Send a Google Chat message & manage notifications

Google Chat is for quick messages with colleagues. Use it in chat.google.com, in Gmail, or in the Google Chat app on your phone.

Send a direct message

A direct message (DM) is a private chat with one person or a small group.

1. Open Google Chat. In Gmail, click Chat in the left menu.
2. Click New chat.
3. In Add 1 or more people, type a colleague’s name or email address and pick them from the list.
4. Click Start chat.
5. Type your message and click Send message (the arrow), or press Enter.

To start a group DM, add more names in step 3. For a long-running team conversation, a space works better.

Things you can add to a message

The icons next to the message box let you add more than text.

• Formatting options: bold, italic, lists and more.
• Add emoji and Add GIF or Sticker.
• Upload file: send a file or photo from your computer.
• Google Workspace tools: attach a Drive file or schedule a meeting in Calendar.
• Schedule send: send the message later.

To start a video call from the chat, click Send a Meet link at the top.

Accept a message request

The first time someone messages you, you see a request instead of a chat.

1. Click New chat > Message requests.
2. Click the person’s name to read their message.
3. Click Accept to reply, or Ignore to dismiss it. Tick Also block to stop more requests from them.

Turn notifications on or off

Chat can show a notification on your computer when a message arrives, as long as your browser allows it.

1. In Google Chat, click Settings (the gear) at the top right.
2. Under Notifications, tick or untick Allow chat notifications.
3. Optionally, change Reaction notifications, Notification sounds and Email notifications for unread messages.

In Gmail, click Settings > See all settings > Chat and Meet, then Manage chat settings.

Mute one conversation

You can quieten a busy chat without turning off all notifications.

1. In the list on the left, point to the conversation and click the three dots (Options).
2. Click Notifications.
3. Choose which messages notify you, or tick Mute conversation, then click Save.

To pause everything for a while, click your status at the top (for example Active) and choose Do not disturb. Under Settings, Do not disturb schedules turns it on automatically outside working hours.

Still stuck

WhatsApp our support team at +60 16-916 3324.

Common issues

I do not get Chat notifications on my computer. What do I check?

In Chat, click Settings and make sure Allow chat notifications is ticked. If Chat says the browser is blocking notifications, allow notifications for chat.google.com or mail.google.com in your browser settings. Also check that your status is not Do not disturb.

My message says the person has to accept it first. Why?

The first time you message someone, they get a message request. Once they accept it, you can chat normally. They can also ignore the request without you being told.

Can my company see my Chat messages?

Chat messages belong to your company account, and your Google Workspace admin decides whether Chat history is kept. You see History on or History is on in a conversation when messages are being saved. Treat Chat like work email.

Related articles

• Create a Google Chat space for your team & add members
• Chat with people outside your company in Google Chat
• Start or join a Google Meet video meeting
• Notes in Google Keep & to-dos in Google Tasks