You can switch between emails, chats, and meetings without the need to open a new tab or window in Gmail.
See Also
How to Move Labels in Gmail: Organization, Renaming, & MoreGet Inbox ZERO: How to Organize Your Gmail – The Ultimate GuideWhen you open Gmail, you can:
- Open Google Chat and Google Meet from the Gmail main menu.
- View specific app menus in the collapsible panel.
- Get notified of new chat messages through notification bubbles.
- Point to each app’s icon to preview what’s going on.
- Access other Workspace add-ons like Keep and Tasks from the side panel on the right.
Show or hide Chat or Meet
- On your computer, open Gmail.
- At the top right, click Settings
. - In the “Quick settings” menu, under “Apps in Gmail,” click Customize.
- Next to “Google Chat” or “Google Meet,” click the checkbox.
- Click Done.
.Switch between apps in the main menu
To the left of your inbox, in a collapsible panel, you can switch between Gmail, Chat, or Meet.
- Switch between apps: Click an app name.
- Preview an app: Point to an icon.
- Hide or show the collapsible panel: On the top left, click Show main menu / Hide main menu .
.Open apps in the side panel
On the right, in the side panel, you can open other Google apps like Keep or Tasks.
- On your computer, open Gmail.
- At the bottom right, click Show side panel .
- On the right, select the product you want to open:
- Calendar : Check your schedule and add or edit events.
- Keep : Create a note or list.
- Tasks : Add to-do items and deadlines.
- Contacts : Access your contacts.
- Voice : Make a Google Voice call.
- Calendar
- To close the app panel, on the right, click Close .
.
: Check your schedule and add or edit events.
: Create a note or list.
: Add to-do items and deadlines.
: Access your contacts.
: Make a Google Voice call.
.Tip: To add more apps to the side panel, click Get add-ons 
.
Manage Chat notification bubbles
When you get a new message in Chat, the notification appears on the bottom left corner in a bubble. When you point to the bubble, a message preview displays.
Reply to a message in a bubble
- To open the message and reply directly, click the bubble.
- To open the message in apop-up window, clickReply.
Turn notification bubbles on or off
- At the top right ofGmail, click the status indicatorChat notification settings.
- In the window that appears, check the boxes next to “Allow Chat notifications” and “Open chat bubbles for new messages.”
- At the bottom of the window, click Done.
Chat notification settings.Tips:
- To turn notification bubbles off, uncheck the box next to “Open chat bubbles for new messages.”
- To open chat bubbles in a pop-up window, uncheck the box “Open chat bubbles in full screen.”
