How to Use Google+ Hangouts

1. Go to the home screen of Google+, where you should see your stream of friends' activity. In the right sidebar, you should see the Hangouts section. Click on the green "Start a hangout" button.
   
   
   
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   A window will pop up, asking you to check your video camera and microphone. Click "Add more people" to select specific circles to hang out with.
   • Google+ automatically inserts everyone you have placed into a circle in the field, but you can click on the "x" next to "Your circles" to avoid inviting everyone to hang out.
     
     
     
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   Once you have clicked "Add more people," a drop-down menu will pop up to help you select from your circles to add.
   
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   Click the green "Hang out" button to confirm your invitations. A window will pop up with everyone else in the room, and you all can begin to use the available features in the bottom toolbar.
   
   
   
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   To invite more people into the hangout, press the "Invite" button. It's the leftmost button in the toolbar. Press the "add" link to select specific people or circles to add to the room.
   
   
   
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   To instant message everyone in the hang out, press the "Chat" button. It's the button that's second from the left in the toolbar.
   • Type your message in the box and press the enter key on your keyboard to send. Your message will be available to everyone, and it will be formatted like a conversation on Google Chat and Google Talk.
     
     
     
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   To watch a YouTube video with everyone in the room, press the "YouTube" button. It's the third from the left in the toolbar. YouTube will pop-up in the main window for everyone, and then you can begin picking videos to watch.
   
   
   
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   To mute your video, press on the icon that's fourth from the right. This will make it so that your camera blacks out and no one in the room can see you.
   
   
   
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   To mute your microphone, press the icon that's third from the right. This will make it so that when you speak, no one in the room can hear you.
   
   
   
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    To change your camera, microphone or sound settings, choose the icon that's second from the right. A pop-up window will appear over the other things in the room and you can adjust your options as necessary.
    
    
    
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    When you are finished with the hangout, say goodbye to everyone and press "Exit." It's the rightmost icon in the toolbar.