Learn about the new integrated Gmail layout

Gmail has a new integrated view to organise Mail, Chat, Spaces and Meet in one place.

With the new layout, you can:

• View Google apps integrated into the Gmail main menu
• View specific app menus in the collapsible panel
• Receive notifications of new Chat and Space messages through notification bubbles
• Point to each app's icon to preview what's going on without switching context
• Show or hide the side panel

New app menu experience

Google's Mail, Chat, Spaces and Meet apps are now integrated into the Gmail main menu. The main menu of each app displays in a collapsible panel. You can hide or show the collapsible panel at any time. To:

• Switch between apps: Click an app name.
• Preview an icon: Point to an icon.
• Hide or show the collapsible panel: On the top left, click Show or hide main menu .
• Customise apps in the main menu:
  1. On the upper right, click Settings . A quick settings menu appears.
  2. Under the 'Apps in Gmail' section, click Customise.
  3. Select the apps that you want to use in Gmail.
  4. Click Done.

New chat experience

From the Chat tab, you can access individual or group chat messages.

To open the chat into a small pop-up window at the bottom of your screen, go to the top of any chat or next to the chat message in the side panel, and click Open in a pop-up . The window stays in view as you move to other tabs, such as Mail or Spaces. 

Chat message notification bubbles

When you get a new chat or space message, the notification appears in the bottom-left corner in a bubble. When you point to the bubble, a message preview is displayed.

Reply to a message shown in a bubble:

• To open the message and reply directly from the chat or spaces tab, click on the bubble.
• To open the chat into a small pop-up window at the bottom of your screen and reply, click Open in a pop-up  or Reply.

To turn on notification bubbles:

1. At the top right of your Gmail window, next to your status indicator, click More options    Chat notification settings.
2. In the window that appears, tick the boxes next to ‘Allow Chat notifications’ and ‘Open chat bubbles for new messages’.
3. At the bottom of the window, click Done.

Tips: 

• To turn notification bubbles off, untick the box next to ‘Open chat bubbles for new messages’.
• To open chat bubbles in a pop-up view instead of in full screen, untick the box ‘Open chat bubbles in full screen’.