Monday, March 9, 2020

Experience the new Google Groups, launching in beta

Update

March 30, 2020: We're no longer accepting beta applications. Please stay tuned for an announcement when the new Groups interface becomes generally available.

What’s changing 

Later this year, we’ll replace the current Google Groups interface with a new experience. Starting today, you can sign up to try the new experience in beta, giving your organization early access to the new UI and a head start on the migration from classic Groups. Use this form to apply for the beta. 

Before applying, please carefully consider the “Additional details” below. Some features that currently exist in Groups will not be available in the beta. If your organization uses those features often, you may want to wait to try new Groups.

Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users

Why you’d use it 

The new Groups experience features a modern, fresh look and controls that are streamlined, intuitive, and consistent with other G Suite tools like Gmail. Participation in the beta will allow you to check out the new interface as soon as possible, provide feedback to Google, and prepare your users for future migration.

It’s important to note that we’re continuing to improve on the new Groups experience and some features that currently exist in classic Groups will not be available in the beta. 

Specifically, users in the new Groups beta won’t have access to the following features:
  • Collaborative inboxes
  • Tags and categories
  • Mobile browser experience for new Groups
  • Welcome messages above group conversations
  • Accessing moderated messages
For the complete list of features that will not be available in beta, see our Help Center.


Users will still be able to access features not available in beta features at any time by reverting back to classic Groups. To do so, you can click on the gear at the top right of the page and select “Visit classic Google Groups.” When opted into beta, users can switch between the beta version of Groups and Classic Groups as often as needed. If you feel this will be confusing or disruptive, however, you may not want to apply for the beta.


Reverting back to Classic groups from the New Groups beta

Reverting back to the New Groups beta from Classic Groups

Visit our Help Center for more information on the features available in the new Groups beta.

Additional details

We’ll roll out the new Groups experience in three stages:

  • Beta with the option to revert: If you apply for and are accepted into the beta, your users will be automatically transitioned to the new Groups experience with the option to revert back to the classic Groups UI at any time.
  • General availability (GA) with option to revert: Following the beta, we’ll introduce the new Groups experience to all G Suite customers. We’ll announce the specific date for this GA phase on the G Suite Updates blog at least two weeks in advance, and admins will have the option to control user access to the UI in the Admin console at that time. If an admin doesn’t take action, their users will see the new Groups experience when they visit groups.google.com. Users will have the option to revert back to classic Groups at any time.
  • Mandatory transition to new Groups: Later this year, all users will be migrated to new Groups, and they’ll no longer have the option to revert to classic Groups. Admins will not be able to prevent users from accessing the new Groups UI. We’ll announce the specific date for this transition on the G Suite Updates blog at least one month in advance.

Getting started

Admins:  
  • Complete this form to apply for the beta. You must be a super admin to qualify.
  • If you’re accepted into the beta, you’ll receive an email shortly before your domain is whitelisted. Once your domain is whitelisted, all users in your domain and subdomains will be migrated to the new Groups experience, but they’ll have the option to revert back to classic at any time. Once accepted into the beta, you can use this email template to communicate these changes to your users. 
  • Please note that it may take several weeks for your domain to be whitelisted into the beta.
End users:  
  • If your organization is accepted into the beta, you’ll automatically be transitioned to the new UI. You can revert back to classic Groups at any time.

Availability

  • Available to all G Suite customers

Resources