Google Hangouts is Shut Down! Download Your Chats Before It Too Late

  author
Written By Mohit Jha
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh
Published On November 3rd, 2022
Reading Time 4 Minutes Reading

Google, the technology giant, recently announced it to shut down Google Hangouts. Google is notifying the affected users before the final shutdown, but now there’s a way to keep your Google Hangouts data safe by backing it up to your computer/laptop. Downloading your Google Hangouts chat history will help you view it offline.

It has now been confirmed that Google Chat will be replacing Hangouts. If you haven’t switched to Google Chat, you should by November 1, 2022. On posting the above date, users will be automatically directed to Google Chat.

Let’s come to the solution part, in this blog, we will guide you to save Google Hangouts chat history. There are multiple ways to move Google Hangouts chats to a platform or file format.

Step-by-Step Process to Move Hangouts to Google Chat

If you still using hangouts, it’s time to move it now or lose your chat data. We are covering up the complete process of moving Google Hangouts data to Google Chat. Follow the below-mentioned steps:

    • Login to Google Hangouts: https://hangouts.google.com/
    • Enter your valid Gmail email id and password.
    • Now, you will see all your chats over here.
    • Check the new notification: Time to upgrade to Google Chat.

Upgrade to Google Chat

    • Next, click on the Go to Google Chat option, and it will redirect you to Google Chat.

Google Hangouts is Shut Down

Now you can see all your Google Hangouts chats in the Chat label. Now all your chat history will save in your Gmail account in a simple format. But, to download Google Hangouts chats for offline use, follow the next section.

How to Download Google Hangouts Data to View Offline?

You can save all your Google Hangouts chat history using two methods. Google Takeout service allows you to save Hangouts chats in JSON format. And, using the SysTools Solution, you can easily download Google Hangouts chats into multiple file formats.

Method 1: Save Hangouts Chats Using Google Takeout

Follow the below-mentioned steps to download Google Hangouts chats into JSON format using the Google Takeout service.

    • Sign in to Google Takeout: https://takeout.google.com/
    • Click Deselect All at the top, as we only want to export Hangouts data.

Download Google Hangouts Chats

    • Scroll down until you see Google Hangouts. Check the box to the right of it. Click or tap Next and select the Export once option.

Save Google Hangouts to Chat

    • Choose your file format and maximum size for each file from the drop-down menus. Click the Create Export button.

Create Export

Wait for Google to generate the export file. This process can take hours or even days. This process is done server-side, so you can later go and check your email to download the file.

This method takes time to download Gmail data to computer. Also, it has multiple limitations, including download limit per day, size, ZIP/TGZ format only, JSON format only, Google Takeout not working, etc.

Method 2: Download Google Hangouts Data into Multiple Formats

SysTools Gmail Data Backup Software allows you to save all emails, contacts, calendars, and documents from multiple Gmail accounts. Using the utility, you can choose any required file format from the given list such as PDF, PST, MSG, MBOX, or EML.

Follow the steps to download Google Hangouts data to view in offline mode.

    • Login to Gmail Account: https://mail.google.com/
    • Go to the Chat label and preview all your Hangouts chats.

Google Chat

    • Select all the chats and click on the Move to Inbox option.

Move Google Hangouts to Google Chat

    • Next, Go to the Inbox folder to check the moved chats.

Download Google Hangouts Data

Download Google Hangouts Chat Data

    • Login with your Gmail Id and select the required export type.

Select Required Format

    • Select the category Emails and Apply Filter to select the inbox folder.

Start Downloading Google Hangouts Chats

    • Next, click on the Start button to download Google Hangouts data.

Done

After following the above-mentioned steps, you can easily save your Google Hangouts chat history in the popular file formats. There are multiple features associated with the suggested tool. Some of them are Delete after Download, Incremental Backup, Pause & Resume, etc.

Conclusion

Google also said that for users using Chat at work or school, there is no guarantee that new spaces created in Chat will show up in Hangouts. For users who haven’t upgraded yet, Google Hangouts will be upgraded to Google Chat by the end of 2022.

Upgrading or downloading Google Hangouts data is the only option. We suggested both methods in detail, and now it is up to you how to save your confidential Google Hangouts chats.

  author

By Mohit Jha

Mohit is a writer, researcher, and editor. Cyber ​​security and digital forensics are the two subjects that keep Mohit out of his seat. In addition, he hopes that the well-researched and thought-out articles he finds will help people learn.

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