In this time of the global pandemic, where the people are restricted from traveling outside, the only way to connect them virtually is through video and voice calls. There are various apps that are popular among users for video calling like Skype, WhatsApp, and one among them is Google Duo.
Google Duo is one of the top video calling apps by the technology giant Google. Many users might be already using it on their smartphones, iPhones, and tabs. However, it is unavailable for Windows operating systems. Though you can always access it from the web browser, a standalone Google Duo application for the Windows PC is missing.
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If you are one of those users who spend most of the time on a PC rather than a smartphone and want to use the Google Duo application on your Windows 10 system, this guide will provide you several tricks on how to do that.
Download Google Duo on Windows 10 PC using the Edge Browser
Though there is no official application for it on Windows 10, you can still download Google Duo on Windows 10 using the Edge Browser. For those wondering how, actually, Edge browser provides its users a way to install a particular site as an app and download the supported Web Apps. Since Google has released the web app for the Duo, you can use the Edge browser to install it on your PC. Here are the steps for that:
Open the latest chromium-based Edge Browser on your PC.
After opening the browser, navigate to the Google Duo website.
Now, click on the three dots at the top-right corner, hover over the Apps, and click on Install this site as an app.
On the pop-up, choose the name, and click on the Install button.
The Google Duo Windows 10 application would be installed.
On your Windows search box, type Googe Duo, and you will see the installed app’s icon.
Click on the icon to launch it.
Download Google Duo on Windows 10 PC using Google Chrome Browser
If you are using the Google Chrome browser instead of the Edge browser, you can download the Google Duo on the Windows 10 system using Chrome too. Like the Edge browser, Google Chrome also has the ability to convert web pages to web apps. To do that, follow these steps:
- Launch the Google Chrome browser on your system.
- Visit the Google Duo official site on the browser.
- Click on the three-dot icon at the top right to launch the settings menu.
- Select Install Google Duo from the menu.
- Now in the pop-up window, click on the Install button to install the Google Duo.
- On the windows search bar, type Google Duo and you will find the application’s icon.
- Click on the icon to launch the application.
Download Google Duo on Windows 10 PC using Android Emulator
The drawback of the Google Duo web app is, it does not have full features and functionalities like the Android or iOS version. If you want to enjoy the Google Duo with all the functionalities of the Android version, the only option is to download it using an Android emulator. Here are the steps for that.
- Download any popular Android emulator like Bluestacks, Nox, MEmu, or others.
- After downloading and installing the emulator, sign in with your Google ID to access the Google Play Store.
- When Play Store is accessible, search for the Google Duo on it.
- Install the Google Duo on Windows 10 PC by clicking on the Install button.
Top Alternatives of Google Duo for Windows 10
As already mentioned, the web app of Google Duo downloaded through Edge and Chrome browsers is not as feature-rich as the Android or iOS version. Using the app through an emulator is not a wise option as emulators tend to use high system resources. The best option is to go for the equally good substitutes of Google Duo. Here are the top alternatives to Google Duo for Windows 10:
Skype
Skype from Microsoft is one of the oldest and popular video conferencing app. It comes with a lot of advanced features like screen sharing, presentation, and more, which also makes it a great collaborative application. With the addition of Meet Now on Skype, users can now host webinars, meetings and conduct interviews on Skype by adding the non-contacts. Overall, it is the best alternative to Google Duo.
Zoom
Because of its impressive collaborative feature and smooth usability, Zoom has emerged as the biggest video conferencing application in the pandemic era. This cloud-based cross-platform application offers group conferencing, one-to-one meetings, screen sharing, and many other great collaborative features. Every user can host up to 100 people at a conference. Many teachers are using Zoom to host online classes. The same goes for the corporates too.
Google Meet
Google Meet is another excellent alternative to Google Duo. Originally designed for corporates to conduct their meetings and presentation, Google Meet rose last year during the pandemic when it was made available for free to every Google user. Like Zoom, Meet also provides advanced collaborative features and tools. For example, while working from home, you can change or remove your background so that the attendee is not distracted by it. The meeting attendees can share their screen for presentation and also use the screen pad for writing.
Final Words
Though Google Duo is an excellent video conferencing application, there is no official app available for Windows 10. This post guides you on how you can download the Google Duo on Windows 10 PC using the Edge Browser, Chrome Browser, and Android Emulators. If you want to utilize the full functionalities of the Google Duo, then the Emulator option is the best. If you don’t want to burden your PC with an emulator, you can choose any application from the top alternatives of Google Duo for Windows 10.
Peter is an Electrical Engineer whose primary interest is tinkering with his computer. He is passionate about Windows 10 Platform and enjoys writing tips and tutorials about it.
DUO is an Oracle mobile app. It is used for 2-factor authentication against a website. It is much more secure than SMS 2 factor.