Google recently announced that better control for group chats in Google Hangouts was available on Android, IOS and the web, in order to make them a simpler and more consistent experience. Following this move, on August 31, 2016, a new version of the Chrome Google Hangouts extension will be available to new users. Google continues to add features that help users communicate in their group chats, this new experience brings together multiple chat windows into one, making it easier to view more chat content.

Existing users with the Chrome Extension will be able to test the new experience on August 31, 2016, which will have shared functionality with the current experience. Users will have the option to remain on the current experience until October 17, 2016, at which point all users will be automatically upgraded to the new experience.

In order to make this a friendly transition, Google is updating the Google Hangouts Help Center articles with the latest changes.