Google Chat is introducing persistent drafts that automatically save unsent messages so you can finish and send them later. Drafts are kept per conversation, covering direct messages, group DMs, and Spaces, and they sync across devices, letting you start on one device and finish on another. You can find your drafts in the compose box of a conversation or in a dedicated drafts shortcut that gathers them across all conversations.
The feature requires no admin controls and no end-user settings, according to the announcement. Google lists it as reaching every Google Workspace customer, Workspace Individual subscribers, and people who use personal Google accounts. The rollout starts on the web today, September 8, with Rapid Release domains expected to see completion by September 15. Scheduled Release domains begin their web rollout on September 22, and Android and iOS rollouts start on September 28.
Google notes that feature visibility may be gradual, taking up to 15 days to reach all users. Google says unsent drafts are kept for as long as 30 days.
This update follows a series of recent Google Chat and Workspace changes. Earlier this month, Google expanded custom instructions for Gemini to more Workspace apps, including Drive, Chat, Slides, Sheets, and Gmail. In late August, Google introduced a new setting called 'View members' for Chat spaces, letting space owners and managers limit who can see the member list, with four permission levels available.
