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 private, discoverable, or open space:

• Private space—To join the space, a user or group must be invited or added to the space by an existing member.
• Discoverable space—A user can find this space by browsing, searching, or through a shared link. Only space members can view messages.
• Open space—Users in your organization can find and join the space directly. They can also preview messages.

Note: If Request to join is turned off, users won’t be able to submit join requests.

Create a 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 owner. Space owners and 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 a space.
3. At the top, click the space name Space settings .
4. Under the "Permissions" section, select whether all members, managers and owners, or owners only, can:
   • Modify space board and details
   • Turn history on or off
   • Use @all
   • Manage apps
   • Manage webhooks
5. Click Save.

Control who has access

As a space owner or 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 a space.
3. At the top, click the space name Space settings .
4. Under the "Access" section, select a space access level:
   • Private: Users can't find or join this space unless you add them.
   • Discoverable: Anyone in your organization can find the space.
   • Open: Anyone in your organization can find and join the space and preview messages.
5. If your space is private, discoverable, or open to a group of users that is smaller than your entire organization, you can choose whether users are allowed to request to join the space.
6. Click Save.

If you have multiple target audiences:

1. Next to "Advanced access settings," click Advanced .
2. Select who can join and who can find your space.
   • You can add only one audience in the "Who can join" field and multiple audiences in the "Who can find" field.
3. Turn Request to join on or off.
4. Click Done.

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. In the chat header, click the dropdown Manage members.
   • A list of current members displays.
4. At the top right, click + Add.
5. Enter the name or email address of the person or group.
6. 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. In the chat header, click the dropdown 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 owner 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 owner and want to leave, you must make someone else the space owner or delete the space.

Google, Google Workspace, and related marks and logos are trademarks of Google LLC. All other company and product names are trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.