Overview
For several years, classic Google Hangouts had been a part of Google at U-M and integrated with Google Mail. Google Chat is the updated, team-based experience that has replaced classic Hangouts at U-M, including within Gmail.
Google Chat facilitates both direct messaging and team-based collaboration within U-M Google. Google Chat lets any U-M Google user chat with individuals, send group messages, and collaborate with teams. You can use Google Chat on the web, desktop app, mobile devices, and in Gmail. This document provides an overview of Google Chat's current features, functionality, and limitations to help you get started.
Note: Google Chat is a Google Workspace for Education core service. It is free, covered under U-M's agreement with Google, and can be used for certain kinds of sensitive data.
Common Terminology
There are many terms Google uses to distinguish conversation types in Chat.
- One-to-one (1:1) direct messages: Messages between only two people in Chat.
- Group direct messages: Messages with more than two people. (Google uses the terms "group direct message," "group chat," and "group conversation" interchangeably. "Legacy group chats" were group direct messages created before December 2020 in Chat.)
- Spaces: Previously called "rooms," spaces are a central place where people can share files, assign tasks, and stay connected.
As of October 2025, Google has updated membership roles in Chat spaces. The changes are as follows:
- Existing "Space Managers" are now known as "owners" and retain full control over the space.
- A new "manager" role has been added. Managers have the same permissions as owners, except they cannot delete the space or upgrade members or other managers to the owner role.
- The "member" role remains unchanged.
Learn more about the space owner and manager roles and managing space settings/permissions.
Limitations
- U-M Google and Google Chat are not HIPAA-compliant. If you are affiliated with Michigan Medicine, refer to the U-M HITS site for approved communications software.
- Google Chat messages are retained indefinitely. Messages you delete in a conversation are only permanently removed from your account's view, unless you have turned chat history OFF for the entire conversation/space.
- You cannot include external users in group direct messages. However, you can add external users to spaces and direct messages.
- You cannot convert existing internal Chat spaces to external spaces. Spaces must be created as external.
- You cannot create a unique email address to send emails to a Google Chat space. This setting is restricted because creating Google Groups in U-M is restricted.
- You need to use a 64-bit version of your preferred web browser to download the desktop app.
- Only one account can sign in at a time when using Google Chat via the desktop app.
- Google Chat spaces can only be organized by inline threading. In September 2023, Google upgraded the format of all Google Chat spaces organized by conversation topic to inline threaded spaces in batches over several months. Learn more about inline threaded Chat spaces.
Classic Hangouts transition to Google Chat
Classic Google Hangouts officially retired in November 2022. Google made several efforts to transition Hangouts data to Chat, and you can find that information below.
- Almost all message history from classic Hangouts is available in Chat.
- If a space originated in classic Hangouts as a "named group conversation," the person who started the conversation was automatically assigned the "Space Manager" (now "owner") role in Chat.
- Members can't leave direct messages created before December 2020.
- Phone/voice calls in classic Hangouts are no longer a feature in Google Chat. You cannot make (one-click) phone/voice calls in Chat on the web.
- Google allows you to make one-to-one video calls via the Google Meet mobile app with another U-M Google user. You and your contact must have the most up-to-date version of the Meet app on your phones and be connected to your U-M Google accounts. (Currently, you cannot call those outside of U-M or via the web interface.)
- In Google Meet, you can add someone to the session by their phone number, but this is not the same functionality as classic Hangouts phone/voice calls.
- Google Meet is the default videoconferencing option in Google Chat.
Group Chats vs. Spaces
Google Chat offers group direct messages (for smaller, private conversations) and spaces (for larger, team-based work). Group direct messages and spaces have different features and capabilities. For example, you can invite MCommunity groups to spaces, but you cannot invite MCommunity groups to group direct messages. Refer to the Google Help Center for more information and help determining which option suits your needs.
Spaces can be set to be discoverable via search by anyone at U-M in Google Chat, if desired. When creating a space or editing an existing one, set Access to "University of Michigan" (found under space settings in existing spaces). You can also create a space where only owners and managers can post by selecting Announcements under "What is this space for?" (You can't change this setting on existing spaces.)
External Users
External users outside U-M are allowed to participate in U-M Google Chat one-to-one direct messages and spaces. They cannot be added to group direct messages.
To use Google Chat with people outside the University of Michigan, they will need to have a Google account. These users will have an "External" badge in Chat, so you will always know whether you're sharing information with the right people.
Additionally, you will need to designate a space as "External" when you create it. You will not be able to change this setting after the space is created. This means you won't be able to add external users to any spaces that have already been created, as those will remain "internal." To designate a room as "External" when creating it, check the box next to "Allow external members to join."
Use MCommunity Groups in Spaces
By default, you can add people to a space one at a time. However, if you would like to add users in bulk, you can create an MCommunity group and then invite that group to your space.
Note: The instructions below are for using Chat in Gmail to invite a group to an existing space. You can also choose to use chat.google.com instead.
To invite a group to an existing space from Chat in Gmail:
- Select the space in which you'd like to add the group from the list on the left under "Spaces."
- Click the space name at the top and select Manage members from the drop-down menu.
- Click the Add button in the top right corner.
- Enter the name of your MCommunity group in the "Search for people or groups" field and select it from the list.
- Click Add.
Once invited, individual members of the MCommunity group can join your space. Google Chat will notify members via email that they have been invited to your space and can click Open in Google Chat to accept.
Important: You can use MCommunity groups to invite people into a space, but they are not synced with Google Chat. If you remove someone from the MCommunity group, you must manually remove them from the Chat space. The same goes for individuals you add to the MCommunity group - they must be manually added to the space.
Apps
Apps are a unique way for users to connect to services integrated with Google Chat. You can talk to apps and command them to perform various tasks.
The following apps have been approved for use in U-M Google Chat:
You can use the Google Drive app to get notifications about activities in Drive in Google Chat.
Meet (i.e., Google Meet)
You can use the Meet app in Google Chat to schedule, modify, and cancel meetings or to look up your schedule.