What you need to know
- Google first previewed "huddles," a quick way to start instant audio conversations in Google Chat, in 2023.
- Huddles are now coming to Google Chat users in select Google Workspace tiers.
- They are instant-on audio calls that Google says will help "reduce meeting fatigue" for workers.
Google Chat is making quick conversations simpler with "huddles," which are audio-first calls that resemble a Slack feature of the same name. Huddles are instant-on, and will significantly reduce the friction between Google Chat and Google Meet. Instead of needing to switch from Chat to Meet to start a quick video call, users will now be able to start a huddle from Google Chat in an instant.
The feature was initially previewed in 2023, but it's only now rolling out to select Google Workspace tiers. Business Starter, Standard, and Plus; Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus; Frontline Starter and Standard; Essentials, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus; Nonprofits will all be able to use huddles in Google Chat.
Although huddles are clearly intended to be an audio-first method of communication, users can also share their screen or use video to get their message across. Additionally, the button for huddles in Google Chat is joined by options for phone calls and Meet video calls, so there are still plenty of options. Huddles are entirely powered by Google Meet, and are simply integrated with Chat. Google says that employees in workspaces that don't enable Google Meet can join huddles, but can't create them.
To start a huddle, click the Video icon in the Google Chat toolbar, which will open a dropdown menu. Here, you'll see options for Call, Meet, and huddle. Select the Start a huddle option to begin the call, which begins as audio-only. All members of the Google Chat space or chat will receive a message that reads: [user] has started a huddle, click “Join” to enter the huddle.
"Huddles help to reduce meeting fatigue for hybrid workers, and eliminates the need for lengthy discussions over email or in Chat," Google explains in a post on the Google Workspace Blog. "Instead of jumping out of the conversation and into a meeting, huddles integrates directly and smoothly into the Chat experience."
This feature is rolling out now for users on rapid release Google Workspace domains. Users on Google Workspace domains with scheduled releases won't start seeing this feature until Jan. 6, 2025.
