#Adding the extension

1. 1

   Sign in to the admin console

   Google Admin console.

2. 2

   Open the extension settings

   Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions > Users & browsers

3. 3

   Choose add from the web store

   Click the “+” button at the bottom right and choose “Add from Chrome Web Store”.

4. 4

   Search by extension ID

   Click “Search by ID” at the top right and paste the Pulse extension's ID.

5. 5

   Add the extension

   “Select” to add the extension.

6. 6

   Set the installation policy

   Set the installation policy to “Force install” or “Force install + pin to browser toolbar”. To be sure of reaching the whole organisation, choose one of the force-install options.

#Narrowing who receives it

By default the setting applies to the whole organisation. To distribute only to particular departments, sites or teams, there are two options.

Option 1: use organisational units (OUs)

Organisational units group users by criteria such as department or site, so that different policies can apply to each group.

1. Google Admin console, open Directory > Organisational units.
2. If there is no organisational unit for the target group yet, create one.
3. Move the relevant users into that organisational unit.
4. Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions > Users & browsers
5. In the left sidebar, select the target organisational unit rather than the top-level organisation.
6. Add and configure the Pulse extension against that organisational unit. It goes only to users in it.

For the detailed steps, see Google's documentation on app and extension settings.

Option 2: use a Google group

Where restructuring organisational units is not practical, you can target distribution using a Google group. This suits teams spanning several organisational units, such as a cross-site project.

1. Google Admin console, open Directory > Groups.
2. Create a new group containing the users you want to distribute to (an existing group is fine too).
3. Devices > Chrome > Apps & extensions > Users & browsers
4. In the left sidebar, search for and select the group.
5. Add and configure the Pulse extension against that group. It goes only to its members.

For the detailed steps, see Google's documentation on group-based policy.

#2. Allow messages to be pinned

Where Google Workspace's “Continuous Meeting Chat” is enabled, the notice cannot be pinned. To make it visible to people who join partway through, switch that setting off.

1. 1

   Sign in to the admin console

   Google Admin console.

2. 2

   Open the Meet settings

   Apps > Google Workspace > Google Meet

3. 3

   Open the safety settings

   “Meet safety settings”.

4. 4

   Find the item

   “Continuous Meeting Chat”. You can match the scope to the same organisational units or Google groups used for distributing the extension.

5. 5

   Turn it off by default

   “Off by default — hosts cannot change” (recommended).

6. 6

   Save

   “Save”.

Continuous Meeting Chat exists to keep chat history after a meeting ends. Switching it off may affect existing practices that depend on it. Check the impact before disabling it company-wide. Where keeping history matters more than pinning, you can leave Continuous Meeting Chat enabled and work on the basis that the notice is not pinned. The message is posted either way.

#3. Enable the feature for the workspace

1. 1

   Open workspace settings

   In the Pulse desktop app, open Settings > Workspace > General > Transparency > Automatic chat notices for teams.

2. 2

   Run setup

   “Google Meet automatic chat notice” and click “Set up”.

3. 3

   Apply it to all users

   Once setup is complete, click “Apply to all workspace users” to enable it.

#Behaviour worth knowing about

• When it is sent: the notice is sent once transcription has started and at least one participant other than the user has joined. It is not sent while the user is alone in the meeting.
• How often: once per meeting. Leaving and rejoining does not post it again.
• People joining late: anyone joining after the message was sent can still see the pinned message.
• Participants outside the organisation: depending on the meeting's chat settings, the message may not be visible to someone from outside the organisation who joins partway through.
• Where Continuous Meeting Chat is enabled: the message is sent, but it is not pinned. See “2. Allow messages to be pinned” in this article.

#Announcing it internally

Force-installing an extension means it appears in users' browsers with no explanation. Without advance notice, that drives enquiries to the IT team. Announcement templates, likely questions and answers, and the points to note as monitoring of employees are collected in Enabling the transparency features for your organisation (for admins).

#Frequently asked questions

#Related articles

If that does not resolve it, contact tharada@the-unchain.com.