Create a space

On this page

• Create a space
• Control what members can do
• Update the member list
• Delete a space

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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.

Create a new space & add people

Learn more at the Google Chat Help Center

Control what members can do

See members

1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
2. On the left, select the space.
3. At the top, click the space nameManage members.

   You can see who was added or invited.

4. (Optional) To add more members to the space, click Add.

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.

1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
   • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
2. On the left, select the space you want to update.
3. At the top, next to the space name, click the Down arrow Space settings.
4. 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
5. Click Save.

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.

1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
   • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
2. On the left, select the space you want to update.
3. At the top, next to the space name, click the Down arrow Space settings.
4. Under the “Access” section, next to the current access audience, click the Down arrow .
5. 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.
6. Under “Who can manage members and groups,” select All members or Space managers only.

Learn more at the Google Chat Help Center

Update the member list

Add members to an existing space

1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
   • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
2. On the left, select the space.
3. At the top, click the name of the space Manage members.
4. Click Manage members. The current members of that space are displayed.
5. At the top right, click + Add.
6. Enter the name or email address of the person or group.
7. 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

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.

1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
   • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
2. On the left, select the space.
3. At the top, click the name of the space Manage members.
4. 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.

Learn more at the Google Chat Help Center

Delete a space

1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
   • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
2. Open the space that you want to delete.
3. At the top, click the space name Delete.
4. 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.

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