Google Duo helps people connect with friends and family. Right now, the COVID-19 situation has forced millions of people indoors and Duo comes to our rescue. To cope with the increase in demand for group video calls, Google has updated Duo to support 8 to 12 participants in a group video call. That’s great, but what if Google Duo suddenly stops working on your Android or iPhone?
This guide will help you fix various common issues that cause Google Duo not to work on your phones. Even if you can’t start the app, connect calls, or experience video/audio call quality issues, our suggested solutions will help you fix the app.
Let’s start.
1. Google Duo Connection Issues
These are some of the most basic steps to check. You should start with your Wi-Fi connection and try to cross-check mobile data just in case. You can also try to connect to other Wi-Fi networks if available, or even use another smartphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot.
If Wi-Fi is connected and working, you should test its speed and available bandwidth. You can use an app like Fast or Speedtest to check. Video conference calls can consume a lot of bandwidth depending on the number of participants and generally require a stable, high-speed internet connection.
2. Data Saving Mode
If bandwidth or speed continues to be an issue, you can try data saving mode in the Duo app. Tap the three-dot menu to open Settings and tap Call settings.
Enable Data Saver mode and then try again. Check if the Duo app is working again, you can both make and receive calls. Remember that quality will drop, but on the other hand, communication is more important in these troubled times.
3. Restart App and Device
Google Duo is a minimalist app that offers little on the settings side. You will find very limited settings to change anything. Instead, try closing the app and restarting it once. Close all other apps on your smartphone to make sure it’s not a RAM or phone resources issue.
Restarting your smartphone can also help from time to time. It will help free up used resources like RAM.
4. Permissions and Access Settings
Google Duo or any video calling app for that matter needs a set of permissions to work properly. Such apps need access to the phone’s camera, microphone, and contacts. You need to check Duo’s permissions to make sure everything is ok.
Below are the steps to check Duo’s permissions on Android, but some may differ depending on your phone model and brand.
Open Settings > Apps > Manage apps and search for Google Duo to turn it on. Make sure all necessary permissions are allowed. Launch the app and check if Google Duo is working.
Here are the steps for iOS users.
Open Settings and tap Google Duo. Make sure all necessary permissions are granted as discussed above.
5. Clear Cache and Data
Old or corrupt data can cause Google Duo to stop working. The solution is simple. Open Settings > Apps > Manage apps, search for Duo app and open it.
Tap on Clear data as it appears on your phone. You can also clear the cache. Restart the Duo app and check if it works properly now.
6. Clean Reinstall
The problem is. You cannot uninstall Google Duo as it comes pre-installed on most Android phones. If you have installed it separately or it is not pre-installed on your device (Android), follow point 5 above and then uninstall Duo.
Why? What this does is remove all cache files and corrupt data before starting a fresh install. Otherwise, old data will bring with it old errors and bugs. There is no way to clear cache data on iOS phones. So don’t go looking for it yet.
Another advantage of this step is that Duo is updated to the latest version of the app. This can help remove known bugs and bugs and bring performance and stability fixes. If you can’t uninstall Duo, check for updates in the Play Store instead. For iOS users, you should check the App Store for Google Duo app update.
do the duo
This is a classic example of a bad naming policy. Google Duo was originally launched with one-on-one calling, hence the name. It currently supports up to 12 participants but the name is still a bit confusing. Either way, it comes pre-installed on most Android phones. This is a great ad-free app and you are free to make video calls with your near and dear ones.
I hope one of the solutions above worked for you and Google Duo now works on your Android or iOS smartphone. If you found another way to fix the problem, share it with us in the comments section below. It may help some of our other readers.
Next: Google Duo is good for video calls but Houseparty is even better as it lets you play games. Here is our in-depth comparison of both video calling apps.
