Google Chat is the recommended messaging app for University of Notre Dame. Within Google Chat, there is functionality for direct messaging (1:1), group messaging (2 or more people), and chat spaces. Spaces are typically used for ongoing, long-term chats. For example, you can create a space for chats with your team or for a committee or project group.
Google Chat history will be automatically deleted, on a continual basis, after 180 days.
If you want to save any/all of your message history, no matter the type, you should copy/paste what you want into a document for future reference. Unfortunately, there is no method to export the history and put it into a Google Doc. Cut/paste into a document is your only option. Please be aware that for Chat history, Google will collapse older messages. You may see a number in a circle such as 99+. To copy all the history, you would need to open the collapsed history, then cut/paste.
By default
- Chat history is set to on/enabled for a new Chat Space
- Chat history is set to off/not enabled for 1:1 and group chats. With the chat history set off, messages will be deleted in 24 hours.
If you send a chat message to an individual (1:1) or group (2 or more people), then enable (turn on) chat history, the history starts when you enable (turn on) history. In this example, the first message(s) are not part of the history until you enable (turn on) history.
Turn on chat history by:
- Open a conversation.
- At the top, click the conversation name > Turn on history
Additional Notes
- Group messages and chat spaces history are searchable within Chat for the last 180 days; they are not available for search in Gmail
- Chat history for 1:1 (or direct) messages are available for search in Gmail
For additional information on how to use Google Chat for direct messages, group messages, or chat spaces, please see this knowledge article.