Overview

For the best experience:

1. Download the Gather 2.0 Desktop App

2. Connect your Google Calendar

   Learn more:📄 Google Calendar Integration & Chrome Extension

3. Add the Google Chrome Extension

   1. Uninstall the old Chrome extension if switching from Gather 1.0

4. Review Settings to customize your preferences. (Click the Gather logo in the left sidebar.)

5. For New Admins: Read the Pilot Guide, a proven six-step plan for launching Gather to your team

6. For 1.0 Admins moving to 2.0: Read the Migration Guide, everything you need to know to transfer your team from Gather 1.0 to 2.0

Shortcuts

• To search people, areas, and more:

  • ⌘ + K for Macs

  • Ctrl + K for Windows

• To turn both your microphone & camera on/off:

  • ⌘ + Shift + D for Macs

  • Ctrl + Shift + D for Windows

• To return to your desk:

  • ⌘ + D for Macs

  • Ctrl + D for Windows

• To hop on a go kart:

  • Hold Shift while moving around

Navigate the Office

To Look Around & Switch Views

Click and drag to pan around the map or use the zoom controls in the lower right-hand corner. These settings also let you toggle between Office Views:

1. Simplified View: A minimal view so you can focus on the people and conversations taking place.

2. Immersive View: A detailed view to appreciate each and every object that makes your team’s office unique.

3. Auto View: Automatically switch to Immersive View when you zoom in, and Simplified View when you zoom out.

To Move

1. Double-click your mouse on the spot you want to walk to.

2. Use your keyboard arrow keys.

Personalize Your Workspace

Customize Your Avatar

Your avatar is how you appear in the office. Personalize it so others begin to recognize you and see a bit of your personality!

1. Click on your avatar

2. Click Edit Profile

3. Click the image of your avatar to edit it

Claim & Decorate a Desk

Your desk is your home base in Gather, where you'll be when not in meetings. Decorate it to make it your own!

1. Hover your mouse over an empty desk and click ‘Claim’

2. Click the desk and select the plant icon to decorate it

3. Add objects, change the colors, and make it unique to you

Set Your Status & Availability

Your status in Gather is more than a green or gray dot. At a glance, your coworkers can know if you’re free to talk (Available 🟢), heads down focused (Busy 🎧), on a lunch break 🥗 or at an appointment 📅, or working in popular apps like Cursor, Notion or Figma.

To set your status:

1. Click your profile picture in the bottom bar

2. Select Active, Busy, or Away to show others if you’re free to talk

3. (Optional) Select an emoji and type a custom status to display

Review Settings

Open the Main Menu (Gather logo in the left sidebar) and navigate to Settings to customize your preferences. A few we recommend reviewing:

• General > Color Mode: Set light mode, dark mode, or follow system settings

• Calendar > Smart Status: Automatically update your status based on calendar events like Lunch, Focus, or Appointment.

• Audio > Auto-listen to nearby conversations: Enable to hear conversations happening at desks around yours. Disable to receive a notification instead (giving you the option to join in or stay focused).

• Meetings > Auto-lock desk conversations: Enable to automatically make any conversation at your desk private. Disable to keep conversation at your desk open so others can listen in or join.

• Meetings > Hide self view: Enable to hide your video from yourself when on calls. Disable to see your own video.

• Notifications: Choose what you want to receive notifications for, including meetings, nearby conversations, and chat.

• Integrations: Manage Google Calendar, Spotify, and GitHub integrations.

• Privacy & activity > Share what app you have focused: Automatically update your status with the app you’re currently using. Enable/disable this feature, and control what apps can be displayed.

• Performance: Adjust your performance mode for optimal performance.

Add Teammates

1. Open the Main Menu and click Invite to office

2. Make sure the Members tab is selected

3. Click Copy and share the link with your team to add them as Members

Talk to People

Audio & Video Controls

• Use the buttons at the bottom to turn your mic & camera on/off

• Use the toggles to change devices or adjust background effects

• The mini map shows nearby teammates who will be able to hear you if you un-mute

Start a Conversation

1. Click on the person you want to talk to.

   1. If they've connected their Google Calendar, you'll see their upcoming meetings, helping you choose the perfect time to reach out.

2. Decide how you want to initiate the conversation:

• Wave to get their attention. If they’re free to talk, they’ll walk right up to you.

• Meet to send an instant meeting request. If they accept, you'll both walk into a meeting room.

• Go To your teammate to walk over to them. Simply unmute to start talking.

Schedule a Meeting:

1. Install the Gather Meetings v2 Chrome extension

   1. Uninstall the old Chrome extension if switching from Gather 1.0

2. Open your Google calendar & create a meeting

3. Click Make it Gather Meeting to automatically generate a link to any available room

4. To select a specific room, click the link and select an option from the dropdown

5. Save the meeting

6. Clicking the link will automatically bring attendees to the correct meeting room in Gather

Join a Conversation

If a public conversation is happening near you, you can walk in/out of it at any time. If you hover over the people talking, you'll see a "Join" button that will automatically walk you over.

Join a scheduled meeting

• Before the meeting starts, you’ll receive a notification

• Click “Join” to automatically walk over

• Or walk in/out of the meeting at any time

Talk Privately

To keep a conversation private, you can Lock it. This option is available whether you're holding a formal meeting in a meeting room, talking to someone at your desk, or striking up a conversation in the hallway.

To lock a conversation:

1. Click the Lock button directly under everyone's videos or up in the top navigation bar.

   

2. You'll see several indicators when a conversation is locked, so you can feel confident it's a private talk.

   

3. If anyone tries to join a locked conversation, they'll be blocked until someone inside grants them permission.

4. To unlock the conversation, click the Unlock button.

   1. This will allow anyone to join or overhear if it's a public conversation.

Focus

Mute conversations around you and switch your status so teammates know not to disrupt you.

Mute Nearby Conversations

1. To mute a single conversation: hover over the people speaking and click Mute.

2. To temporarily mute all nearby conversations: change your status to Busy. Recommended when you’re working but don’t want to be interrupted.

3. To default mute all nearby conversations: Open the Main Menu and go to Settings > Audio > Auto-listen to nearby conversations. Turn this setting off.

   

Simplify Your View

• Switch to Simplified View using the controls in the lower right-hand corner for a distraction-free view of the office.

• Use Mini Mode for a mini Gather window to stay connected while working in other apps.

  

Leave the Office

When you need to step away from your real-life desk (think: coffee refills, lunch break, walking the doc, etc.) set your status to Away. Your avatar will leave the office so teammates know you’re unavailable.

Chat

There are three types of chat messages in Gather:

1. Primary Chat: Visit the Chat tab for seamless and familiar messaging right within Gather. Create channels, send DMs, & thread conversations.

2. Meeting Chat: Send messages during meetings that persist only while the meeting is in progress.

3. Nearby Chat: Send quick, temporary chat messages that only display to people near you in Office view.

Gather AI Search

Search across company knowledge (including sources like GitHub, Notion, and Linear) to get instant, reliable answers. Gather AI Search is powered by our new service, Grapevine.