How to Get Rid of Google Meet in Gmail
If you’ve never known what Google Meet is before, you probably know; at least I am constantly reminded of the existence of this free video chat app whenever I download my Gmail. A section dedicated entirely to this just hangs in my inbox, either in the corner of the desktop interface or at the bottom of the Gmail iPhone app.
There’s nothing wrong with Google Meet. But if you are not using it and are not going to use it anytime soon, its front and center position will be annoying. However, you can fix this problem online , on Android or iOS – you just need to do a little digging.
Remove Google Meet from Gmail (web)
Google Meet is a little less annoying on the web version of Gmail, as it’s in the corner of your Gmail interface:
However, if you don’t plan on using it, why tolerate its presence if you don’t need it? To get rid of it (and / or Hangouts, which I never use either), click on the gear icon in the Gmail interface and select View All Settings.
From there, find the Chat & Appointment tab and click on it. You will see two simple options:
Disable both of them, and you’ll never see Hangouts or Meet in the Gmail interface again (at least until Google changes some other setting to reset this one).
Remove Google Meet from Gmail app (Android / iOS / iPadOS)
I’ll admit, I only thought to write this article when the Gmail app was updated on my iPhone and I opened it and found Google Meet staring right in my face:
Hmph.
To opt out of this placement, tap the hamburger icon in the upper left corner of the Gmail app, scroll down to the very bottom of the sidebar and tap Settings. Click on your Gmail account name and find the “Meet” option, which is enabled by default:
Disable this setting and the little tab labeled “Meeting” will disappear. It’s a tiny hack but valuable one that allows you to regain some space on your screen.
If you don’t already have that little button and have updated your app to the latest version, don’t worry; you get it. It just rolls out gradually, just like pretty much everything Google does. That said, this is one update I wouldn’t ask for unless you’re already familiar with Meet.