Google Meet and Google Chrome have been causing difficulties for some people, so here are a set of steps to get your computer back into normal condition. It will take about 15 minutes to do them, but please do them all, in the order listed. Then use only Firefox or Safari for your Meets.

PRINT OUT THESE INSTRUCTIONS FIRST! IT'S A LOT EASIER!

  1. Reset your computer’s PRAM, which controls display and other settings

    1. In SAES Self Service (Application folder) find the “Reset PRAM” button on the opening page
    2. Click that button
    3. When the button changes to say “Reinstall” you know it worked successfully.
      1. If it does not do this then let us know!
    4. Once the button changes then, under the Apple icon, click Shut Down
  2. Reset your computer's power system, which controls a lot of critical things
    1. Make sure your computer is Shut Down
    2. Plug in your power cable
    3. Hold down the following four keys at the same time for a full 15 seconds. Don't let up early!!!
      1. Left-Shift
      2. Left-Control
      3. Left-Option
      4. Power button
    4. Now power your computer on normally
  3. Use Firefox or Safari and keep Chrome shut down. This is critical.
    1. If you want to import your bookmarks from Chrome:
      1. If Chrome is running click Quit under the Chrome menu
      2. Open Firefox
      3. In Firefox, under the File menu, click Import from Another Browser
      4. Choose Chrome
      5. Click Continue
      6. Put checkmarks in all of the items' boxes
      7. Click Continue
      8. Click Done
        1. Your Chrome bookmarks have now been copied into Firefox's Bookmarks/Bookmarks Tool Bar/From Google Chrome folder.
  4. Delete any grid extensions you have, in all of your web browsers.
    1. Use Meet’s built-in “Tiled” view if you have to see more than one person, but only use it when truly necessary. 
  5. Disable hardware acceleration in your browser:
    1. FIREFOX
      1. Under the Firefox menu click Preferences 
      2. On the General tab find Performance
      3. Uncheck its check box
      4. Now uncheck “Use hardware acceleration…” in the new setting that apears
      5. The settings are automatically saved.
    2. CHROME
      1. Under the Chrome menu click Preferences 
      2. Click Advanced
      3. Click System
      4. Disable  "Use hardware accelleration when available"
  6. Clear your browser’s data
    1. FIREFOX
      1. Under the History menu click Clear All History
      2. Set the Time range to clear to Everything
      3. Put check marks in the following three boxes: 
        1. Browsing & Download History 
        2. Cookies 
        3. Cache
      4. Clear all other checkmarks
      5. Click OK.
    2. CHROME
      1. Under the Chrome menu click Clear browsing data
      2. On the Basic tab set Time range to All time
      3. Put check marks in all three boxes
      4. Click Clear Data
  7. Truly have absolutely nothing else running during a Google Meet except only what you need for that Meet. No other browser tabs open, no email tab open, no other apps running,…nothing. Apps like Spotify actually launch themselves at startup, so you need to identify any like that and quit them manually.
    1. You can tell if an app is running because any running app has a black dot underneath its icon on your dock. Quit all of those except what you need for your Meet.