Products · Product
Google Hangouts
Raised as a usability problem by 315 people on Hacker News over 19 years (2008–2026), in 197 threads.
No issue was raised by at least 3 people in 3 threads this year.
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- 7Android app slow to respondUnreviewed
- 8Notifications are unreliableUnreviewed
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- 14Hosts can't work out how to send linksUnreviewed
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Every issue, all time, most people first
Hangouts obtrusive, getting in the way of normal useUnreviewed
20082026- Hangouts was so slow to use that the commenter stopped using chat2023-03-10
- Hangouts unreliable in Firefox, so the user switches to Chrome for every link2021-10-03
- SMS and calling moved out of Hangouts, forcing a separate Google Voice website visit2021-06-22
Confusing app names make it hard to know which to useUnreviewed
20082026- Too many separate messaging apps confuses users, unlike Apple's single Messages app2026-07-23
- Confusing, chaotic messaging apps lineup makes it hard to know what to use2022-06-12
- Naming confuses people about which Google messaging app is which2022-01-11
SMS feature is incomplete and cannot replace the default messaging appUnreviewed
20082026- Can't have both chat features and getting texts and calls on computer with Google Fi2021-06-22
- Chat is unusable and doesn't work like SMS messaging2021-01-28
- Splitting SMS and Hangouts broke existing text conversations and made messaging friends harder2019-11-14
Thinks user is in a call, so calls fail to ringUnreviewed
20082026- Calls ring on other devices but not the one answering, leading to duplicate calls2018-02-11
- Takes a minute or two to receive messages on phone2016-09-24
- Incoming calls stop ringing and outgoing audio fails, so the user can't hear the other end.2015-11-01
Video repeatedly pauses and disappears on slow connectionsUnreviewed
20082026- Video calls fail to connect and confusing thread membership frustrates parents2025-06-17
- Video frozen and audio garbled or dropping during calls2020-04-08
- Video calls with participants in several countries were completely unusable2020-03-04
Messages delayed or dropped silently, and chat windows differ between usersUnreviewed
20082026- Conversations get grouped so people miss messages posted while they aren't looking2018-12-06
- Conversations with the same contact no longer merge, making messages harder to follow2017-03-23
- Several second lag between pressing send and the message appearing2016-09-21
Android app slow to respondUnreviewed
20082026- Mobile app is the slowest application on the user's iPhone2018-12-06
- Android app is slow to respond when used2016-09-21
- Interface is complex and the app is too slow on Android2016-09-21
Notifications are unreliableUnreviewed
20082026- Notifications only sync at random on mobile, so messages arrive unpredictably2016-02-08
- Pushes a flood of old notifications from when the phone was offline2016-01-12
- Notifications are too unreliable, so people miss messages2015-08-18
Chat window stays tiny instead of filling the browserUnreviewed
20082026- Chat windows are tiny and lack replies and reactions, feeling outdated2020-12-31
- Chat window shows very few lines of messages by default, especially on large monitors2016-05-29
- Bigger windows, default large profile pictures and cramped text box make chatting more cluttered2016-05-29
Can't add texting contacts without calling; numbers typed manually for SMSUnreviewed
20082026- Can't add texting contacts without calling them first; must type numbers manually to SMS from desktop2015-06-24
- Can't text contacts from the contact list without tapping through many screens2014-02-25
- Contacts' phone numbers aren't shown, so calling someone requires recalling and typing the number2013-06-26
Non-technical users struggle to find chat, invite contacts, and callUnreviewed
20082026- Non-technical users can't find the call window or figure out how to hang up2018-06-02
- Hard for non-technical people to join a call the first time2016-08-16
- Non-technical users struggle to find chat, invite contacts, and start calls, taking 5-15 minutes2014-12-03
Hangouts takes minutes to load inside GmailUnreviewed
20082026- Forced to switch to Gmail app to send instant messages, which is hard to navigate2021-08-27
- Chat in Gmail is slow and makes laptop fan whir for one conversation2018-02-11
- Takes minutes to load inside Gmail and slows Gmail down2015-03-02
Messages not copied to other devices, so chats go missingUnreviewed
20082026- Messenger has become pretty unusable for the commenter and their friends2022-09-29
- Lack of message carbons made it pretty unusable for the commenter2018-04-13
- Only on/off presence and no real log-off, making it unusable for the commenter2013-08-28
Hosts can't work out how to send linksUnreviewed
20082026- Two unrelated apps share the Hangouts name, so people can't tell which is which2022-08-04
- Can't figure out how to open or close Hangouts; Google keeps making it more confusing2018-12-06
- Confusing mix of apps and UIs under the Hangouts name; hosts can't work out how to send links2015-08-18
In busy chats, must scroll back and remember last read messageUnreviewed
20082026- Old chats split across three tabs, so finding a message means checking each2022-12-03
- In busy chats must scroll back and remember last message read to find new ones2014-11-04
- New messages don't load on open; must scroll to top and pull to refresh2014-02-08
No search, so past conversations and messages can't be foundUnreviewed
20082026- Can't search through Hangouts conversations on the phone, unlike email and SMS2016-05-29
- Hangouts has no search, so users can't find past conversations or messages2016-04-13
- Incoming call doesn't open Hangouts, so user must find the app and answer in time2014-09-10
Unreviewed issues were grouped by machine: Claude Haiku labelled each comment as a usability complaint, named what it's about and summed up the problem in a line, and a small model grouped similar problems. Nobody has checked them by hand. Expect mistakes.
The newest 50 complaints
- Previous messages become inaccessible unless the app is the default SMS app2026-08-29
- Too many separate messaging apps confuses users, unlike Apple's single Messages app2026-07-23
- Can't select individual words or text below a whole message, so looking up a word is impossible2025-12-13
- Users can't find how to verify messaging keys in the app2025-11-19
- Can only copy entire messages, not selected portions of text2025-09-25
- Can't select a one-time code in messages; must copy the whole text and paste it elsewhere2025-09-24
- Search doesn't surface messages unless they're already visible above the fold2025-08-05
- Search misses older texts, and the date-jump shortcut was removed, forcing manual scrolling2025-08-05
- Video calls fail to connect and confusing thread membership frustrates parents2025-06-17
- Too many features crammed in, making it hard for ordinary users to navigate2025-06-16
- Web access required scanning a QR code and pairing each new device manually2025-05-12
- Constant migrations force users to relearn how Google's messaging apps work2024-12-14
- Repeated RCS prompt keeps appearing with no way to dismiss it permanently2024-08-01
- The decline option is disguised as a small link, so users can't easily refuse2023-12-27
- Replacement messaging app was so broken and janky it was unusable2023-12-11
- Repeated 'not now' dismissals ignored and RCS force-enabled, confusing the user2023-11-16
- Weekly prompt's large enable button and tiny dismiss text cause accidental enabling2023-11-16
- Decline link is small and easy to miss compared to large AGREE button2023-10-14
- Official Google messaging app fails to send SMS, showing 'Couldn't send' error repeatedly2023-04-30
- Hangouts was so slow to use that the commenter stopped using chat2023-03-10
- After the switch, older messages can't be found through search and must be searched elsewhere2023-01-11
- Old chats split across three tabs, so finding a message means checking each2022-12-03
- Frequent UI changes make the timer, phone and messages icons worse to use2022-11-16
- Google chat and voice calls are unpleasant to use on Firefox on Linux2022-10-01
- Messenger has become pretty unusable for the commenter and their friends2022-09-29
- Conversations fail to load and messages won't send, web app loses sync and needs re-pairing2022-08-10
- Two unrelated apps share the Hangouts name, so people can't tell which is which2022-08-04
- Name and interface keep changing every couple of years, making it hard to keep track2022-08-02
- Confusing, chaotic messaging apps lineup makes it hard to know what to use2022-06-12
- Product was buggy and slow to use2022-03-20
- Unsent draft text gets sent along with the URL message2022-03-20
- Interface lags after an hour of chatting, so typing becomes slow and the browser must be restarted2022-02-01
- Recommended contacts at top instead of alphabetical, many unnamed numbers, confusing to use2022-01-20
- Each redesign forces users through a painful migration to a new app2022-01-12
- Naming confuses people about which Google messaging app is which2022-01-11
- Enabling SMS syncing required contacting support and many manual settings steps2022-01-11
- Hangouts unreliable in Firefox, so the user switches to Chrome for every link2021-10-03
- Sent links are wrapped in slow Google redirects, forcing manual copying2021-09-27
- Setting up and using it is confusing2021-09-19
- Forced to switch to Gmail app to send instant messages, which is hard to navigate2021-08-27
- Group chat didn't work properly, so people couldn't chat with several contacts reliably2021-08-21
- UI is so bad it's hard to believe; design problems are obvious at a glance2021-08-17
- Can't have both chat features and getting texts and calls on computer with Google Fi2021-06-22
- Constant app switching and features removed, making seamless integration frustrating and unreliable2021-06-22
- SMS and calling moved out of Hangouts, forcing a separate Google Voice website visit2021-06-22
- Chat is unusable and doesn't work like SMS messaging2021-01-28
- Setup requires manually grabbing an authentication key from Developer Tools, which feels shady2021-01-22
- Chat windows are tiny and lack replies and reactions, feeling outdated2020-12-31
- Users can't tell whether Hangouts is deprecated or what replaces it2020-11-21
- Messaging and voice on computer sometimes work, sometimes don't, forcing migration between services2020-11-21