Google Workspace: Migrate to the new Gmail Interface

Last month we talked about the exciting update to Google G Suite and the introduction of Google Workspace along with it’s new single, unified user experience. Unfortunately, many customers are still waiting for this feature to be rolled out within their domain, unaware that the lack of the interface change is due to a setting within the Google Workspace Administrator Console.

It’s likely that most organisations will have been using classic Google Hangout, as well as Google Chat, however by having both it means that Google Chat within Gmail is disabled. You can still use both chat services but you need to make Google Chat your preferred service.

If you want to move to the new Gmail experience you will need to make Google Chat your preferred chat service.

To update your domain from Classic Hangouts to New Chat you should do the following:

1. Open the Admin Console at admin.google.com
2. Open Apps, then select Google Workspace
3. Select “Google Chat and Classic Hangouts“.
4. Click Service Status (this is hidden at the very top of the page of options)
5. Next, you will see a number of options, to use Google Chat in Gmail you should select either:
   • Chat preferred – Chat works in Gmail and everywhere else. Classic Hangouts works on the web.
   • Chat only – Chat works in Gmail and everywhere else. Classic Hangouts clients are turned off.
6. After you have made a selection click Save.

Once you’ve saved you settings it shouldn’t take too long before you can refresh your Gmail client and see the new interface.

We hope that this helps those who feel that they’ve been left behind.