Find and join a group

To join a group that already exists, just use the search box to find the group and ask to join.

In this section, you learn how to: Search for groups Join a new group Join a Google group without a Gmail address

Search for groups

Requires the Who can see group permission.

1. Sign in to Google Groups.
2. In the left panel, click My groups, Recent groups, or All groups.
3. Choose a search option:
   • To find groups you own, groups inside or outside your organization, or groups you recently joined, click in the search fieldselect an option. (Not available for All groups.)
   • To search by some other criteria, in the search field, enter your search criteriapress Return or Enter.
   • To see advanced search options, in the search field, click the Down arrow. Enter your search criteriaclick Search. (Not available for All groups.)

     

4. To quickly revise your search, click an option above the search results. (Not available for All groups.) For example:
   • Narrow the search by selecting the join time. 
   • Choose whether to view groups from within or outside your organization.

Join a new group

1. Sign in to Google Groups.
2. Click All groups and find the group that you want to join.
3. Click Join group.

   Note: If you don't see the "Ask to join group" option, you can email the group and ask to join it.

4. If you want to link or unlink your Google profile, choose an option:
   • If you don't want people to view your Google profile, uncheck the Link to my Google account profile box. You can also enter a different display name for people to see.
   • If you want people to view your Google profile, check the Link to my Google account profile box.
5. In the Subscription section, choose how often you want email updates from the group:
   • Every new message
   • Send daily summaries
   • Combined updates
   • Don't send email updates
6. Click Join group.

Join a Google group without a Gmail address

If you don't have a Google Account, you can:

• Read posts in public groups
• Search for posts in public groups

You need a Google Account to:

• Create and manage a group
• Join a group
• Post to a group
• Delete a post
• Read a restricted group's posts

To use these features with Google Groups, you can create a Google Account without changing your email address.

You can also link a non-Gmail email address to an existing Google Account. The linked email address can be made an owner or manager. Learn how to sign in to your Google Account with another email address.