How to Fix ‘Unable to Fix Call’ in Google Hangouts

Keep seeing a ‘unable to fix call’ error in Google Hangouts?

While Google Hangouts hasn’t been as popular as Skype or Zoom, it has seen steady growth over the last few years. 

Its interface is pretty polished and Google has been working on the service since 2013. 

However, this doesn’t mean that Hangouts is flawless. If you are here, you’re probably encountering a ‘unable to fix call’ error. 

In this guide, we’ll show you how to resolve this problem on Google Hangouts. 

Let’s jump right in!

1. Check Google Hangouts Status. 

If you are having a hard time joining calls on Google Hangouts, there might be a problem with the servers. 

To confirm this, you can visit Google’s status page and see if there are issues with Google Hangouts. 

Unable to Fix Call in Google Hangouts

Unfortunately, server-related issues can’t be resolved on your end. If the servers are down, the only thing you can do is wait for Google’s team to address the issue. 

On the other hand, you can head to the next solution if there’s nothing wrong with the servers.

Related: How to Fix Camera Not Working in Google Meet on Mac


2. Restart Your Computer. 

You can try restarting your computer if you encounter the ‘unable to fix call’ error in Google Hangouts. 

This should allow your system to reload your resources and eliminate temporary errors that occurred during use. 

Restarting your computer should also clear corrupted data from the system memory. 

If you’re using a Windows PC, here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Press the Windows key on your keyboard to open Windows Settings
  2. Now, open the Power Options tab. 
  3. Click on Restart and wait for your system to reboot. 
Unable to Fix Call in Google Hangouts

For Mac users, follow the guide below to restart your computer: 

  1. Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner to open the Apple Menu
  2. After that, select Restart from the drop-down menu. 
  3. Lastly, confirm your action by clicking Restart again. 
Restart Mac

Once done, go back to Google Hangouts to check if the problem is solved. 

3. Try Trusted Browsers. 

While Google Hangouts can be accessed using any web browser, it would be better if you use the service using trusted browsers. 

Google Hangouts should work without issues on Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. 

If you’re using other browsers like Brave, Vivaldi, or Opera, try switching to the ones mentioned above. 

4. Update Your Browser. 

Outdated search browsers can also cause problems with Google Hangouts. To rule this out, make sure that you are using the latest version of your web browser. 

If you’re using Chrome, here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Access Google Chrome’s Settings
  2. Now, click on About Chrome in the side menu. 
  3. If there’s an available update, click Update and follow the prompts. 
Update Chrome

For Firefox users, follow the steps below to update your browser: 

  1. Open Firefox and click the Menu button in the upper right corner of the window. 
  2. Go to Help and select About Firefox
  3. If an update is available, it will be downloaded. 
  4. Click on Restart to Update Firefox to complete the process. 
Unable to Fix Call in Google Hangouts

On Safari, here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Access the Apple Menu in the upper left corner. 
  2. Now, go to System Settings
  3. Click on Software Update from the side menu. 
  4. If an update is available, click Update Now or Upgrade Now
Software Update

For Microsoft Edge users, follow the guide below to update it: 

  1. Click on the Menu icon in the upper right corner of your screen. 
  2. After that, go to Settings
  3. Open the About Microsoft Edge tab in the side menu. 
  4. If a new version is available, click Download and Install
Update Edge

After updating your web browser, go back to Google Hangouts to check if the problem is solved. 

5. Disable Browser Extensions. 

Extensions or add-ons are third-party apps that provide extra features to your browser. 

However, some extensions are not optimized and could cause issues to some websites it doesn’t support. 

If you encounter the ‘unable to fix call’ error in Google Hangouts, try disabling your extensions. 

Here’s what you need to do: 

  1. Go to Settings on your browser. 
  2. Access the Extensions tab in the side menu. 
  3. Disable all your extensions and restart your browser. 
Unable to Fix Call in Google Hangouts

Go back to Google Hangouts to check if the problem is solved. 

Related: How to Fix Screen Share Not Working in Google Meet on Mac


6. Clear Browsing Data. 

You can also try clearing your browsing data if you still encounter problems with Google Hangouts. 


This will ensure that there are no problems with your Google account information on your browser. 

Follow the steps below to clear your browsing data: 

  1. Access the Settings on your web browser. 
  2. Now, go to Privacy and Security
  3. Click on Clear Browsing Data
Unable to Fix Call in Google Hangouts
  1. Change the Time Range to All Time
  2. Include caches and cookies in the process and click Clear Data

Once done, re-login to your Google Hangouts account and check if the problem is solved. 

7. Try Using the Mobile App. 

If you only need to call someone you can use the mobile app if Google Hangouts doesn’t work on your computer. 

Simply head to the Play Store or App Store and look for Hangouts. Install the app and see if you can make a call from there. 

Proceed to the next solution if this method is not applicable to you. 

8. Check Your Network. 

A slow or unstable internet connection could also be the reason you can’t join calls in Google Hangouts. 

To confirm this, perform a test on your network using Fast.com to measure its current bandwidth. 

Fast.com

If the result indicates a problem with your connection, restart your modem or router to refresh the link with your ISP’s servers. 

  1. Unplug your router’s power cable from the outlet. 
  2. Wait for 5 to 10 seconds. 
  3. Reconnect the power cable and wait for your router to initialize. 
Restart Router

Perform another test afterward to check if the problem is solved. If not, contact your provider and ask them to fix the issue. 

9. Check Your VPN. 

Virtual private networks or VPNs are services that protect your network and data from hackers and other harmful entities online. 

They work by filtering your activity through their servers and masking your default IP address to keep your identity private. 

However, this process can cause instability to your network. 

If you keep seeing an ‘unable to fix call’ error in Google Hangouts, disable any VPN you have on your router or device. 

You can also try switching to a better provider like PureVPN if you are not comfortable going online without protection. 

Unable to Fix Call in Google Hangouts

 Compared to other services, PureVPN has over 1800 high-speed servers, ensuring fast, reliable, and safe internet connection. 

10. Disable Antivirus. 

If you still encounter issues while using Google Hangouts, try disabling your antivirus. 

Possibly, your antivirus is too protective and blocks any form of connection coming from your browser or Google’s servers. 

You can also add your browser or Google Hangouts to your exception list if your antivirus has the feature. 

This way, your antivirus will know that you trust connections coming from your browser and Hangouts. 

That ends our guide on how to fix the ‘unable to fix call’ error in Google Hangouts. 

For your questions and other concerns, please let us know in the comment section, and we’ll do our best to answer them. 

If this guide helped you, please share it.

Author

  • Jake Kovoor

    Jake is the Editor-in-Chief of Saint and an independent software developer, with a Bachelors in Computer Science from Lancaster University, UK. He loves trying out various tech from the Flipper Zero to coding Raspberry Pis for automation. He started Saint back in 2016, having written over 100 posts, with the sole purpose of creating guides for software that had yet to exist back then to help users navigate around their technical problems.

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