Hey Local Guides,
This is a quick tutorial about creating a Google Meet call link that is open for all, i.e., anyone using the link can directly join your meetup call, without waiting for the approval.
Recently during an offline meetup, we were discussing, that usually, the online participants need to wait till the host approves their joining request in the meetup call. At times, they even get unnoticed as the host might not be even aware people are on the waitlist.
Now, being a “tech savy” person, and a tech journalist, I felt compelled to find a way to remove this friction.
So today I bring you step-by-step guide about how to create a meet link that anyone can join without waiting in the lobby. This guide works even on the meeting links you have already created for your meetups.
Before we begin with the guide, let me break down the meeting type Google Meet offers.
| Feature | Schedule in Google Calendar | Create a Meeting for Later | Start an Instant Meeting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ideal For | Official Meetups or recurring community events. | Quick link sharing without a fixed time/date. | Immediate troubleshooting or ad-hoc catch-ups. |
| Setup Timing | Proactive: Configure “Open” access before the link is shared. | Manual: Link is generated first; access must be fixed later. | Reactive: Access is managed while the meeting is live. |
| Default Entry | Customizable: Can be pre-set to bypass the “lobby.” | Restricted: Defaults to “Trusted” (Knock to enter). | Restricted: Defaults to “Trusted” (Knock to enter). |
| Host Requirement | No. Guests can enter and chat before the host arrives. | Requires a “pre-visit” to the room to flip the switch. | Yes. The room doesn’t exist until the host starts it. |
| Link Persistence | High: Remembers “Open” status for all future occurrences. | Medium: Requires the host to “prime” the link once. | None: Single-use link; settings die with the session. |
Now, that we have a better idea about the meeting types, let’s get started with the process to create an “open for all“ meeting.
On PC:
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On the Google Meet home page, click on “New Meeting”.
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Choose a meeting type from the available options: Create a meeting for later, Start an instant meeting, or Schedule in Google Calendar.
I’m proceeding with an instant meeting, for demonstration purpose only.
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Once you are in the meeting, click the little lock icon in bottom right. This will bring up “Host Controls” settings.
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Scroll down to “Meeting Access” sub-menu, and change the meeting access type from “Trusted” to “Open.”
This will add the “this call is open to anyone” icon at the bottom left.
- That’s it. Now, you can copy and share the meeting link in your meetup post or with anyone you want to invite.
On Smartphone:
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Launch the Google Meet app or open Gmail app and switch to the meet tab.
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Tap on “New meeting” button at top, and choose a meeting type.
I’m proceeding with an instant meeting, for demonstration purpose only.
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Once you are in the meeting, click the three dots at the bottom. This will bring up a menu.
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Tap the “Settings” gear, to access meeting settings.
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Under settings tap on “Host controls.”
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Scroll down to “Meeting Access” sub-menu, and go to “Meeting access type.”
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Here, change the meeting access type from “Trusted” to “Open.”
This will add the “this call is open to anyone” icon at the top left.
- That’s it. Now, you can copy and share the meeting link in your meetup post or with anyone you want to invite.
Note: If you have already created a Google meet link for your upcoming meetup or a Google Meet call. You can go the same link, and follow the abovementioned steps to change the meeting access type.
Additionally you can also enable the toggle for “Host must join before anyone else”, if you don’t want people to keep waiting for you (the host) to join. As with this enabled, the attendees will be able to join, only after you have joined the meeting.
However, it is set by default to OFF. So that instead for the host to wait for everyone to join, and then commence the meetup. The host can encourage people to join 10 minutes early, allowing them to get comfortable or interact with the co-host (in case any) before the session officially begins.
Most hosts prefer keeping this OFF for a more relaxed, community-driven start to their meetups!
Hope you found this guide useful to navigate, whether you are organizing community meetups or managing meetings in your professional environments outside of Connect. Feel free to reach out, in case you have any doubts. 
Best of luck for your future meetups. 
I feel These steps are best suited for a Hybrid meet-up.
this will be very helpful for my future hybrid meet-ups 
for your upcoming meet up.