Create spaces with different access levels

Important: You can only create a space with different access levels if you use Chat on a work or school account.

To make it easier for your organization to engage in topics they care about and improve awareness and shareability, you can create dedicated spaces. There are two kinds of spaces: restricted and discoverable.

• A restricted space needs a user or group in an organization to be invited or added to the space by an existing space member.
• In addition to the ways listed above, a user can join a discoverable space with a shared link.

Before you create a discoverable space

Important: Users with appropriate permissions can search for and join discoverable spaces.

We recommend doing the following as you prepare to create a discoverable space:

1. Think about how many people would be included in your space.
2. Choose an access level appropriate for the space. Make it closed (‘Restricted’) for teams, projects, and groups, or open for all of your organization (‘Discoverable’) for topic-based discussions and collaboration.
3. Create a clear description of what the space is for.
4. Space managers can edit a space’s name, description, and add or remove users from a space.
   Learn more about space managers.

Create a discoverable space

If you’re using a work or school Google account, you can set who has access to a space when you create it.

Tips:

• Before you create a new discoverable space, make sure that someone hasn’t already made a related space you can join.
• A Space Manager can make a restricted space discoverable or the other way around through the space settings menu. Learn more about the Space Manager role.

Eligibility

Requirements to use discoverable spaces

Discoverable spaces are available to these Google Workspace editions:

• Frontline
• Business Starter
• Business Standard
• Business Plus
• Enterprise Essentials
• Enterprise Standard
• Enterprise Plus
• Education Fundamentals
• Education Standard
• Education Plus
• Teaching and Learning Upgrade
• Nonprofits
• G Suite Basic
• G Suite Business
• Essentials (domain verified)

1. Open your Gmail account.
2. At the left, click Spaces New Space.
3. Click Create space.
4. Enter a space name.
   • Optional: You can also add a description and a space avatar. To add a space avatar, click Choose an emoji and then select an emoji. If you don't select an emoji, a default letter avatar will be used instead.
5. Enter the name or email of the people you want to add, Google Groups you want to invite, or pick from the list of suggested contacts.
   • Note:  Bots can be added to a space after the space is created. Learn more about adding a bot to an existing space.
6. Choose a target audience for your organization, either “Restricted” or “All of your organization.” If you have a work or school account with Google, you may see additional target audience options created by your administrator. If you have questions about the audience options available, reach out to your administrator.
   • Restricted—Only directly added and invited users have access to the space. This is the default option. To make your space discoverable, choose “All of your organization.”
   • All of your organization—All members in your organization have access to the space and can join if they have the space’s link.
   • Tip: If you selected “All of your organization,” you won’t be able to allow people outside of your organization to join the space.
7. Click Create.

Tip: If your administrator deletes the target audience you selected for your space,  " Deleted Audience" displays in the space history like in the example below and the space access defaults to restricted.

 Space Managers are still able to add or invite users to access the space.

Learn how to add or remove people and bots from a space or group conversation. 

Add new members to a discoverable space

You can add new members to a space by either:

• Copying a link to the space and sharing with others.
• Directly adding or inviting them.

Add members with a discoverable space link

1. Open your Gmail account.
2. On the left, select the space.
3. At the top, click the space name Copy link to this space.
4. Share the link to anyone you’d like to invite or reference the space with.

Add members to your space directly

1. Open your Gmail account.
2. On the left, select the space.
3. At the top, click the space name Manage members.
4. Click Add.
5. Enter the name, email, Google Groups or select suggested contacts to invite.
6. Click Add.