Google Chat for Web Gets Dark Mode, Google Calendar to Allow Adding Work Location

Google Calendar’s new feature that will help people organise their commitments better will begin rolling out for end-users starting August 30.

By Tasneem Akolawala | Updated: 21 August 2021 16:45 IST

Google Chat for Web Gets Dark Mode, Google Calendar to Allow Adding Work Location

Google Chat Dark Mode can be accessed under Settings > Theme Settings

Highlights

Google Calendar update will be useful for hybrid work environments
Google Chat Dark Mode feature cannot be controlled by admins
Google Calendar’s new feature can be disabled by admins before August 30

Google Chat for Web and also its desktop app is getting support for Dark Mode, almost a year after its Android and iOS apps received it. Dark Mode support for Google Chat is also rolling out for Progressive Web App (PWA) as well. In addition, Google Calendar is getting the ability to let users add their working location. Users will be able to add to their calendar a weekly working location routine and even update their location if plans change. Options between “Office,” “Home,” “Unspecified,” or “Somewhere else” will be made available.

The tech giant announced the rollout of Dark Mode for Google Chat on its Web and Desktop version, and as well as Progressive Web App (PWA) via a blog post. Google says this feature cannot be controlled by the admin. It can be found by going into Settings > Theme Settings and then selecting Dark Mode. The same method is applicable for the Google Chat PWA and Web version of the application.

Dark mode is rolling out gradually so users may not see it immediately. The rollout may take up to 15 days to complete fully. The new feature will be available to all Google Workspace customers, as well as G Suite Basic and Business customers.

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As mentioned, Google is also bringing the ability to let users add their work location directly into Calendar. Users can add their work location for the week and change it if plans change. This feature will begin rolling out starting August 30 but admins already have been given the power to control how this feature is used in their organisation. Google says that this feature will be on by default but can be disabled at the domain or OU level. If the admin would prefer to disable this feature, they will need to disable the setting in the Admin console before August 30.

For end-users, this feature will be off by default, unless manually disabled by admin. Google Calendar will show a dialog box with the option to enable it beginning August 30. The feature can also be enabled in Settings.

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If this feature is enabled, users can show others which days of the week they plan to be in the office, work from home, or from another location. This will help in planning in-person meetings better, especially in a hybrid workplace environment. Google says this feature will be available to all Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Non-profits, as well as G Suite Business customers. It will not be available to Google Workspace Essentials, Business Starter, Enterprise Essentials, Education Fundamentals, Frontline customers as well as G Suite Basic customers.

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