Manage space settings

As of September 29, 2015, existing space managers became owners, and a new manager role is available.

As a space owner or manager, you can:

  • Control who can join a space.
  • Control who can manage members and groups.
  • Change whether the space is accessible to anyone in your organization or only to people you invite.
  • Control permissions for space members.

Important:

  • To manage space settings, you need a Google Workspace account.
  • When you create a space, you can invite people outside of your organization into a space. However, they won’t have access to some features, such as updating space details or adding people. Learn more about chatting with people outside your organization.

Learn about role capabilities

Capability Owner Manager Member
Delete a space Checkmark
Approve requests to join Checkmark Checkmark(If the user can manage members)
Change another owner's role Checkmark
Make another space member an owner Checkmark
Make another space member a manager Checkmark Checkmark
Change the space access setting Checkmark Checkmark
Configure emailability Checkmark Checkmark
Delete any message in the space Checkmark Checkmark

Update space access settings

If you're a space owner or manager, you can make a space accessible to anyone in your organization or only to people you invite.

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  2. On the left, select the space you want to update.
  3. At the top, next to the space name, click the Down arrow Down Arrow and then Space settings.
  4. Under the "Access" section, next to the current access audience, click the Down arrow Down Arrow.
  5. In the drop down menu, select from the audience options:
    • To make a restricted space discoverable, select the audience for your entire domain.
    • To make a discoverable space private, select Private.
  6. Under "Who can manage members and groups," select:
    • All members
    • Managers and owners
    • Owners

Tips:

  • Discoverable spaces are searchable and browsable. You can share a link to a discoverable space.
  • If you already allow people outside your organization to join the space, you can't make the space discoverable to others.

Update permissions for a space

  1. On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
    • In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
  2. On the left, select the space you want to update.
  3. At the top, next to the space name, click the Down arrow Down Arrow and then Space settings.
  4. Under "Permissions," select whether all members, managers and owners, or owners only, can:
    • Modify space details
    • Turn history on or off
    • Use @all
    • Manage apps
    • Manage webhooks
  5. Click Save.