Google Chat is closing a major gap with this overdue messaging update

There are some solid reasons to recommend Google Chat, and one of the biggest of them is the fact that its productivity features are lightweight compared to many of its rivals'. On the flip side, it also lags behind some of its fierce competitors, like Slack and Microsoft Teams, in terms of the number of features.

Not everyone needs advanced features, but what's particularly bothersome about Google Chat is its lack of some basic messaging features. On the bright side, the Mountain View tech giant is closing the gap by adding them gradually. The company has just added another such feature, and it's so basic you'll wonder what took it so long.

Google Chat is ready to treat unsent messages the right way

You won't lose the message if you don't hit send

On its Workspace Updates website, Google has officially announced that persistent drafts are now rolling out to Google Chat. This means Google Chat will automatically save unsent messages, allowing you to send them later. So, in case you quit the app deliberately or by accident before hitting send, you'll now be able to continue where you left off when you open it again.

Moreover, the persistent drafts capability allows you to type the message on one device at your desk and finish it on another device later and hit send. This has been available for a long time on many of its competitor platforms, and it's finally being rolled out to Google Chat. However, as highlighted by Google in its official blog post, there are important things about the persistent drafts that Google Chat users must remember.

1. Drafts aren't saved forever. Your unsent messages will remain available for up to 30 days.
2. The drafts across all conversations will be available in the drafts shortcut.
3. Each Google Chat conversation keeps its own draft separately.
4. Drafts for a given conversation or thread are stored in the compose box.

The persistent drafts feature is rolling out gradually in the Google Chat web client in the Rapid Release domains, and the company expects to complete the rollout by September 15. Schedule Release domains will start getting it on September 22.

Google Chat on Android and iOS will also support persistent drafts, with rollout starting on September 28 this year. The feature will be available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.