Get started with Google Chat

Use Google Chat to message a person or group:

Sign in to Google Chat

Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
If prompted, sign in to your Google Account.

Tips:

You can also install the Chat standalone app.
Learn how to turn on Chat in Gmail.

Understand Google Chat symbols

Symbol	Description	Learn more
	Add an emoji	–
	Help and feedback	–
	Open other Google apps	Use the Google bar
	Search for people, words or spaces	Search chat messages
	Set up general notifications	Turn notifications on or off
	Start a video meeting	Start a video meeting
	Upload a file	Attach a file to a message
	Upload a Google Drive file	Attach a file to a message
	Schedule a meeting	Schedule and share a calendar meeting
	Send a GIF	–
	View more composing options	–
	Format text	Add formatting to your Google Chat messages

Learn how to use Google Chat

Open Google Chat in a browser

To open Google Chat in a browser, go to chat.google.com.
You can also download the Google Chat desktop app.

Tip: Google Chat is also available in Gmail. Use Google Chat in Gmail.

Send a message to a person or group

On your computer, go to Google Chat.
On the left, under 'Chat', click the name of the person or group that 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 will appear as you enter text.
- Tip: To send a direct message from a work or school account to someone outside of your organisation, enter their email address.
Click on the person that you want to message.
- To create a group conversation, continue entering people's names.
When you have selected everyone that 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 .

Tips:

If you use a work or school account, suggestions include everyone in your organisation, even those who don't have Google Chat.
To message you back, the message recipient may need to accept your request.

Create a space or preview and join a space

Create a new space with in-line threading

Go to Google Chat or Gmail.
Under Spaces , click New space.
Click Create space .
Enter a space name.
- Optional: You can also add a description and a space avatar. To add a space avatar, click Choose an emoji + select an emoji. If you don't select an emoji, a default letter avatar is used instead.
You can also:
- Enter the name or email of the people who you want to add.
- Enter apps or Google Groups that you want to invite.
- Pick from the list of suggested contacts.
Choose an access level for your organisation:
- Restricted: Only directly added and invited users have access to the space. This is the default option.* To make your space discoverable, select 'All of your organisation'.
- All of your organisation: All members in your organisation have access to the space and can join if they have the space's link. Learn more about creating a discoverable space.
- Important: If you have a work or school account with Google, you may have additional target audience options created by your administrator. If you have questions about the audience options available, contact your administrator.
To invite external people into the space, tick Allow people outside of your organisation to join.
- Important: If you select 'All of your organisation' in step 6, you won't be able to allow people outside of your organisation to join the space.
Click Create.

*Tip: If you use Chat on a work or school account, the default setting may be changed by your administrator.

Preview and join a space

Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
Next to 'Spaces', click Start a chat Browse spaces.
- The spaces you're invited to are at the top of the list.
- To find a space, enter its name.
- Optional: To preview a space, point to the space name and click Preview.
  - When you preview a space, you can read messages, but you can't send messages or get notifications.
In the preview, to block the space, click Block. To join the space, click Join.

Edit or delete text in a conversation

Important: You must use Chat with a Google Workspace account to edit or delete messages.

Point to your chat message, then click:

Edit : Make your changes, then click Done .
Delete : To confirm, click Delete.

Add formatting and emoji to your messages

Learn how to add formatting to your Google Chat messages.

To select an emoji:

Click Emoji .
Select the emoji that you want to add.

Leave a space

Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
On the left, under 'Spaces', next to the space name, click More Leave Leave space.

Delete a conversation or message

Delete a conversation

Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
On the left, next to the person's name, click More options Delete conversation Delete

Delete a message

Important: You must use Chat with a Google Workspace account to delete a message.

Point to your chat message, then click Delete.
To confirm, click Delete .

Upload and share files

Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
Enter your message.
Choose an option:
- To attach a file from your computer, click Upload .
  - The file isn’t added to Google Drive. Other users get the file directly in the message.
- To attach a Drive file, click Integration menu Drive .
  - When you send the file, you’ll be 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.
Select the file that you want to send.
Click Send .

Send and share files in Chat messages.

Search your messages

Open Google Chat or the Chat desktop app .
At the top right, click Search .
On the left, select a space or click All spaces and direct messages.
In the search box, enter search terms.
Optional: To narrow your search, click people and content types, such as images or videos.
To open the result, click Go to thread.

Manage your notifications

Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
Open settings:
- In Chat: Click your status Chat notification settings or Settings .
- In Gmail: Click your status Chat notification settings.
Under 'Desktop' or 'Desktop notifications', select an option:

To play a sound for notifications, tick the box next to 'Play notification sounds'.
To turn email notifications for unread messages on or off, under 'Email' or 'Email notifications', select Only @mentions and direct messages or Off.

Tip: Email reminders apply to messages that you haven't read after 12 hours.

Change your profile photo or name

Profile photo

Google Chat displays your Google Account's profile photo. If you update your photo for Chat, it's updated for other Google services. Add or change your profile photo.

Profile name

Google Chat displays the name on your Google Account. Change your profile name.

Tip: To change your name on a work or school account, contact your administrator. Who is my administrator?

Send feedback in Chat

Go to Google Chat.
Go to the area in Chat that you have trouble with.
At the top right, click Support Send feedback to Google.
- Optional: If a screenshot would help to explain your feedback to our support team, leave the box next to “Include screenshot' ticked. If you don’t want to include a screenshot, untick the box.
- Optional: You can click the screenshot to edit or hide info.
  - Draw with yellow to highlight issues.
  - Draw with black to hide sensitive info.
  - Click Done.
Enter your comments in the box.
At the bottom right, click Send.

Tip: In your feedback, share as much detail about the problem or suggestion as you can.

_{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.}

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