Google: Drive App in Chat Notifications (via Gmail, Mobile, Desktop)

This article explains why you may be receiving Google Drive notifications in Google Chat (via Gmail and/or the mobile app) and how you can prevent them.

Environment

U-M Google, Chat, Drive, Chat apps

Issue

The Google Drive app in Google Chat is sending me notifications. Why is this happening, and how can I turn them off?

Resolution

In November 2024, Google announced they would be auto-installing the Google Drive app in Google Chat for every account. As a result, many individuals who had not previously installed the Chat app may have received a notification from the app welcoming them and providing more information on its purpose. Moving forward, you will receive notifications about recent activity in Google Drive documents, such as new comments and share requests, directly in Chat (via the Gmail integration, mobile app, or desktop).

If you would not like to receive these notifications, you can either mute or uninstall the app from Chat.

To mute Drive app notifications:

1. Open Google Chat.
   • In Gmail, click Chat from the far left navigation.
   • On the web, go to chat.google.com.
2. Click Google Drive under "Direct messages."
3. Click "Google Drive" at the top of the chat and select Notifications from the drop-down menu.
4. Check the Mute notifications box and click Save.

This will prevent the Drive app from being bolded and moved to the top of your conversation list.

To uninstall the Drive app:

1. Open Google Chat.
   • In Gmail, click Chat from the far left navigation.
   • On the web, go to chat.google.com.
2. Click Google Drive under "Direct messages."
3. Click "Google Drive" at the top of the chat and select Uninstall from the drop-down menu.

Additional Information

Need additional information or assistance? Contact the ITS Service Center.