The new Groups release has a fresh look, including controls that match Gmail and other Google services. For the next few months, however, some advanced features will only be available in the previous version, which is referred to as classic Groups.
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| Classic Groups | New Groups |
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What you need to know about new Groups
New Groups includes most popular Groups features as well as:
- Improved navigation—Group settings are consolidated into one section for easy access.
- Streamlined group creation—A three-step wizard simplifies group creation.
- Powerful search options—New filtering and search options help you find content.
- Simplified My groups page—When you’re signed in to Google Groups (groups.google.com), you can find all your groups on the same page. If you're signed in to an account managed by your work or school, the groups and features available depend on the settings for your organization.
- Standardized messaging—Topics are now called conversations and match Gmail patterns.
- Enhanced member management—The updated Members page provides quick access to group member subscriptions and permissions.
On an ongoing basis, many features from classic Groups are being made available in new Groups. Check back frequently to see which features have been moved to new Groups.
Features now available in new Groups
The following features are now available in both new Groups and classic Groups:
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Mobile readiness | The Groups UI refined for use on mobile devices. See Using new Groups on mobile. |
| Collaborative Inboxes |
Creating Collaborative Inboxes, using Collaborative Inbox features such as assigning topics, and changing a group’s type to Collaborative Inbox. Collaborative Inboxes you’ve created in classic Groups are accessible in new Groups. |
| Labels | Replacement for tags and categories. |
| Multiple domains: Group creation |
Creating groups in multiple domains. To use this feature, you must be signed in to a work or school account. The options you see might be different. To learn more, contact your administrator. |
| Favorite conversations | Viewing all of your favorite conversations (topics) on a single page. |
| Show original message source | Viewing the source code of a message, including its headers. |
Features currently unavailable in new Groups
The following features aren’t yet available in new Groups. If you need these features, use classic Groups:
| Feature | Limitation |
|---|---|
| Welcome messages | Adding or changing the group welcome message that appears above group conversations. |
| Global settings | Viewing or changing preferences and settings that apply to all of your groups. |
| Custom group roles | Creating and managing custom roles. |
You can use new Groups on your mobile device to search for and view groups, conversations, and your membership settings.
To perform tasks such as creating a group or posting to a conversation, use the full desktop version of Groups. Many popular browsers let you view the desktop version of a site on a mobile device. For example, in Google Chrome, in the top right, click More select Desktop site.
What's changing in new Groups
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In new Groups, you can quickly create groups and invite members at the same time. To streamline the process, the Group’s primary language setting has been moved out of group creation. In new Groups, this setting is now called Group email language. You can configure it under Group settings > Email options. |
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Location in classic Groups: Left panel > Members Location in new Groups: Left panel > People
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In new Groups, the way you view members whose messages are bouncing, as well as the moderated message list, is different from classic Groups.
| To view... | Using classic Groups | Using new Groups |
|---|---|---|
| Members whose messages are bouncing | On the left nav, click Members. The word Bouncing appears in the Delivery column of members whose messages are bouncing. | On the left nav, click Members. A red triangle appears next to the Subscription column entry of members whose messages are bouncing. |
| Moderated messages | On the left nav, click Messages > Pending Messages. You can see all messages waiting for moderation. | On the left nav, click Conversations > Pending. You can view the five most recent messages waiting for moderation. To see more messages, at the top right, click Next |
In new Groups, to view a group’s settings, click Group settings at the bottom of the left navigation panel. To show all available settings, at the top right of the Group settings page, next to Advanced, click Turn on .
To learn more about new Group settings, see View or edit group details.
Email options
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Location in classic Groups: Settings > Email options Location in new Groups: Group settings > Email options
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Identity settings
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Location in classic Groups: Settings > Identity Location in new Groups: Group settings > Member privacy
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Basic permissions
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Location in classic Groups: Permissions > Basic permissions Location in new Groups: Group settings > General
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Posting permissions
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Location in classic Groups: Permissions > Posting permissions Location in new Groups: Group settings > Posting policies
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Moderation permissions
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Location in classic Groups: Permissions > Moderation permissions Locations in new Groups:
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Access permissions
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Location in classic Groups: Permissions > Access permissions Locations in new Groups:
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Information settings
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Location in classic Groups: Settings > Information Locations in new Groups:
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To simplify Google Groups, the following features are planned for deprecation in new Groups.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Canned responses |
Creating one or more canned responses to use in your posts. Instead, you can create templates in Gmail. |
| Pinning topics | Making topics appear at the top of the list. |
| Moving topics | Moving topics from one group to another. |
| Tags and categories | Using tags and categories to manage content. The functionality will be replaced by labels. |
| Group types | Creating web and Q&A forums and using forum-related features such as marking the best answer in existing groups. |
| Topic types | Creating and managing discussion and question type topics. |
| Statistical info on the About Group page | Usage graphs and other statistical information about a group. |
| Embedding groups in web pages |
Using iFrames to embed groups in external web pages. Located in classic Groups under Manage group Instead, you can link to a group from an external web page and view the group in Groups. |
| Some advanced keyboard shortcuts | Using key combinations to perform tasks, such as pressing g + c on the My groups page to create a group. Accessibility shortcuts will continue to be supported, however. |
| Saved searches | Saving a search so you can use it again simply by clicking the search name in the left panel. |
| Editing own posts | Allowing users to make changes to their messages after posting them. |
| Themes | Choosing a background theme for your Groups display. |
| Unread messages |
Viewing unread message counts for starred groups in the left navigation panel. Instead, you can create a filter for your group messages in Gmail and view unread message counts there. |
| User activity | Viewing activity for a user such as recent posts, total posts, posting trend per month, and group memberships. |
| My Discussions |
Viewing the My Discussions page from the left navigation panel. Instead, you can use search to view specific groups and messages. |
| Posting history | Viewing a record of a group member’s posting activity. |
How to switch between new and classic Groups
When you sign in to Groups, you see the new version unless you switch back to the classic version. If you switch back to classic Groups, you see that version every time you sign in unless you again choose to use new Groups.
You can go back to classic Groups any time. When you go back to classic Groups, please complete the survey to provide feedback on new Groups.
- Sign in to Google Groups.
- In the top right, click Settings
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- Click Return to classic Google Groups.
If you switched back to classic groups, you can return to the new Groups any time.
- Sign in to Google Groups.
- At the top left, click Visit new Groups.
