Google Workspace Changes

New Chat navigation experience

With this complete revamp of the left navigation experience on Chat will help users find messages more easily based on their own organizational preferences.

users can now upload and send up to 20 multimedia files (photos and videos) in one Chat message

To improve upon this functionality, provide a highly-requested feature, and match the mobile experience, we’re excited to announce that users can now upload and send up to 20 multimedia files (photos and videos) in one Chat message.

Users can now send up to 20 multimedia files in a single Google Chat message.

Google Chat has updated its web functionality to allow users to upload and send up to 20 multimedia files, such as photos and videos, within a single message. This update aligns the web experience with the mobile app and adds support for dragging and dropping multimedia files directly into the compose bar from a desktop.

Chat messages and activities in Google Drive

Starting this week, the previously introduced Google Drive Chat app will be automatically installed and send you notifications about recent activity in Google Drive documents, such as new comments and share requests. Directly in Chat, you can now: Reply to or resolve comments in Docs, Sheets and Slides, which includes the ability to mention your colleagues easily while replying. Choose the appropriate access level (e.g. viewer, commenter, editor) for share requests. See when you’ve been mentioned in Docs, Sheets or Slides using Chat’s “Mentions” shortcut. Easily block a sender or report abuse from the Drive Chat app’s notifications when they come from a user outside of your organization.

Google Drive Chat app is now automatically installed to manage Drive activity within Google Chat.

The Google Drive Chat app will be automatically installed for users, providing notifications for recent Google Drive activity such as new comments and share requests. Users can now reply to or resolve comments in Docs, Sheets, and Slides, manage access levels for share requests, and utilize the 'Mentions' shortcut directly within Google Chat. Admins can disable this feature via the Workspace Marketplace app allowlist at the domain, OU, or group level.

Group-level application of select Google Chat settings

Certain Google Chat settings can now be applied at the group level, providing administrators with more granular control over chat configurations.

Import data into group chats via Google Chat API

The Google Chat API now supports importing data into group chats, enabling better integration and data management for developers.

Improved access and sorting for shared files in Google Chat on iOS

Google Chat for iOS now allows users to access and sort shared files within conversations more easily.

Send video messages in Google Chat

Users can now send video messages directly within Google Chat, providing a more dynamic way to communicate with colleagues.

Respond to conversations without leaving the home view in Google Chat

We’re introducing a split pane in the home view of Chat that allows users to respond directly to a space, group or direct message without ever navigating away from the home view in Chat.

respond directly to a space, group or direct message without ever navigating away from the home view in Chat.

Using the split pane, you can now respond directly to a space, group or direct message without ever navigating away from the home view in Chat.

Respond to conversations without leaving the home view in Google Chat using the new split pane.

Google Chat is introducing a split pane in the home view, allowing users to respond directly to spaces, group chats, or direct messages without navigating away from the home view. Users can access the split pane by clicking on a message, expand the conversation to full screen, or toggle the split pane mode via the home header.

Select Google Chat settings can now be applied at the group level

Admins now have more granular control by applying specific Google Chat settings—such as third-party archiving, file sharing, app installation, GIF picker, auto-deletion, and history—at the group level instead of only at the Organizational Unit (OU) level.

Import data into group chats using the Google Chat API

Google Workspace developers can now generally use the spaces.create method in import mode to create group chats when migrating from other messaging platforms to Google Chat.

Reducing noise from unfollowed threads in Google Chat

New activity, such as unread messages from threads you do not follow, will no longer bold and appear at the top of your conversation lists.