Now, free accounts can use Gmail with Google Chat tabs; here’s how to activate it

Updated : April 06, 2021 05:09 PM IST

Many free personal Google accounts can enable the new Gmail with Chat.

To get access, you have to enable Chat ‘Early Access’ on your Android devices and the web.

Google has made an integrated workspace feature, including Chat and Rooms, available to all users, including free personal Gmail account holders.

Last year, the tech giant had rolled out a unified app for all its communication platforms — Gmail, Chat, Rooms and Meet — for G Suite (now Google Workspace) users last year.

According to 9to5 Google, which claims to break news on Alphabet, Google, Android, Pixel, Home, Chrome, etc., the integration comes at a time Google wants to make Gmail your new “home for work”. The search engine giant wants to give users everything on one page instead of having to switch between multiple tabs.

So, now Gmail has four sections — Mail, Meet (these two have been in place for a few months), Chat, and Rooms. While using ‘Chat’ you can message individuals and small groups, with ‘Rooms’ you can have larger conversations with shared chats and files.

However, before going ahead with the upgrade, a cautionary message on Gmail states: “Enabling Google Chat lets you try out the new experience and features. You might encounter bugs and other problems, but you can switch back to your old chat setting at any time.”

Though you can enable the new Gmail with Chat on both Android and web, the upgrade is not yet available for the iOS application.

Here’s how you can turn on the new Gmail features:

For Android:

Open Settings (at the bottom of nav drawer)
Tap personal Gmail account
Under General, select ‘Chat (Early Access)’
Click ‘Try it’
Gmail app relaunches with tutorial and prompt to turn off notifications from standalone Google Chat app (if installed)

For Web:

Go to mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#settings/chat
Select ‘Google Chat (Early Access)’ instead of ‘Classic Hangouts’
Confirm pop-up box

However, be sure to have the latest version of Gmail installed from the Play Store to get started.s

Published : April 06, 2021 05:03 PM IST

Now, free accounts can use Gmail with Google Chat tabs; here’s how to activate it

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