Attendees must join through the desktop app to give remote control

[dharrel]

Remote control under the old GoToMeeting was SO EASY.  Now it is SO HARD!  It looks like progress was made, and I actually (after holding my breath) was able to do some remote controlling.  Now I'm mostly told "Remote control is only available if presenters use the desktop app" when I hover over the "Control" icon.  But I'm sure the presenter IS using the desktop app (and not the browser).  I see the GoToMeeting app icon in their task bar.  

Please, please, make this as easy as it used to be - once and for all.  Then don't change it!  

Thanks!

[GlennD]

Hi @dharrel,

If you are seeing that message it means that the attendee that you have made presenter joined through their web browser, so remotely control is not possible. 

When an attendee joins for the first time and they do not have the GoTo App already installed they may join through their browser (Chrome/MS Edge), but on the page that they see when they are joining is an option to install and join though the GoTo App. If they miss that queue, on the next screen where they enter their name and preview their webcam and audio settings there is another chance to switch to the desktop app.

[dharrel]

Thanks for the prompt reply.  

My meeting partners join GoToMeeting via a web link in an invitation I create within GoToMeeting - something like: https://meet.goto.com/1234567890 .  I guess this means they "joined through their web browser", even if that leads to them running the GoToMeeting app.  Is that correct?  

So, this means that being able to control doesn't depend on them being in the GoToMeeting app, but how they get there?  Is that correct?  

I don't remember any such issues with the old GoToMeeting.  

My problem is it's hard to tell them to "install and join through the GoTo app" because I don't see that web page - only they do.  Similarly, I don't see the pre-join "preview" screen - only they do.  I only can see what's going on on their end once they have joined and made them presenter, and it sounds like then it's too late.  

What are the easiest instructions for me to give a meeting partner for joining my meeting if I want the option of being able to control their computer?  

Thanks.

[GlennD]

In this situation, all that matters is if they have attended a GoTo Meeting previously and have the software installed already or not. 

• If they have the software already installed and click on a meeting link their browser will open and our GoTo Opener app will see the installed GoTo App and launch it, connecting it to your meeting.

• If they do not have GoTo App installed already and they click your meeting link their browser will open and they will see this screen first, which gives the option to download the GoTo App or continue in their browser
  
  

In your invitation, if you direct them to click on Download the app after they click on your meeting link their shouldn't be any issues.

[dharrel]

Are you saying that, if my meeting partner is running the GoTo App, I will be able to take control?  When viewing their screen, I see a GoTo icon in their task bar - the classic one which is an orange circle with a white star-of-sorts in the middle.  Does this mean they are running the GoTo App?  Maybe they are running an older version of the app, and could that be my problem?  I cannot take control - I get the message described in my first post.  

I never had these kinds of difficulties with the old GoToMeeting.  

[dharrel]

... I just hosted another meeting now with a fellow who I have had multiple meetings in the past.  I invited him via an email produced within GoToMeeting.  He clicked the link to join the meeting and tells me he was presented with the "GoTo Opener" and clicked to join the meeting.  He came into the meeting nice and easy.  I made him presenter.  I DO NOT have the ability to request control for the same reason as my original post.  

[GlennD]

In GoToMeeting Classic (orange flower looking icon) and the GoTo App (a white square with a G), the computer being controlled remotely is always required to be using the desktop software, that has not changed. 

A couple of things to check:

• If they joined in the browser they will not have the GoTo App icon in the system tray  (a white square with a G)
• There will be an option to switch to the desktop software in the menu 
  
  
   
• If they somehow joined your meeting using the Classic GoToMeeting software (orange flower looking icon), there could be compatibility issues and they should exit the meeting, uninstall the Classic version and join again

[dharrel]

Re: 

• If they somehow joined your meeting using the Classic GoToMeeting software (orange flower looking icon), there could be compatibility issues and they should exit the meeting, uninstall the Classic version and join again

I think they do have the old orange flower icon.  

The new GoToMeeting should have a friendlier way for them to upgrade to the new version without my having to tell them to uninstall anything.  These can be unsophisticated users.  They may not have permission to uninstall.  

Please make Remote Control robust and foolproof again - as I remember from the old GoToMeeting.

[dharrel]

An update for the record - I was able to remote control with this customer by doing as described below.  Please note that their GoToMeeting task bar icon was the old "orange circle with white flower" when viewing their screen and not being able to remote-control:

First I asked them to un-install GoToMeeting, and then rejoin my meeting using the emailed link.  This prompted them to download the GoToMeeting app as expected.  However I could still not remote control once they joined the meeting, and the app task bar icon remained the old one.  

I then asked them to un-install both GoToMeeting *and* the GoToMeeting Opener, and then rejoin my meeting using the emailed link.   A number of problems then occurred which I could not fully document.  At one point I asked them to install GoToMeeting software using the https://meet.goto.com/install link, but this led them into a "buy now" prompt.  We were getting nowhere.  

I then asked them to reboot their computer and try to join using the emailed link again.  Then everything was fine: They joined the meeting clearly with the newer software and I was able to remote control.  

Too Difficult!  Somehow they should be prompted to upgrade their GoToMeeting app, or if that's not feasible, I should be able to send them a link to do so.

[KateG]

@dharrel Thanks for the valuable feedback. Your insights are incredibly important to us, and we appreciate you taking the time to let us know your thoughts. Your feedback hasn't gone unnoticed and will be shared with our entire team.