How to Remove Chat and Meet From Gmail Sidebar

You can remove Chat and Meet from Gmail’s left sidebar without deleting your messages, contacts, or meeting information. The change is made in Gmail’s settings and can usually be reversed later; you’ll need to be signed in to the account whose sidebar you want to change.

What You’ll Need

A web browser with Gmail open, or the Gmail app on Android or iPhone/iPad.
Access to the Google account you want to change. If it’s a work or school account, some settings may be controlled by its administrator.

Step-by-Step

Open Gmail and check the account. Go to Gmail in a browser or open the Gmail app. If you use several Google accounts, select the one whose sidebar you want to simplify. These settings apply to the selected account, not necessarily to every account on your device.
Open Gmail settings. On a computer, select the gear icon near the top-right corner. In the Quick settings panel, look for the Chat and Meet section. If you do not see it, select See all settings to open the full settings page.
Find the Chat setting. In full settings, select the Chat and Meet tab. Under Chat, choose Off to remove the Chat area from Gmail’s navigation. Depending on your account and Gmail layout, the wording or placement may vary slightly.
Choose whether to show Meet. In the same tab, find the Meet section. Choose the option to Hide the Meet section in the main menu or the equivalent wording shown in your Gmail settings. This removes the Meet shortcut from the sidebar; it does not uninstall Google Meet.
Save the changes. If you used the full settings page, scroll to the bottom and select Save Changes. Gmail may reload. If you made the changes through Quick settings, follow any save or confirmation prompt that appears.
Check the sidebar. After Gmail reloads, look at the left navigation. Chat and Meet should no longer appear as sections or shortcuts. If one remains, refresh Gmail once and check that you changed the correct account.
On a phone or tablet, check the app’s available settings. Open the Gmail app, tap the menu icon, then tap Settings and choose the account. Look for a Chat option and turn it off if it is available. The mobile app may not offer the same Meet visibility control as desktop Gmail; if you cannot find it, change the Meet setting in Gmail on a computer.

Common Mistakes

Turning off notifications instead of removing Chat. Notification controls change alerts, not whether Chat appears in the sidebar. Use the Chat setting in Chat and Meet.
Hiding Meet but leaving Chat on. Gmail has separate controls for these sections. Change both if you want both shortcuts gone.
Leaving without saving. On the full settings page, changes may not take effect until you select Save Changes at the bottom.
Changing the wrong account. If several accounts are signed in, Gmail settings can differ for each one. Verify the profile or email address before changing settings.
Expecting this to delete data or disable the services everywhere. Removing sidebar sections only changes what Gmail displays. It does not delete Chat history, cancel meetings, or necessarily disable Chat and Meet in other Google apps.

Tips

Remove just one section if you still use the other. For example, you can hide Meet while keeping Chat visible.
If you want a less crowded view but might use the shortcuts occasionally, consider collapsing the Gmail navigation with its menu button instead of changing settings.
After changing an account setting, allow Gmail to reload before deciding it did not work. A refresh can help if the old sidebar remains on screen.
For a managed work or school account, ask your Google Workspace administrator if a setting is missing or cannot be changed. Administrators can control which services and options are available.

Troubleshooting

Chat or Meet is still visible: Confirm that the setting is off or that Meet is set to hide, then select Save Changes if you used full settings. Refresh the page and check again. Also confirm that you are viewing the same Google account you changed.

The Chat and Meet tab is missing: Open Gmail on a computer and use the gear icon, then See all settings. Look through the settings tabs for Chat and Meet. If it is absent or its controls are unavailable, the account may be managed, or the interface may differ for that account. Check with the administrator if it is a work or school account.

The setting changes back: Make sure you saved before leaving the settings page. If it still reverts, reload Gmail, sign out and back in, and try again. Browser extensions or a managed account policy may affect what you see; testing in a private browsing window can help identify an extension-related display issue.

The section is gone but Chat or Meet still opens elsewhere: That is expected. Hiding a Gmail sidebar item does not remove the service from Google Chat, Google Meet, Calendar, or other apps where it is available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does removing Chat from Gmail delete my chat history?
No. Turning Chat off in Gmail’s sidebar changes the Gmail interface; it is not a request to delete conversation history.

Can I remove only Meet and keep Chat?
Yes. Use the Meet visibility option to hide Meet, and leave Chat enabled in the Chat and Meet settings.

Can I remove Chat and Meet from the Gmail app on my phone?
Some mobile versions offer a Chat setting under Gmail app settings. Meet’s sidebar visibility control may not be available there, so use Gmail in a desktop browser if you cannot find it on your phone.

Will hiding Meet stop meeting invitations?
No. Hiding the shortcut does not cancel invitations or prevent meeting details from appearing in Calendar or email.

How do I put Chat or Meet back?
Return to Gmail’s Chat and Meet settings and turn Chat on or choose the option to show Meet in the main menu. Save changes if prompted.

Why can’t I change these settings in my work account?
Your organization may manage Gmail features centrally. Contact your administrator if the setting is unavailable or changes do not stick.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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