Tips to work efficiently in chats & spaces

Modified on Wed, 9 Jul at 4:33 PM

Google Workspace productivity guide

On this page

  • Pin an important conversation
  • Mark a message as read or unread
  • Get a conversation summary in a space
  • Hide or delete a chat conversation
  • Send chat messages to your inbox
  • Use apps in chat messages or spaces


Pin an important conversation

Learn how:

Pin or unpin a conversation

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  1. In Chat, next to a conversation, click More options .
  2. Click Pin or Unpin.

Pin or unpin a space

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  2. In Chat, next to a space, click More options .
  3. Click Pin or Unpin.

Mark a message as read or unread

Learn how:

Mark a message as read or unread in a direct chat conversation or an unnamed group chat

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
  2. Under Chat:
  • Point to a chat in the conversation list. Click More and then Mark as read or Mark as unread .
  • Click a conversation to open it. Point to a message you've sent and then click More and then Mark as unread . Point to a message you've received and then click Mark as unread .
  • Click a conversation to open it. At the top, next to the chat name, click Conversation options Down Arrowand then Mark as unread .

Mark a message as read or unread in a space

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
  2. Under Spaces: 
  • Point to a chat in the conversation list. Click More and then Mark as read or Mark as unread .
  • Click a conversation to open it. At the top, next to the space name, click Conversation options Down Arrowand then Mark as unread .

 

 

Get a conversation summary in space

Learn how:

Turn conversation summary on & off in Google Chat

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat.
  2. Click Settings and then Conversation summary.
  3. Check or uncheck the box next to “Show summaries in spaces with many unread messages.”

Turn conversation summary on & off in Gmail

  1. On your computer, open Gmail.
  2. Click Settings and then See all settings and then Chat and Meet.
  3. Click Manage chat settings and then Conversation summary.
  4. Check or uncheck the box next to “Show summaries in spaces with many unread messages.”


Hide or delete a chat conversation

You can hide or delete the history of a direct message conversation in Google Chat and Gmail. You can also delete a single message that you sent by mistake.

  • Hide conversation—Removes your copy of a conversation. It doesn't remove the conversation from other participants' views. If you hide a conversation and then chat with that person or group again, your chat history reappears (if it's turned on).

  • Delete conversation—Permanently deletes your copy of a conversation's history. It doesn't delete the conversation from other participants' history.
Learn how:

Hide a direct message conversation

You can hide a direct message conversation from your Chat or Gmail view, including group conversations with 2 or more people.

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  2. Hover over the person's name.
  3. Click More  and then Hide conversation .

Delete a direct message conversation

You can't delete your history for group conversations with 2 or more people.

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  2. Hover over the person's name.
  3. Click More and then Delete conversation .
  4. To confirm, click Delete.

Send chat messages to your inbox

Learn how:
  1. Point to the message and click Forward to inbox .
  2. Go to your Gmail inbox to find the forwarded messages.

Use apps in chat messages or spaces

Learn how:

Add an app to a 1:1 message 

  1. Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
  2. Next to “Chat,” click Start a new chat  and then Find apps.
    • For Chat in Gmail, click New chat and then Find apps.
  3. Search or browse for an app.
  4. Click the app card.
  5. Choose an option:
    • To install the app, click Install.
    • To add the app to a space:
      1. Click Add to space
      2. Select the space.
      3. Click Add.

Add an app to a group conversation or space

Important: If you have a work or school account, your admin can install apps on your behalf. When this happens, the app can send you direct messages. While you can't uninstall the app, you can turn off notifications for conversations with the app.

  1. Go to Google Chat or your Gmail account.
  2. Select a conversation or space.
  3. At the top, click the space name or conversation participants. 
  4. Click Apps & integration and then Add apps.
  5. Enter the app name.
  6. Select the app.
    • You can add multiple apps.
  7. Click Add.



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