Whether in a 1:1 chat or a dedicated group workspace, Google Chat makes it easy to collaborate with your team in an organized way. Share and discuss files in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides all in one place. Add Chat to your Gmail inbox and get all the features of Chat directly in Gmail.



1. Open Chat

There are several ways to open Chat on your computer:

  • To keep your communication in one place, open a Chrome Browser tab and use Chat in Gmail.  
  • To keep your workspaces separate, use the standalone Chat app. See Install the Chat standalone app.
  • To work in Chrome Browser tabs, open Chrome Browser and go to chat. 

Note: If you can’t access Chat and have been granted access, please submit a Carmel Help Desk ticket. 


2. Turn Chat on or off in Gmail
  1. On your computer, open Gmail.
  2. At the top right, click Settings ""and thenSee all settings.
  3. At the top, click Chat and Meet.
  4. Select Google Chat or Chat off to turn Chat on or off in Gmail.
  5. At the bottom, click Save Changes.

Note: If you turn off Chat in Gmail, your conversation list and pop-up notifications won't appear in Gmail. However, you can still use Chat on the web (chat.google.com).