Google are know for their ship early, ship often, which in many ways is “ship something that is buggy and not very user friendly, and then iterate like crazy, learning from how your users fail with your product to make it better”. The best known example of this was Gmail (famously in beta for over 5 years), but I think the clearest example of “launching shit and unusable and push it hard anyway” is Google Hangouts.
Unfortunately, Google’s efforts to push Hangouts before they’re ready is now going beyond just pitch meetings with Google Ventures or merging flaky Hangouts with SMS functionality on Android – now they’re getting in the way of business, and that just isn’t good enough.
Last week Google introduced a new default feature for Google Apps Calendar – when you create a new event, it will automatically add a link to the Google Hangout for the meeting “to save time and reduce last minute confusion and delays”. This is bullshit.
I’ve been using Google Calendar for almost a decade, and I’ve never forgotten to add a link to a service I’ve never wanted to use, but now Google is pushing Hangouts down our throats in Calendar we’re seeing real confusion – our users are now clicking on links to Hangouts in Calendar entries rather than the GoToWebinar or Join.me links we actually use.
Not to mention the prospective confusion of meeting for a coffee and them seeing the Hangout link. Yeah, time saving my arse.
Unfortunately, your users can’t disable this feature themselves – only the admin can turn it off (or back on again) for everyone in your account. They didn’t make it easy to find or do though – so after some Monday morning frustration, I decided to get some screenshots and post the instructions here. Enjoy.
Turning it off via the Google Apps Admin Console
Of course, with Google Apps’ new “Look, it is like Windows 8 – everything is easier to use because you can’t find it” Admin panel, turning off this feature isn’t as easy as it should be. So, here’s how.
1. Head to the “Advanced settings” for Calendar in Google Apps
Simply substitute YOURDOMAIN with your actual Google Apps domain:
Once you’re there, you can disable this annoying “feature” and save your preferences.
2. Reload your Google Calendar for the change to take effect
Just saving the change won’t apply until you refresh the browser window that Google Calendar is in. You DO NOT need to log off or do any special cache clearing. Win.
geoffmcqueen.com 
Thank you – very much appreciated!
Thank you. Very helpful post.
On my Google Apps, it is Google Apps ==> Settings for Calendar ==> Sharing Settings
I disabled it and it says it may 24 hours to come into effect, so here’s hoping.
I agree, a total bullshit attempt to push some service we don’t want onto paying customers. These guys have no self respect.
Thank you!! This was driving my boss crazy! I scored points today 🙂
Just passed that on to my client’s sysadmin – thanks!
Holy smokes, thank you so much!!
Thank you SO much!! That was bothering me and your instructions are perfect 🙂
Just saved me time & reduced irritation greatly – thanks a bunch.
Awesome TIP!!!! I don’t know how I would have found that otherwise and it was driving me up the wall.
So thankful for this tip on how to remove it. That video call thing was driving me nuts!
YES!!!!! WONDERFUL!
Thank you Thank you! This works!
Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I only wish I had some similarly annoying issue salve to share with you in return. My thanks will have to be enough.
Thanks!
Totally agree, been driving me nuts, and thank you!
Praise!! It’s not Advanced Settings in mine though, it’s Sharing Settings
Very very helpful. Thank you!
Thanks for posting that – you’ve saved me and my business a load of hassle by finding that setting tucked away
Thanks very much. It was really annoying me and I’m glad I’ve killed it.
Thank you very much! Had no idea this would be in Google Apps admin.
Google acting like Apple.
Thank you for the summary and documentation of resolution steps.
I noticed this immediately when it changed and became so frustrated I just figured out how to fix it for our business. It is quite frustrating to see this product push done on people who actually pay Google for the software already.
As you called out, it auto-opts-in users to communication channels they have no intention to use, creating confusion, and lost time.
Given there was zero communication from Google preceeding this change, the fact it requires an admin intervention to opt out, and that it is hidden away in advanced settings make this a 10 / 10 on the scale of completely terrible product management. Savvy users notice and don’t forget transgressions like this.
There is very little excuse for this call, the Google Apps product manager should be ashamed this one got through.
Well I’ve pretty much written Google off in terms of being a “cool” or “do no evil” company the last year or two. They have just pushed to many silly things out, turned off too many features without proper replacements, and generally been very alienating to their power user and evangelist base. Haven’t a clue why but they definitely don’t listen and have made it painfully apparent that we are the product not the customer (even the ones who pay). Still a major user but only because there are no real alternatives besides apple.
Super helpful! I was looking to that setting for a half hour before I found this article. Thank you!
So very helpful. I can’t tell you how many of my clients have been confused by this Google misdirection.
Thanks a bunch. This has been annoying me for quite a while and, without a strong hint where to look for the setting, it’s almost impossible to find just by poking around.
OMG! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!
The decision to write in all caps was a tough one, but it was the most efficient way of reflecting my utter elation at being able to turn off this incredible annoyance.
My life is improved thanks to this post. Thank you!
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Really appreciate the answer. Thank you very much!
Loved this line: “it will automatically add a link to the Google Hangout for the meeting “to save time and reduce last minute confusion and delays”. This is bullshit.”
You rock. Thanks so much.
Thank you. This has been confusing our customers and prospects for long enough.
Thanks for posting this! This drove me nuts a long time!
Thanks a ton for this
Best answer on the internet.
Best answer on the internet. Thanks. Mega-cheeky of them to this in the first place.
Saved my day.. thanks a lot.
Thanks a lot for posting the tip. Lots of confused calls avoided in the future!
Great, and thanks for this!
Thank you so much!
This is a HUGE help! Thank you!
Thanks for being so smart and sharing.
Thanks. That was driving me nuts!
Bravo!!!
At last…thank you…brilliant.
Ok I feel like a moron, because I’m following these steps and I’m not finding my google apps domain. I’m cutting and pasting and using my domian to replace but I never get the screen you have pictured. What am I doing wrong? This malfunciton is driving me crazy!
Michelle- Make sure that you are in the ADMIN account for your domain. You can’t do this from the user settings of the individual account. You have to go to the admin account, then choose the user, then you will find those settings. I made that mistake also.
I guess my domain is linked to another domain name in which i am NOT the Admin, therefore I cannot get access. That clarified things a bit. Thanks.
Awesome job finding this! Thanks so much.
Life Saver!!! It worked and now I don’t have to disable “Video Calls” for individual events.