Manage your files in Gmail spaces

To use spaces and files in Gmail, turn on Google Chat in your Gmail settings. Learn how to turn Chat on or off in Gmail. 

View and manage files in a Gmail space

You can view a list of files, links and media shared in a space, open a file and add a file to Drive. If you delete a chat message with a shared file, it's also deleted from the space.

If you delete a file in Drive, the file link remains in the space until you delete it from the chat message where it was shared. When you delete the file from the chat message, the file link is removed from the chat and the Shared tab of the space.

1. Open Gmail.
2. Select the space.
3. At the top, tap the Files tab.
   • Tip: If the Files tab isn’t visible, expand the space to full screen. Files are sorted by date and show when history is on.
4. To open a file, tap the file name.
   • For Google Docs, Sheets and Slides: The file opens next to the conversation in the chat window.
   • For other Google files: The file opens in a new browser tab. 
   • For all other types of files: The file opens as a full-screen preview.

Tip:  If a file isn’t added to Drive, tap the file name to download. PDFs and video files open in a new browser tab.

Attach a file

You can attach files of up to 200 MB in these formats:

• .bmp
• .gif
• .jpg
• .png
• .wbmp
• .heic

Insert an image

1. In spaces, go to the message or conversation.
2. Tap Insert image .
3. Choose the file that you want to send.
4. Tap Send .

Take and send a photo

1. In spaces, go to the message or conversation.
2. Tap the Action menu Camera .
3. Take a photo.
4. Tap Send ​​​​​​​.

You can attach a file in Google spaces in a few different ways. In Google spaces, go to the message or conversation and choose an option:

Attach a file from Google Drive

1. Tap the Action menu Drive .
2. Select the file that you want to send. This can be a file on your Drive, or a file that you upload from your desktop or downloads.
   • After you select the file to add to the space, you’ll be asked to choose access settings for the members in the space. If you can edit the file, you'll see an option to grant View, Comment or Edit access to everyone in the space. If you grant access to everyone in a space, it will apply to people who join the space later.
3. Tap Send .

Attach a file from Files tab

1. Tap Add file .
2. Select the file that you want to send.
   • When you send the file, you'll be warned if the space or someone in the space doesn't have access. If you can edit the file, you'll see an option to grant View, Comment or Edit access to everyone in the space. If you grant access to everyone in a space, it also applies to people who join the space later.
3. Tap Send .

Files blocked in Chat

There are several reasons why you might get an upload error in Google Chat. Chat blocks files or links that might spread viruses, such as executable files. To keep up with harmful software, Chat regularly updates the file types that aren’t allowed.

You can’t attach certain types of files. These include:

• ADE, ADP, APK, BAT, CAB, CHM, CMD, COM, CPL, DLL, DMG, EXE, HTA, INS, ISP, JAR, JS, JSE, LIB, LNK, MDE, MSC, MSI, MSP, MST, NSH, PIF, SCR, SCT, SHB, SYS, VB, VBE, VBS, VXD, WSC, WSF and WSH.
  This list includes any compressed form, such as GZ or BZ2 files, or files found in archives, such as ZIP or TGZ files.
• Documents with malicious macros.
• Password-protected archives whose content is an archive.

If a blocked file isn't listed above and you're sure that the blocked file is safe, upload the file to Drive and then send the file as a Drive attachment.

Remove a file

Important: You must use a Google Workspace account to remove a file from a space.

1. In the bottom navigation menu, tap Spaces select the space.
2. At the top, click the Shared tab. Next to the file, click View in chat .
3. Hover over the message with the file.
4. Click More actions Delete Delete.

Tips:

• If you delete a file in Drive, the file link remains in the space until you delete it from the chat message where it was shared.
  • If you don't delete it from the chat, the file link will show a 'File in bin' message when you select it.
  • If you don't delete it from the chat and the Drive bin has been emptied, you won't be able to open the file from the file link.
• When you delete the file from the chat message, the file link is removed from chat and the Shared tab of the space.

Organise & manage your files in Google Drive

• To add a file to Google Drive, tap Add to Drive .
• If you have permission to move a file in Drive, tap Move .
• If you don’t have permission to move a file in Drive, tap Add shortcut to Drive .
• If you created a shortcut to a file, tap Add another shortcut to Drive .

Tip: To open a chat message with a shared file, tap View in Chat .

Learn more about managing shortcuts for files within Google Drive.