9 Tips to Get More Out of Google Chat

Despite having a spot in the corner of the Gmail web interface, Google Chat doesn't often get the attention it deserves. It's a more capable and feature-packed messaging app than you might give it credit for, and its seamless connections to other Google apps and services are just part of its appeal.

Whether you're dipping into Google Chat every single day or have never properly checked it out at all, these tips help to showcase what it can do—from editing messages to locking down your privacy settings—and how you can make the most of it. It's free to use on the web , on Android , and on iOS .

In Google Chat, Spaces work like supercharged group chats: They're places where you can more easily work on projects or discuss topics with a selection of people you choose. Unlike standard group chats, Spaces can have names and descriptions, and can be used to assign tasks to specific people. File sharing is also more elegantly handled in Spaces.

To create a new Space on the web, click the New chat button (top left), then Create a space . You're asked to give it a name, and an optional emoji to represent it, and it'll open up. Right away you get buttons for inviting new members, sharing files, and assigning tasks. Click the Space name to find its settings, including message history options.

Google Chat supports threaded messages, so you can spin off separate tangents within conversations without interrupting the larger flow. These threads are available in one-to-one chats, group chats, and Spaces.

Hover over a message (on the web) or long-press on a message (on mobile) to find the option to reply in a new thread. The icon looks like a spool of thread you might use in a sewing project.

Pin messages from your favorite contacts to the top.

Individual chats can easily get lost in the pile in any messaging app, but Google Chat lets you pin important conversations to the top of the list. On the web, click the three dots next to a chat in the left-hand navigation pane to find the Pin option. On mobile, press and hold a chat in the messages view. (Tap the speech bubble icon at the bottom to bring it up.)

Another way to organize your Google Chat conversations is to put them in sections—a bit like you might use folders for emails. You could have sections for friends, family members, and work colleagues for example, or certain sections specifically for your group chats. These sections organize your conversation lists on the web and in the mobile apps.

On the web, click the three dots next to a chat in the left-hand navigation pane, then pick Move conversation . You can then either select an existing section or create a new one. You can't create sections on mobile, but you can view them if you switch to the aptly named sections view; Tap the icon showing two rectangles at the bottom of the main chat list.