Upcoming changes to how retention policies are applied to 1:1 direct messages in Google Chat

What’s happening Many Google Workspace organizations rely on Google Chat to facilitate communication and collaboration, including with users in the same domain, users in other Workspace Domains, and users with personal Google accounts. Currently, each organization in an external 1:1 direct message conversation can set their own retention policy, which impacts what messages end users see in the product user interface and what admins see in Google Vault.To provide a more consistent product experience across conversation types, we are changing how retention policies are applied to 1:1 direct messages with external participants.Following this change, 1:1 direct messages with external participants will respect the retention policy of the user who created the conversation. If a user in your organization did not create the conversation, they may see more or fewer messages in the Chat user interface after this change since the creator’s policy will be respected. You can see who created the conversation by scrolling to the top of the conversation, or hovering over the external badge. This change does not impact an admin’s ability to apply a retention policy or ability to access 1:1 direct messages in Google Vault or Data Export for users with a Google Vault policy applied. If you do not have Vault, or do not have a Vault policy applied, changes in access to conversations will apply to the product user interface and Data Export. Starting May 1, 2025:All new external 1:1 direct messages will respect the retention policy of the creator. For users with a Vault policy applied, the creator’s policy will only impact messages in the Chat product user interface. Starting June 2, 2025:Existing 1:1 direct messages will migrate to respect the retention policy of the creator. For users with a Vault policy applied, the creator’s policy will only impact messages in the Chat product user interface. By August 1, 2025:We anticipate the migration will be complete.Until February 1, 2026:We will preserve impacted 1:1 direct messages in Google Vault or Data Export for 6 months past the end of the migration to allow organizations to download a copy of the data.Why it mattersIt’s important to note that if your organization has a Google Vault policy applied to your users, you will not lose access to any conversations—even if they no longer appear in the Chat product user interface. If your organization does not have Vault or does not have a Vault policy applied, some conversations that were previously available may no longer be available in Data Export or Vault. Getting startedAdmins: For more information, including answers to common questions about this change, check out our admin guide to message retention changes. We recommend that you confirm your external chatting settings and ensure you have Vault policies properly configured (if applicable) to preserve data for the desired amount of time. Visit the Help Center to learn more about retaining messages in Google Chat with Vault and using Vault to search Google Chat.If you’d like to obtain a copy of all conversations not created by your organization, you can perform a Vault or Data Export after August 1, 2025. To reduce the size of the export, you can use the Vault search operator “is:externalmanaged” after August 1, 2025.End users: Visit the Help Center to learn about message history for conversations with work or school accounts.ResourcesGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Guide to Chat 1:1 DM retention changesGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Integrate Chat with a third-party archiving solutionGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Export all your organization's dataGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Control external Chat and spaces chat optionsGoogle Help: Retain messages in Google Chat with VaultGoogle Help: Export your data from Google ChatGoogle Help: Search for Google Chat messagesGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Use Vault to search Google ChatGoogle Workspace Admin Help: Retain messages in Google Chat with VaultGoogle Help: Learn about message history for conversations with work or school accounts

Mar 17, 2025 - 14:14

Upcoming changes to how retention policies are applied to 1:1 direct messages in Google Chat

What’s happening

Many Google Workspace organizations rely on Google Chat to facilitate communication and collaboration, including with users in the same domain, users in other Workspace Domains, and users with personal Google accounts. Currently, each organization in an external 1:1 direct message conversation can set their own retention policy, which impacts what messages end users see in the product user interface and what admins see in Google Vault.

To provide a more consistent product experience across conversation types, we are changing how retention policies are applied to 1:1 direct messages with external participants.

Following this change, 1:1 direct messages with external participants will respect the retention policy of the user who created the conversation. If a user in your organization did not create the conversation, they may see more or fewer messages in the Chat user interface after this change since the creator’s policy will be respected. You can see who created the conversation by scrolling to the top of the conversation, or hovering over the external badge.

This change does not impact an admin’s ability to apply a retention policy or ability to access 1:1 direct messages in Google Vault or Data Export for users with a Google Vault policy applied.

If you do not have Vault, or do not have a Vault policy applied, changes in access to conversations will apply to the product user interface and Data Export.

Starting May 1, 2025:

All new external 1:1 direct messages will respect the retention policy of the creator.

For users with a Vault policy applied, the creator’s policy will only impact messages in the Chat product user interface.

Starting June 2, 2025:

Existing 1:1 direct messages will migrate to respect the retention policy of the creator.

For users with a Vault policy applied, the creator’s policy will only impact messages in the Chat product user interface.

By August 1, 2025:

We anticipate the migration will be complete.

Until February 1, 2026:

We will preserve impacted 1:1 direct messages in Google Vault or Data Export for 6 months past the end of the migration to allow organizations to download a copy of the data.

Why it matters

It’s important to note that if your organization has a Google Vault policy applied to your users, you will not lose access to any conversations—even if they no longer appear in the Chat product user interface. If your organization does not have Vault or does not have a Vault policy applied, some conversations that were previously available may no longer be available in Data Export or Vault.

Getting started

Admins:

For more information, including answers to common questions about this change, check out our admin guide to message retention changes.
We recommend that you confirm your external chatting settings and ensure you have Vault policies properly configured (if applicable) to preserve data for the desired amount of time. Visit the Help Center to learn more about retaining messages in Google Chat with Vault and using Vault to search Google Chat.
If you’d like to obtain a copy of all conversations not created by your organization, you can perform a Vault or Data Export after August 1, 2025. To reduce the size of the export, you can use the Vault search operator “is:externalmanaged” after August 1, 2025.