Google Chats introduces Huddles for quick voice/video calls: All the details

Google Chat

Google is enhancing its communication services by introducing a new feature in Google chats named Huddles to provide a more smooth and rapid method of conducting audio meetings. Previously, Google+ had a “Huddles” group, which provided an instant messaging feature, while Slack offers an equivalent audio meeting capability.

Google Chats’ Huddles: Here’s how it works

Google, via its new blog post, confirmed that audio Huddles in Google Chat is powered by Google Meet, and it lets you start an audio-first meeting, making real-time collaboration easier. Google Chat users can simply access Huddles from the top-right corner by clicking on and then initiating audio-first meetings. Subsequently, a floating window with meeting controls allows participants to communicate immediately.

The new functionality guarantees a seamless collaborative experience across Google Spaces, group conversations, and direct messages. It also allows the users to add video and even share their screens during the meetings, offering more flexibility. The toggle at the top of the screen lets participants even quickly end the session after any meeting is particularly over.

The Huddles audio meeting feature also eliminates the need for lengthy discussions over email or in Chat. Instead of jumping out of the conversation and into a meeting, Huddles integrates directly into the chat experience and supports multitasking, as you can easily resize or share your screen.

As for its availability, the Google Chat Huddles feature will roll out on November 27, and a complete rollout is expected by December 20, 2025. Further, it will also be available in scheduled release domains beginning on January 6, 2025, for Business, Enterprise, Frontline, Essentials, and nonprofit Google Workspace users.