Google makes Google Chat the default for more people

3 years ago 433

For radical successful organizations that usage Google Workspace, the migration from Hangouts to Google Chat begins Aug. 16—unless an head chooses to delay.

Screenshot of Google Admin console Chat and classical Hangouts Service Settings, showing Chat and classical Hangouts selected, with a hand-drawn arrow pointing from that mounting to the "Chat preferred (recommended for migration)" option. Handwritten substance indicates, "Changes starting August 16, 2021".

Google is nearing the extremity of the migration from classical Hangouts to Google Chat for radical who usage Google Workspace. Starting Aug. 16, organizations with the Google Chat work mounting of "Chat and classical Hangouts" volition beryllium updated to "Chat preferred." This accommodation volition hap automatically, with nary enactment needed by a Google Workspace administrator. (If you're a Workspace administrator, you whitethorn cheque and alteration your existent settings astatine the Admin console | Apps | Google Workspace | Google Chat and Classic Hangouts | Service status.)

The interaction of this migration volition beryllium noticeable to radical who person continued to usage Hangouts and not yet moved to Google Chat. If you're an administrator, you'll privation to marque definite radical successful your enactment are informed of the change. The pursuing 4 points whitethorn beryllium adjuvant to stock with radical successful your organization.

1. Google Chat is disposable successful Gmail

Once the alteration occurs, Google Chat becomes disposable successful Gmail, some connected the web arsenic good arsenic successful the Gmail Android and iOS apps.

Within Gmail successful a browser, Chat becomes 1 of the connection options disposable on the left-side navigation. If it doesn't display, prime the sprocket | See All Settings | Chat and Meet, past marque definite the Google Chat enactment is selected.

In the Gmail app connected Android oregon iOS, the Chat icon (a stylized treatment box) should automatically look to the close of the Gmail envelope icon.

2. Google Chat besides offers web and mobile apps

People besides whitethorn entree Chat successful a dedicated browser tab astatine https://chat.google.com, isolated from Gmail. This tin beryllium utile erstwhile you privation to absorption connected a chat speech without the imaginable distraction of email messages.

Similarly, radical mightiness take to instal the Google Chat mobile app for either Android oregon iOS. For example, successful cases wherever radical usage an email lawsuit different than Gmail (e.g., specified arsenic Apple Mail), installing the Google Chat app ensures conversations tin proceed astir anywhere.

3. For conferencing and calling, research related apps

Some functions antecedently disposable successful Hangouts person present moved to different apps. Google Meet (on the web, connected Android and iOS) handles video conferencing and collaboration. As with Google Chat successful Gmail, Meet besides displays successful the left-side Gmail navigation. Separately, Google Voice (on the web, connected Android and iOS) handles telephone calling capabilities. And, successful bully quality for radical who relied connected Chat calling, Google indicates connected a enactment leafage that "Direct calling is expected to rotation retired to Chat successful Q3 2021."

4. Hangouts volition inactive beryllium disposable connected the web

Google volition inactive supply entree to Hangouts connected the web astatine https://hangouts.google.com, astatine slightest for a play of time. You may, however, privation to uninstall the Hangouts mobile app oregon region it from your bookmarked favorites, unless you besides usage Hangouts with a idiosyncratic Google account.

Other considerations for Workspace Administrators

Google emailed administrators and posted a Workspace blog update anterior to the alteration and provided an enactment for Workspace administrators to opt retired of the change. However, since Google has announced that the modulation from Hangouts to Chat volition hap by the extremity of 2021 for organizations that usage Workspace, successful astir cases administrators should not question to hold the change.

In my opinion, galore administrators mightiness give serious consideration to changing the mounting to "Chat only" (Figure A), alternatively than the intermediate measurement of "Chat and classical Hangouts." However, erstwhile an head changes the mounting to "Chat only," radical successful the enactment volition nary longer person entree to Hangouts. Review the listed limitations of Google Chat earlier you marque this switch. You'll besides privation to marque definite radical successful your enactment cognize the archetypal 3 points above. This enactment skips the transitional measurement provided by the "Chat preferred" enactment and moves your enactment straight from Hangouts to Chat.

Figure A

Screenshot of Google Chat and classical Hangouts work settings. Shows "Chat preferred" enactment selected, with a hand-drawn arrow pointing from that mounting to the enactment beneath it, "Chat only".

If you usage Google Workspace, person you already moved from Hangouts to Google Chat and different apps? If you're a Workspace administrator, what steps did you instrumentality to assistance radical successful your enactment follow Google Chat? If you person chosen to power to "Chat only" already, however smoothly did that alteration proceed? Let maine cognize what your acquisition has been, either successful the comments beneath oregon connected Twitter (@awolber).

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