It is a no-brainer Google Hangouts is now a classic that sets to retire alongside 2021 — as the year runs out. The Search Giant intends to replace the classic chat app with its newly developed Google Chat. By the time this year runs out, Google is gradually pushing its replacement scheme whereby enterprise Workspace users will no longer access Hangouts.
“Hangouts is going away soon, switch to Google Chat now to continue your Hangouts conversations with new features. All remaining classic Hangouts customers will be migrated to Chat Preferred, and we’ll fully replace classic Hangouts with Chat,” in line with Google’s announcement.
At the moment, users on free personal accounts can no longer access Google’s Hangouts without seeing the dedicated notification that displays at the top of either the app or the website. Per Hangouts transition into Chat, Google is depreciating the classic chat app gradually — a warning and sign-out message appear in a blue banner.
For mobile Hangouts users, both iOS and Android platforms will witness the blue bannered notification at the top of the app that states the classic “Hangouts is being replaced by Google Chat.” It is worth noting that “your conversations from the last year are already in Chat, and older conversations will be available later,” per the message the blue banner carries on Hangouts’ header.
There are two optional choices available on the banner, “Learn more” and “Switch to Chat in Gmail.” Either way, you’re expected to fully comprehend Hangouts transition to Chat before making the switch — “Learn more” is dedicated to clarifying the transition, a directory link to Google’s support page to view the document.
On the other hand, when you click the switch to Gmail, it signs you out of the Hangouts app while connecting you to the Chat — transferring your existing data as well.
Google’s integrated concept designed Gmail, Chat, and Meet to function as a pair — these apps can function on your device as a standalone app, especially Google Chat. Even if you use the web version of Hangouts and you click the switch button it will direct you to the standalone web version of Google’s Chat.
It is worth noting that signing out of Hangouts also restricts the classic app from receiving notifications or app updates. Although users who are still intrigued with the classic experience of chatting via Google can reactivate the Hangouts app by simply adding your email address to your Gmail account.
Hangouts transition to Google Chat is an ideal method of shutting down the classic chat app. Still, the Search Giant is yet to reveal the exact timing when free personal accounts will no longer access Hangouts — by December 2021, enterprise users will no longer use Hangouts.
