Catch up on unread messages within a conversation in Google Chat

August 18, 2025

Catch up on unread messages within a conversation in Google Chat

What’s changing
You can currently use Gemini in Google Chat to summarize unread conversations in the Chat home view and to summarize files shared in conversations. To build upon this, we’re adding the ability to catch up on unread messages in a direct message, group conversation, or space.

With this launch, when opening a space or group direct message with a significant number of unread messages, you’ll see a card in the conversation pane summarizing recent discussions. When there are a smaller number of unread messages, you can l manually generate a summary by clicking / tapping on the summarize button.

This new feature will help you more easily catch up on unread messages within conversations so you can quickly get up to speed and respond as needed.

Initially, this will be available for users on the web. The feature will launch on mobile at a later date.

Who’s impacted

• End users

Getting started
Admins:

• To access summaries in home, users need to have smart features and personalization turned on. Admins can turn on default personalization setting for their users in the Admin console.
  End users:
• On web, open an unread conversation and click the conversation summary button. If a conversation summary is not proactively shown, click on the summarize button from the unread line to request it manually.
• On mobile, open an unread conversation and tap the conversation summary button. If a conversation summary is not proactively shown, tap on the summarize button from the unread line to request it manually.
• Users can control whether summaries are proactively shown by toggling the Summaries in conversation setting within Chat settings > Message & Media > Message Features.
• Visit the Help Center to learn more about summarizing conversations in Google Chat.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 12, 2025.
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 25, 2025

Availability
Available for Google Workspace:

• Business Standard and Plus
• Enterprise Standard and Plus
• Frontline Plus
• Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on
  Anyone who previously purchased these add-ons will also receive this feature:
• Gemini Business*
• Gemini Enterprise*
• AI Meetings and Messages*
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