In addition to the main conversation in the space, you can reply to any message and create a separate thread. With a thread, you can track important discussions and prevent the main conversation from being cluttered.
Google Chat: In-line threading
Learn how inline threading in spaces works
To create a single, streamlined flow of conversation in Google Chat, use in-line threading for spaces. In a space with in-line threading, you can either:
- Send a message to the entire group in the main conversation window.
- Quote a previous message.
- Reply to a single message to start a thread.
- If you use in-line threading to reply to a single message, your message branches into a separate conversation with up to 500 replies.
A space with in-line threading allows users to:
- Follow specific threads and receive notifications for replies and mentions in the thread.
- Find out who replies to a thread. Each thread shows avatars of users that reply to the thread.
In this article, learn how to:
- Reply in a thread
- Follow or unfollow a thread
- Manage thread notifications
- Find threads in Home or in a space
Reply in a thread
-
On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
-
In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
-
- Select a space.
- Point to the message.
- In the menu, click Reply in thread .
- In the thread panel, to the right of the space, enter your message.
- Click Send .
Tips:
- To open the thread panel for a thread with replies, click below the message where it says "X replies."
- To resize the thread panel, click and drag the bar on the left border of the panel.
Follow or unfollow a thread
Your followed threads show up directly on your home screen. Instead of searching for the space and thread, click on a thread from home to go straight to the conversation.
- At the top right corner of the space, click Threads .
- In the thread panel, point to a thread:
- To follow a thread, click Follow.
- To unfollow a thread, click Following.
- At the top of the thread panel, to filter the list of available threads, click:
- Mentions me: Threads where you’re mentioned.
- Following: Threads that you follow.
A thread is automatically followed if:
- You’re the author of the main message that initiates the thread.
- You reply via thread or were mentioned.
- You set the notification setting of a specific space to notify for “All.”
Manage thread notifications
In a thread, you can adjust how and when you’re notified of new messages.
- On your computer, open Google Chat or Gmail.
- In Gmail: On the left, click Chat.
- At the top of the space, click the space name Notifications.
- Select an option for notifications:
- All: Notifications for all new messages and replies to threads.
- If you select “All,” you automatically follow all new threads for that space.
- To unfollow a thread, click Threads Following.
- Main conversations: Notifications for all new main conversations, @mentions, and replies to threads you follow.
- For you: Notifications for @mentions and replies to threads you follow.
- None: No notifications, just an indicator for @mentions.
- All: Notifications for all new messages and replies to threads.
- Optional: If you don’t want the conversation to be in bold and moved to the top of your conversation list, select the box next to "Mute conversation."
- Click Save.
Tip: If you follow a thread in a space, you’re notified with a dot whenever there’s activity in that thread unless the space is muted. You can find the number of unread messages next to each thread in a space.
Find threads in Home or in a space
Find followed threads in HomeTo find your followed threads in Home:
- On your computer, open Google Chat.
- In "Home," click Threads .
- Tip: To show only unread threads, click Unread .
- On your computer, open Google Chat.
- To open a space, click on a space.
- At the top right corner of the space, select Threads .
- Optional: To show only threads where you’re mentioned or that you followed, at the top, click Mentions me or Following.