Starting  November 1, 2022, Google Hangouts on web will begin redirecting to Google Chat on web and Hangouts will no longer be available.

 

What does this mean for your orginaztion?

In February 2022, it was announced that Google would make Google Chat the default chat application by turning on the "Chat preferred" setting for any customers who hadn't already done so.

 

Since March 2022, Hangouts mobile apps, Hangouts in Gmail web, and the Hangouts Chrome extention have been redirection to Chat. Starting Nobemver 1, 2022, visiting hangouts on web will redirect you to Chat on web. This changw is not optional. 

 

Note: Hangouts on web and users' conversations will remain accessible until November 1, 2022.

 

Here are some additional changed you can expect as part of this update:

 

• Searching for Hangouts and Chat messages in Gmail
  • Currently, when a gmail user preforms a search, they find results for Hangouts and Chat messages in two places -under the Mail tab and under the Messages tab (previously displayed as Chat & Spaces tab).
  • Starting November 1, 2022, Gmail users will only find results for Hangouts and Chat messages under the Messages tab (previously displayed as Chat & Spaces tab).
  • After  January 1, 2023, all Hangouts and Chat search results will be removed from the mail tab in Gmail. However, any messages under Vault retention or holds will continue to be available for admins vault.

 

• Exporting Hangouts and Chat data
  • Currently, Hangouts and Chat messages are available in the Data Export Tools for Hangouts, Chat, and Gmail (for admins).
    • If your organization uses Vault, you can find and export Hangouts and Chat messages in Vault search results for Hangouts, Chat, and Gmail.
  • Starting November 1, 2022, interoperability between Hangouts and Chat will be turned down. As a result, new Chat messages will no longer be available in the Data Export Tools for Hangouts and Gmail. They will only be available in the Data Export Tool for Chat.
    • If your organization uses Vault, starting November 1, 2022, Google recommends searching for Hangouts and Chat messages under Chat only.
  • After January 1, 2023, Hangouts data will be deleted. Hangouts and Chat messages will no longer be available in the Data Export Tools for Hangouts and Gmail. Old Hangouts data that is already available in Chat, will be available in the Data Export Tool for Chat.
    • If your organization uses Vault, starting January 1, 2023, you’ll no longer see Hangouts and Chat messages if you search under Hangouts or Gmail—unless those messages are under a retention or hold. Google recommenda searching for Hangouts and Chat messages under Chat.

 

• Other Changes
  • Data Export Tool: Starting January 1, 2023, customers won’t be able to use the Data Export Tool to download Hangouts data and users will no longer be able to use Hangouts Takeout. Note that Data Export Tool for Chat for Google Chat does not include user’s messages from group conversations created by users from other organizations.
  • Gmail API: Starting November 1, 2022, the Gmail API will no longer produce new Chat messages.
  • Apps Monthly Uptime Dashboard: The Apps Monthly Uptime Dashboard will not list Hangouts starting November 1, 2022.
  • Domain Transfer: Starting January 1, 2023, Hangouts data will be unsupported for Domain Transfer.

What do You need to do?

 

Inform your users who are still accessing Hangouts on the web that they will no longer be able to access Hangouts as of November 1, 2022, and they will be redirected to Google chat.

 

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