Chats
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What you can do with Google Chat
What you can do with Google Chat
Whether in a 1:1 chat or a dedicated space with your co-workers, Google Chat makes it easy to collaborate with your team in an organized way. Share and discuss files in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides all in one place. Add Chat to your Gmail inbox and get all the features of Chat directly in Gmail.
Message a person or group
Message a person or group
You can send a direct message in Chat to one or more people within your organization. You can direct message an individual outside of your organization, but you can't include external people in a group message.
Tip: To chat with external guests in a group, create a space.
On your computer, go to Google Chat.
On the left, under “Chat,” click the name of the person or group you want to message.
If you can’t find their name, click New chat or Start a chat .
Enter a name or email address. Suggestions appear as you enter text.
Tip: To send a direct message from a work or school account to someone outside your organization, enter their email address.
Click the person you want to message.
To create a group conversation, continue to enter people’s names.
When you select everyone you want to include in the conversation, click Start chat.
Tip: If you want to send a direct message to a specific person, next to their name, click Start chat , or use the keyboard shortcut ⌘ + Enter / Ctrl + Enter.
Enter a message.
Click Send .
Format a Chat message
Format a Chat message
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
Go to a conversation.
Enter a message.
Highlight the text you want to format.
Click Format .
Select an option:
To bold: Click Bold .
To italicize: Click Italic .
To underline: Click Underline .
To change the text color: Click Text color .
To add a bullet point before the text: Click Bulleted list.
To strikethrough: Click Strikethrough .
To insert a link:
Click Insert link .
Enter the link.
Click Send .
Reply to a chat message
Reply to a chat message
Reply to a message
Reply to a message
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
Open a chat message.
Below the message, click the reply area.
Enter your message or select a suggestion.
You can customize a suggested message before you send it.
Press Return or click Send .
Use other options in Chat replies
Use other options in Chat replies
To add a person to the conversation or mention them: Type , then enter a name.
To add emojis to your message: Click Emoji .
To share files from your device: Click Upload file .
Everyone in a space can find shared files.
To share files from Google Drive: Click Add Google Drive file .
Everyone in a space can find shared Drive files.
To start a video call: Click Add video meeting .
To schedule a calendar meeting: Click Calendar .
To send a GIF: Click GIF .
To add formatting to text: Click Format .
Edit or delete a message you sent
Edit or delete a message you sent
If you make a mistake or need to update a message you sent, you can edit or delete the message.
Edit a chat message
Edit a chat message
On your computer, go to a conversation and hover over your message.
Click Edit .
Make your changes.
Click Update.
Delete a sent message
Delete a sent message
On your computer, go to a conversation and hover over your message.
Click More Delete .
To confirm, click Delete.
Pin an important conversation
Pin an important conversation
If you want to keep track of an important conversation in a chat message or space, pin it to the top of your chat or spaces list. A red dot appears next to pinned conversations with unread messages.
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
In Chat, next to a conversation, click More options .
Click Pin or Unpin.
Pin or unpin a space
Pin or unpin a space
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
In Chat, next to a space, click More options .
Click Pin or Unpin.
Start a video meeting from Chat
Start a video meeting from Chat
When you’re collaborating with your team, sometimes it’s better to meet face-to-face. Start an impromptu video meeting in Chat or Gmail with your team members.
Start a video meeting from Chat or Gmail
On your computer, open Google Chator Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
Open a conversation.
In the reply area, click Add video meeting Send .
To join a video meeting, click Join video meeting Join now.
Call someone directly from Chat or Gmail
Important: You can call someone directly from Chat or Gmail in Chrome. If you make a call to a non-Chrome user, they can receive and join the call but they won't hear a ring.
You can start a voice or video meeting from Chat or Gmail. When the other person receives the call, they’ll hear a ring.
In Chat, open a direct message.
At the top, click Start video call . The call opens in a small window.
To end the call, click End call .
Tip: If you want to adjust the call window:
To move the call to a new tab, click Move to a tab .
To move, click and hold the window.
Create a Calendar event in Chat
Create a Calendar event in Chat
You can schedule and share a Google Calendar meeting from one-on-one chats; group chats, and spaces. When you schedule a meeting, an event card appears in the chat with the meeting title, date, and time. If you remove someone from an event invitation, but they’re still in the chat, they can view the event card.
Schedule and share a calendar event
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
In Chat, open a message.
In the reply area, click Google Workspace tools Calendar invite.
On the right, in the side panel, enter your meeting details.
Click Save & share Send.
Share files & rich content in a chat message
Share files & rich content in a chat message
You can do much more than just exchange text messages in Google Chat. You can share files, links to videos, animated GIFs, and more.
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
Open a conversation.
Enter your message and choose an option:
To add an emoji, click Emoji .
To send a GIF, click GIF .
If you use Google Chat on a work or school account, you may not have the option to send a GIF.
To attach a file from your computer, click Upload file .
The file is not added to Drive. Other users get the file directly in the message.
To add a link to a video meeting, click Add video meeting .
To attach a Drive file, click Integration menu Drive ;.
When you send the file, you’re notified if someone needs access.
With edit access, you have an option to grant access.
If you grant access to a space, people who join the space later also have access.
If people leave the space, they lose access to the file unless they’re given access individually or through a group.
To create a Google Calendar invite, click Integration menu Calendar invite .
Click Send .
Delete a custom status
Delete a custom status
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
From your status indicator at the top, click the Down arrow .
Click the status to delete.
Click X.
Click Done.
Turn chat history on or off
Turn chat history on or off
To let others know when you're available, you can change your status in chats or spaces.
Change your status
Change your status
On your computer, open Gmail.
At the top right, next to your status indicator, click the Down arrow .
Choose: Automatic, Do not disturb, or Set as away.
Set a custom status
Set a custom status
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
From your status indicator at the top, click the Down arrow .
Click Add a status.
Follow the prompt to choose an emoji, write a status message, or end or clear a status.
Click Done.
Create a space
Create a space
To help your organization discuss specific topics or share ideas of interest, create a space. For example, you might create a space dedicated to a specific team, a common area of interest, or to make organizational announcements.
With your work or school account, you can create a restricted or discoverable space:
Restricted space—To join the space, a user or group in an organization must be invited or added to the space by an existing space member.
Discoverable space—Can be joined by any user with a shared link.
Control what members can do
Control what members can do
Control who has access
Control who has access
As a Space Manager, you can control who can join a space, and whether a space is accessible to anyone in your organization or only people you invite.
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
On the left, select the space you want to update.
At the top, next to the space name, click the Down arrow Space settings.
Under the “Access” section, next to the current access audience, click the Down arrow .
In the drop down menu, select from the audience options:
To make a restricted space discoverable, select the audience for your entire domain.
To make a discoverable space restricted, select Restricted.
Under “Who can manage members and groups,” select All members or Space managers only.
See members
See members
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
On the left, select the space.
At the top, click the space nameManage members.
You can see who was added or invited.(Optional) To add more members to the space, click Add.
Choose what members can do
Choose what members can do
When you create a space, you become the space manager. Space managers can decide whether everyone in the space can update space details, turn history or or off, or use @all. They can also decide who can manage members and groups.
Important: To manage space settings, you need a Google Workspace account.
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
On the left, select the space you want to update.
At the top, next to the space name, click the Down arrow Space settings.
Under “Permissions,” select whether all members of the space or only space managers can:
Modify space details
Turn history on or off
Use @all
Manage apps
Manage webhooks
Click Save.
Update the member list
Update the member list
Remove members
Remove members
Important: If you have the ability to manage members, you can remove members from a space. After you remove someone, they can't:
Participate in the conversation.
View that space’s message history.
Access shared files in the space.
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
On the left, select the space.
At the top, click the name of the space Manage members.
To the right of the person or group name, click More options Remove from space.
Tip: If a person was added as part of a Google Group, remove them from the group first and then from the space.
Add members to an existing space
Add members to an existing space
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
On the left, select the space.
At the top, click the name of the space Manage members.
Click Manage members. The current members of that space are displayed.
At the top right, click + Add.
Enter the name or email address of the person or group.
Click Add.
Tips:
To quickly add a new person to a space, in the reply area, enter @ followed by the person’s name.
To view people that you’ve invited to the space, click Manage members Invited.
Who gets an email invitation?
People get an email invite if:
They are outside your organization
You haven't had a 1:1 conversation with them
People don't get an email invite and are added directly if:
They are in your organization
You've had a 1:1 conversation with them
Delete a space
Delete a space
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
Open the space that you want to delete.
At the top, click the space name Delete.
To confirm, click Delete.
Important:
You can only delete a space if you have the space manager role.
When you delete a space, all messages and tasks in the space are deleted. Permissions on Drive files are removed, but the file isn’t deleted.
If you're the last space manager and want to leave, you must make someone else the space manager or delete the space.
Message everyone & direct message in the space
Message everyone & direct message in the space
Your message appears to everyone in the space.
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
Select a space.
At the bottom, enter your message and click Send .
Direct message one person in a space
Direct message one person in a space
This starts or continues a separate Chat message with just that person.
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
On the left, under "Spaces," select a space.
At the top, click the space name Manage members.
Point to the person's name and click More Message.
Enter your message and then click Send .
Tip: You can also select someone’s photo to start a direct message with them.
Reply to a message in a space thread
Reply to a message in a space thread
Keep spaces focused by using separate threads for different, or off-topic conversations.
Go to Google Chat or Gmail.
Select a space.
To reply, hover over the message and on the right, click Reply in thread .
Tip: If a thread already has replies, you can click the message to open the thread panel.
In the thread panel to the right of the space, enter your message in the message window at the bottom.
Click Send .
Assign & manage tasks in a space
Assign & manage tasks in a space
As a member of a space in Google Chat, you can create and manage group tasks and assign tasks to other space members. You can view tasks in the space where they're created. If a task is assigned to you, it appears in your personal task list in Google Tasks. When someone creates or updates a task, a notification appears in the space.
Tip: If you don't have the “Tasks” tab in a space, contact your Google Workspace administrator to turn on this feature.
Create and assign a task
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
Select the space where you want to create a task.
On the top, click the Tasks tab Add space task.
Tip: In Gmail, you might have to expand the space to view the Tasks tab.Enter the task title.
Optional: To add a description or more details, click Add details and enter the information.
Optional: To add a date and time, click Add date/time Make selections click OK.
Tip: If you add a date and time to your task, you get notifications at the scheduled dates and times.Optional: To assign the task to a member of the space, click Assign click the name of the person. To assign the task to someone who isn't a member of the space, invite them to the space first.
Tip: If the assignee leaves the space, the task remains in the space and in their personal task list in Google Tasks.Click Add.
Mark a task as complete
In Chat, select the space.
On the top, click the Tasks tab.
Tip: In Gmail, you might have to expand the space to view the Tasks tab.Next to the task, point to Incomplete and click Complete .
Search in chats and spaces
Search in chats and spaces
On your computer, go to Google Chat or Gmail.
At the top, click the search box.
Enter search text.
For Gmail: You can also use the search operator in:chats.
Click Enter.
For Gmail: Under the search box, click Conversations or Spaces.
To open a result, click it.
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