Google Chat – Turn Off Email Notifications for Missed Messages

By default, Google Chat sends email reminders to your Gmail inbox for any direct messages or @mentions you haven't read within 12 hours. This guide shows how to turn off those email notifications.

Note – This only affects email notifications for missed chats. Desktop/mobile push notifications are controlled separately.

Option 1: From Google Chat (Recommended)

1. Open Google Chat in your browser.
2. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-left corner to open Chat settings.
3. Click Notifications in the left sidebar.
4. Scroll down to the Email notifications section.
5. Toggle off Get email notifications for unread direct messages or @mentions.

Option 2: From Gmail Settings

1. Open Gmail Chat & Meet Settings (or in Gmail, click the gear icon > See all settings > Chat and Meet tab).
2. Next to "Chat settings," click Manage chat settings.
3. Scroll down to the Email notifications section.
4. Toggle off Get email notifications for unread direct messages or @mentions.

Mobile (Gmail App)

Email notifications for missed chats are controlled by the web settings above. Changing the setting on the web applies to your account everywhere — there is no separate mobile toggle for this.

To manage push notifications on your phone (separate from email notifications):

Android

1. Open the Gmail app.
2. Tap the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top left.
3. Tap Settings > select your account.
4. Under Chat notifications, toggle notifications on or off.

iPhone / iPad

1. Open the Gmail app.
2. Tap the hamburger menu (three lines) in the top left.
3. Tap Settings > select your account.
4. Under Chat notifications, toggle notifications on or off.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Still getting email notifications after turning them off	Changes can take a few minutes to apply. Also confirm you changed the setting for the correct Google account if you have multiple accounts.
Can't find the Email notifications setting	Make sure you're in the Notifications section inside Chat settings — not in Gmail's general notification settings.
Want to stop emails for a specific conversation only	You can mute individual conversations: hover over the conversation in the left sidebar, click the three-dot menu, and select Notifications > None.

Quick Reference

Task	Path
Turn off email notifications for missed chats	Chat settings > Notifications > Email notifications > toggle Off
Mute a single conversation	Hover conversation > three-dot menu > Notifications > None
Temporarily silence everything	Set status to Do not disturb