Google and Microsoft have introduced new two-way assembly room interoperability between Google Meet {hardware} and Microsoft Groups Rooms.
Introduced at ISE 2026, the potential means customers can be part of Microsoft Groups conferences from Chrome OS-based Google Meet {hardware} and be part of Google Meet conferences from Home windows-based Microsoft Groups Rooms gadgets.
Meet and Groups interoperability: What’s launching?
At launch, interoperability will solely be obtainable on Chrome OS-based Google Meet Rooms and Home windows-based Microsoft Groups Rooms.
Google additionally says the function shall be ON by default and may be disabled on the organisational unit (OU) degree. It additionally notes the brand new performance received’t change current Pexip settings for any OU already configured that approach.
On rollout timing, Google says:
Admin console visibility: Full rollout in 1–3 days beginning February 3, 2026
Finish-user visibility: Gradual rollout (as much as 15 days) beginning February 16, 2026
Meet {hardware} already joined Zoom and Webex, however Groups was completely different
Google Meet {hardware} has supported becoming a member of Cisco Webex and Zoom conferences by built-in interoperability for a while, enabled by default and manageable through the Admin console.
Traditionally, Groups has sat in a separate class for Meet {hardware}. Google’s revealed steering has described becoming a member of Groups conferences from Meet {hardware} as being obtainable through Pexip Join, moderately than the identical built-in path used for Zoom and Webex.
In different phrases: interoperability existed, nevertheless it wasn’t introduced as a first-party, two-way room expertise between Google and Microsoft.
The brand new announcement modifications that positioning.
Google: “We didn’t need to rush… and have a subpar expertise”
UC In the present day spoke with Quentin Esterhuizen, product lead at Google Meet, at ISE 2026, who described the transfer as a key milestone for purchasers who stay throughout each ecosystems.
“We’ve received two massive bulletins… one is our closing interoperability with Groups. That’s been a very long time coming.”
To that delay, Esterhuizen pointed to the realities of cross-vendor work: aligning product roadmaps, agreements and, crucially, consumer expertise.
“It takes time to construct this the precise approach… we’re actually joyful concerning the partnership, and we’re actually joyful concerning the flexibility it offers our clients collectively,” he mentioned. “We don’t need to rush that have and have a subpar expertise.”
He additionally emphasised coordination between the 2 firms:
“You don’t need to have one particular person launch… and the opposite particular person a 12 months later. Getting that alignment on the proper timing is basically crucial.”
He added that Google desires to broaden help past the preliminary Chrome OS footprint: “In the present day for us proper now, it’s on Chrome OS. We need to broaden onto Android as effectively.”
The important thing takeaway
Google and Microsoft aren’t making an attempt to break down two assembly platforms into one. They’re addressing the extra fast enterprise drawback: convention rooms that want to hitch whichever assembly hyperlink lands on the calendar.
In brief: Chrome OS-based Meet Rooms can be part of Groups conferences; Home windows Groups Rooms can be part of Meet conferences; it’s on by default; and it rolls out throughout February.
Additionally at ISE 2026: Google expands Meet {hardware} selection with Neat
Interoperability wasn’t Google’s solely Meet headline in Barcelona. The corporate just lately expanded its partnership with Neat, as Google continues to construct out its Meet {hardware} ecosystem.
Whereas discussing the theme of flexibility, central to each the Groups interoperability launch and Google’s broader room technique, Esterhuizen described the fact most enterprises face when updating collaboration environments.
“We all know that not each buyer has a dream or greenfield setting the place they’ll begin from scratch. They are going to probably have one thing already, and with the ability to transition makes that a lot simpler for us… we need to present that flexibility.”
Learn extra from ISE 2026:
