Figma integration comes to Google Chat, completing the Workspace workflow

If you work in just about any modern collaborative environment, chances are you spend a good amount of time in Figma. For those of us deeply entrenched in the Google Workspace ecosystem, the friction of constantly context-switching between our communication tools and our design files has always been a bit of a productivity tax. Today, Google is smoothing out that speed bump by officially bringing Figma into Google Chat.

This new integration completes the full breadth of Figma support within Workspace. We’ve already seen how useful the add-on is in Google Docs with its smart chips that preview designs, and in Google Meet where you can present and collaborate on frames in real-time. Now, that same connectivity is landing in the place where the actual conversation happens.

What this actually does for your workflow

The core of this update is about reducing the tab fatigue that plagues design reviews. Once installed, the Figma app for Google Chat acts as a central notification hub. Instead of relying on email pings that get buried, you’ll now get real-time alerts for new comments, mentions, and file invites directly in your chat stream. But it’s not just a read-only feed. Google has implemented rich functionality here:

• Interactive Previews: When a colleague drops a Figma link into a chat or Space, it creates a visual preview. You can see exactly what they are talking about—whether it’s a specific design frame or a FigJam board—without leaving the window.
• Reply from Chat: When someone leaves a comment on your design, you can reply directly from the notification card in Google Chat. That feedback loops back into the Figma file instantly, keeping the momentum going without you having to open a new browser tab every five minutes.

A few technical quirks to note

While this is a massive win for productivity, there are a few edge cases to keep in mind. First, if you already have the specific Figma file open in a browser tab, the integration is smart enough to pause notifications in Chat. This prevents your phone and desktop from buzzing simultaneously for the same comment you’re currently looking at.

Additionally, for the heavy FigJam users out there, note that tags on sticky notes specifically won’t trigger a notification in Chat just yet. It’s a minor omission, but one worth remembering if that’s your primary way of assigning tasks during a brainstorm.

How to get it

The update is rolling out now to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and even personal Google accounts.

If you’ve already installed the Figma add-on for Docs or Meet, you might not need to do anything; it should automatically become available in Chat. If not, you can manually add it by heading to New Chat > Find apps and searching for Figma.

This move effectively brings Google Chat to feature parity with Slack in regards to Figma integration, removing one more barrier for teams looking to go all in on Google’s communication stack.