Google Workspace Updates

Now in beta: Import and convert your PowerPoint files to client-side encrypted Slides

2026-09-24T11:06:25.685-07:00

Eligible customers can now import PowerPoint files as client-side encrypted (CSE) Slides, allowing users to access and edit content. This enables interoperability with Microsoft Office, with this launch PowerPoint files are encrypted on the client before the content is imported to Workspace, and then converted to high-fidelity encrypted Slides.

The feature is available via the CSE Office Interop beta program, which offers immediate access to features for Microsoft Office Editing, export, import, and takeout. Eligible Google Workspace admins can apply for the beta program today. For organizations that are already registered, this feature is now available across their domains.

Encrypted .pptx file imported to CSE Slides

Getting started

Admins: Admins with eligible Workspace licenses can sign up for the CSE Office Interop beta. We’ll provide more information on how to get started if you’re accepted.
End users: This feature is ON for users in domains that have registered for the CSE Interop beta program.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now for customers previously accepted into the CSE Office Interop beta program, and upon acceptance into the beta for those who sign up in the future,

Availability

Enterprise: Enterprise Plus
Education: Education Standard and Plus
Other Editions: Frontline Plus, Assured Controls, Assured Controls Plus

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: About client-side encryption
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Now in beta: Download client-side encrypted Google Slides
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Available in beta: Convert your client-side encrypted Slides after a Vault or Takeout export
Beta Application: Registration form

Assign temporary administrator roles in the Google Admin console

2026-09-23T14:23:09.731-07:00

Admins can now assign administrator roles to users, groups, or service accounts for a defined period of time. Once the expiration time is reached, the access granted by the role is automatically revoked.

This feature helps minimize security risks by reducing standing privileges and ambient access throughout your organization. It also streamlines administrative overhead, removing the need to manually track and revoke temporary privileges for short-term projects, coverage during employee absences, or external audits.

When assigning a role, super admins can choose from predefined durations (such as 30 days) or set a custom expiration date and time.

Temporary roles cannot be assigned to the primary admin for your organization, as the primary admin requires permanent super admin privileges.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the Help Center to learn more about assigning admin roles for a specific duration.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Assign admin roles for a specific duration

Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash now in Vids with improved extension quality, 1080p, and duration control

2026-09-23T12:02:00.760-07:00

Users now have access to Gemini Omni 1.1 Flash directly within Google Vids. Omni 1.1 provides higher quality video extension with significant improvements in character and audio consistency. Additionally, Vids now supports generating AI videos and upscaling AI videos to 1080p to be publish ready.

Omni in Vids user experience

Extend scenes with smooth transitions: Make scenes last longer while keeping the visual context, lighting, characters’ appearance, and the environment consistent.
Set super-specific durations: Choose the exact duration of your generated clip so it aligns precisely with your story and voiceover.
Generate in 1080p full HD: Create brand-new AI video scenes in full 1080p HD, or upscale existing AI clips to blend seamlessly across your timeline.

Getting started

Admins: This feature does not have an admin control.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Omni in Vids.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on September 23, 2026

Availability

Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
Education: Education Plus
Consumer: Users with personal Google accounts; Google AI Pro and Ultra
Other Editions: Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus; Nonprofits; Individual
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education; Teaching and Learning
Other Add-ons: AI Expanded Access*

*Users with AI Expanded Access add-on licenses have higher limits on usage of Omni in Vids.

Resources

Google Vids AI Limits: Learn about availability of AI features
Google Vids Editors Help: Use AI to generate video clips

Ground AI prompts in Google Docs on existing sources from Gemini Notebook

2026-09-23T11:26:49.229-07:00

We are introducing the ability to use Gemini Notebook as a context source in Google Docs. Building on our Workspace Intelligence foundation, this feature bridges the gap between deep research and content creation by grounding your drafts in a curated knowledge base – all without the need to switch tabs or copy-paste between tools.

If you’ve organized research in Gemini Notebook, you can now seamlessly tap into that library right where you write in Google Docs. Whether you're drafting a project proposal or a technical whitepaper, simply type "@" in the side panel or bottom bar to reference an existing Notebook. Gemini will ground its output in your sources and provide inline citations, making it easy to verify facts while staying in the flow of your work.

Getting started

Admins: These features are available by default if Gemini for Workspace in Drive is enabled. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing access to Gemini features in Google Workspace.
End users: You must have Workspace smart features enabled to use these features. Visit the Help Center to learn more about creating personalized documents with Gemini in Google Docs.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Business: Business Standard and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education: Education Plus
Consumer: Google AI Pro and Ultra
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education, Teaching and Learning
Other Add-ons: AI Expanded Access

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage Gemini for Google Workspace
Google Help: Respond to & manage comments with Gemini in Google Docs
Google Docs Editors Help: Learn how Gemini in Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Docs, Drive, Sheets, Slides, Meet & Vids protects your data

Seamlessly import your emails from any IMAP server to Google Workspace

2026-09-23T11:07:20.507-07:00

We’re excited to announce the GA release of a new, simplified way for Workspace admins to import their past emails from any IMAP-based email provider while setting up Google Workspace.

By using this new feature, Google Workspace admins can import past emails seamlessly in a few clicks from multiple IMAP servers including Hostinger, Zoho, Yahoo!, iCloud, and many more. This significantly reduces the time and effort required to switch to Google Workspace, and consolidates your important emails into one secure location.

You can start the import process in two simple steps:

Connect to the IMAP server of your choice
Type in your IMAP email address and password

Example of email import process from any IMAP server

Additional details

You can now import past emails of only one user through this new feature. Visit the Help Center to learn how to import emails from multiple IMAP accounts.
You can import users and data only after completing your domain verification and email activation. The data import process runs in the background while you can continue with your Workspace setup.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be available in the setup process for Google Workspace. Once you’ve verified your domain and activated your email records, you will find an option to import from IMAP-based email provider to Google Workspace. Visit the Help Center to learn more about importing emails from IMAP account during setup.
End users: This feature is for admins only.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Import business data during setup

Occupancy counting now available for Google Meet on Logitech room hardware

2026-09-23T07:14:06.056-07:00

Occupancy counting is now available for Android-based Logitech Gen 2 room hardware (starting with Logitech Rally Board 65) to help measure how meeting rooms are used. This feature brings the same occupancy counting capabilities found on ChromeOS devices to Android-based hardware. Support for occupancy counting will be added next year for earlier Gen 1 devices later as part of an upcoming CollabOS update.

Understanding room occupancy helps organizations optimize real estate and room design based on user needs. For instance, organizations can track if rooms with older video hardware are being avoided in favor of rooms equipped with better tracking cameras and audio bars.

Admins can review occupancy data in the Google Admin console and optionally download it as a spreadsheet. This feature does not collect or store any personally identifiable information (PII). Because occupancy detection processes data locally on the device, the camera LED indicator may remain off during counting depending on the hardware vendor. Refer to vendor documentation for device-specific information.

Review room booking and occupancy in the Admin console

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be off by default and can be enabled at the domain, organizational unit (OU), or group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning on occupancy detection.
End users: There is no end-user setting for this feature.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 28, 2026

Availability

Available now to all Google Workspace customers with Google Meet on Logitech Gen 2 AOSP hardware devices (Rally Board 65 or later) with support for earlier devices coming in a future CollabOS update.

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn on occupancy detection
Google Workspace Admin Help: Track room and device usage with Meet hardware

New Google Meet 'Take notes for me' settings for admins and end users take effect September 29th

2026-09-22T13:06:18.342-07:00

Previously, we announced new admin and end user settings for Google Meet ‘Take notes for me’ pre-configuration. These settings will begin to take effect September 29th.

Below is the previously communicated information about these new settings.

Admin settings

Previously, admins could only enable or disable automatic note-taking for all meetings. We’re now rolling out a third option, which will allow admins to enable automatic note-taking only for meetings with three or more people.

Customers on Business Standard and Business Plus plans will see this setting turned ON by default on; the setting will be OFF by default for customers on Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, and Frontline Plus plans, as well as those with the Google AI Pro for Education add-on. If you want to change your settings, you can do so in the Admin console. These settings will begin impacting end users on September 29th 2026.

If you currently participate in the Gemini Alpha program, and previously tested this setting, it may already be ON. Please review the current state of the settings for your organization in the Admin console.

End user settings

We’re also introducing a way for end users to enable note-taking only for meetings with three or more participants. Once the “For all meetings I host with 3+ guests” option rolls out, users should revisit their settings to confirm they’re configured as desired. This option will begin rolling out on September 29th.

Getting started

Admins for Business Standard and Business Plus organizations: This new setting is ON by default and will begin impacting users on September 29th. If you want to change your settings, you can do so in the Admin console. Visit the Help Center for more information on how to adjust these settings.
Admins for Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Frontline Plus, and Google AI Pro for Education organizations: This new setting is OFF by default and will begin impacting users September 29th. If you want to change your settings, you can do so in the Admin console. Visit the Help Center for more information on how to adjust these settings.
Admins for organizations participating in Gemini Alpha program: Your settings may be impacted by previous configurations. Please review your settings before September 29th, to ensure they’re configured correctly.
End users on all plans: The default set by admins will go into effect for end users September 29th. Users can override this default in the Meet user settings after that date. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Meeting settings for “take notes for me”.

Rollout pace

Pre-Configured settings will take effect:

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting September 29th

End user setting rollout:

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting September 29th

Availability

Business: Business Standard and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
Other Editions: Frontline Plus
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education

Resources

Google Meet Help: Take notes for me in Google Meet
Google Workspace Updates Blog: New user controls for Take notes for me

Quick notes in Take notes for me

2026-09-22T12:31:46.135-07:00

Introducing Quick notes – high-level overview of main takeaways from your meetings that empowers you to quickly review essential information without diving into every single detail. Designed specifically for the efficient consumption of knowledge, the content fits onto a single page and is strictly limited to the most important meeting action items, outcomes, and talking points. It is built primarily for executive users, or anyone less involved in the deep details, who needs to extract information as fast as possible.

Quick notes is the new default tab in your Take notes for me Doc. For those of you that check notes while on the move, Quick notes will also serve as the new default summary prominently featured in your Take notes for me emails. This ensures you can rapidly absorb the core insights you need before you even open the full document.

If you still want to deep dive into the full meeting note details, you can hop over to the Full notes tab (the previous standard notes layout). This secondary tab preserves all the rich, in-depth context from your discussions whenever you are ready to explore the comprehensive record.

Quick notes in the notes doc

Quick notes in the notes email

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature beyond the current Takes notes for me controls. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Business: Business Standard and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
Other Editions: Frontline Plus
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education
Consumer: Google AI Pro and Ultra

Resources

Google Help: "Take notes for me" in Google Meet

Introducing the new Confluence integration with Google Chat

2026-09-22T10:40:16.331-07:00

Confluence by Atlassian is designed for teams to store and share ideas, docs, and knowledge. Workspace customers can now use Confluence for Google Chat to bring relevant project context and information from Confluence directly into Chat conversations. This integration, which is part of the Atlassian add-on, enables teams to work more effectively by connecting real-time collaboration with source-of-truth documentation.

Key features include:

Rich link previews: View page titles, summaries, and author name when sharing Confluence links in Chat
Personal notifications: Be notified in real-time for @mentions, comment replies, or changes to Confluence pages you own
Shared pages updates: Receive automated notifications when changes are made to shared Confluence pages

This enhanced app enables Workspace customers to use Google Chat for team collaboration while keeping Atlassian as their system of record for knowledge management.

Getting started

Admins: Admins can install the Atlassian add-on on their users’ behalf. Visit the Help Center to learn more about installing Marketplace apps for your organization.
End users: End users need a Confluence account to use this app. They can also search for the Confluence add-on in Google Chat under Apps > Find apps. Visit the Google Workspace Marketplace to learn more and install the Confluence Chat App as part of the Atlassian add-on.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts
A Confluence Cloud account is required to use the integration

Resources

Atlassian Help Center:

Manually reorder and custom sort pivot tables in Google Sheets

2026-09-22T08:58:11.802-07:00

Google Sheets now supports custom sorting and manual reordering in pivot tables. Users can now drag and drop rows and columns on a pivot table to match specific presentation needs and custom business hierarchies, rather than being restricted to standard ascending or descending alphanumeric order. This launch includes the following capabilities:

On-grid drag-and-drop: Directly grab and move individual row or column headers with clear drop-zone indicators
Multi-item reordering: Select and reposition multiple rows or columns simultaneously
Hierarchical preservation: Automatically move nested child items alongside parent fields, maintaining structure across expand and collapse actions
Persistent sort states: Preserve custom arrangements across browser sessions, data refreshes, filtering, and layout adjustments

This update also delivers significant improvements for Microsoft Excel file interoperability. Previously, when importing Microsoft Excel workbooks containing pivot tables with manual or custom sort orders, Google Sheets defaulted back to ascending or descending order. Now, imported spreadsheets retain their pivot tables with the exact custom sort order preserved. Furthermore, exporting workbooks back to Microsoft Excel retains these sorted orders for seamless roundtrip compatibility.

User dragging and dropping row labels to manually reorder a pivot table in Google Sheets

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about customizing pivot tables in Google Sheets or creating and using pivot tables in Google Sheets.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 22, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on October 5, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Google Docs Editors Help: Create & use pivot tables
Google Docs Editors Help: Customize pivot tables

Study notebooks in Gemini are now available for Google Workspace accounts

2026-09-22T08:52:41.468-07:00

Earlier this year we introduced study notebooks, a dedicated space that turns Gemini into an interactive, adaptive learning platform. They offer personalized lessons based on your learning goal, whether that’s tackling a school course or learning a new skill. Now, we’re excited to share that users of all ages who are signed into a school or work-issued Google account will also have access to study notebooks if the Gemini app and Gemini Notebook are enabled by their admin.

Here’s how study notebooks work:

Create your study notebook: From the left sidebar in the Gemini app, select “New notebook”, and then the “Study and learn” tile. Tell Gemini what you are studying, and upload your class materials or other sources.
Assess your knowledge gaps: You can request progress check quizzes, helping pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses to create a tailored learning baseline.
Study with personalized bite-sized lessons: Follow short, custom lessons with built-in practice quizzes. You can ask in-line questions at any point as you learn.
Track your progress: Monitor real-time mastery via a dynamic dashboard that breaks your goals into objectives, categorizing topics into "Strengths" and "Focus areas," to recommend top-priority lessons.

With study notebooks, students’ learning is grounded in trusted class materials, ensuring that lessons from Gemini are consistent with their curriculum.

This expansion gives educational institutions and organizations a secure way to support more personal learning, reinforcing classroom instruction while keeping study material relevant and accurate.

Getting started

Admins: Study notebooks in Gemini are available if the Gemini app and Gemini Notebook are enabled. As an administrator of your organization's Google Accounts, you can control who can use study notebooks. Study notebooks are available to users who are in a group or organizational unit (OU) with both Gemini Notebook and Gemini set to On. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Gemini and Gemini Notebook on or off for users.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on September 17, 2026.

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers and Workspace Individual subscribers outside of the European Economic Area (EEA), as well as users with personal Google accounts globally. Study notebooks will roll out to users in the EEA in the coming weeks.

Resources

Google Gemini Help: Create and use notebooks in Gemini Apps
News from Google: Supporting students with connected AI tools for more personalized learning
News from Google: 5 ways to learn with study notebooks in the Gemini app

New manual calculation setting in Google Sheets

2026-09-21T11:54:14.194-07:00

We’re introducing a new manual calculation setting in Google Sheets to give you precise control over when formulas and other references update. The new manual calculation setting allows editors of complex or data-dense spreadsheets to pause automatic recalculation, batch their edits, and trigger a sheet-wide update at the exact moment they are ready to review the results.

Manual calculation offers users of especially complex Sheets a more streamlined, uninterrupted workspace for advanced analytical workflows. This feature is particularly useful for things like:

Uninterrupted high-volume updates: When pasting or modifying large blocks of data in spreadsheets containing extensive formula networks (such as multi-sheet lookups and aggregations), you can enter all updates smoothly without intermediate recalculations running after every action.
Structured scenario modeling: When adjusting multiple assumption drivers in financial or forecasting models, you can input your variables sequentially and recalculate once. This ensures you only view the complete, final state of the scenario rather than partial, intermediate calculations.
Stabilizing volatile simulations: For spreadsheets utilizing volatile functions (such as random generators or live timestamps), manual calculation lets you freeze the data state so your numbers remain stable while you analyze results or present insights to key stakeholders.

Enabling Manual Calculation Mode

Controlling when Sheets calculates

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: This feature will be OFF by default and can be enabled by the user by navigating to File > Settings > Calculation Settings in their Sheet. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 21, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers and Workspace Individual subscribers

Resources

Google Help: Set a spreadsheet’s location & calculation settings

Use AI to supercharge your financial analysis with Workday for Google Sheets

2026-09-21T10:18:06.523-07:00

Workday for Google Sheets is a new add-on available in the Google Workspace Marketplace that connects Workday Adaptive Planning directly to Google Sheets and Slides. Deeply integrated with the AI-powered “Ask Workday” feature in Adaptive Planning, this add-on eliminates the need for manual CSV downloads. Financial analysts and business leaders can build dynamic reports, perform ad-hoc variance analysis, and maintain complete data integrity without leaving Google Sheets. Shorten planning cycles and surface strategic insights faster with key AI-driven features including:

Natural language summaries and variance analysis: Ask questions or use suggested prompts to get instant summaries, compare plan versions against actuals, and break down performance drivers across time periods and custom dimensions.
Automated anomaly detection: Automatically identify unexpected data points, outliers, and trend shifts across account hierarchies to quickly focus attention on critical variances.
Smart visualizations: View AI-generated charts and tables based on custom queries, switch visualization formats on the fly, copy findings into new spreadsheet tabs for further ad-hoc work, or export directly into Google Slides.
Dynamic ad-hoc reporting: Pull live Adaptive Planning accounts, dimensions, and time periods into Google Sheets, with the flexibility to rearrange elements and refresh reports at any time to reflect the latest model updates.

Workday for Google Sheets: Dynamic Ad-hoc Reporting

Ask Workday: Summarize this report

Ask Workday: Detect anomalies

Getting started

Admins: Workday admins need to enable Workday for Google Sheets and Ask Workday for Adaptive Planning access in Adaptive Planning under Administration > Permission Sets, then confirm SSO and Tenant settings. Once complete, Google Workspace admins will go to the Google Workspace Marketplace and click on install for the appropriate users, groups, or organizational units. Visit the Help Center to learn more about installing marketplace apps for your organization.
End users: Once installed by their administrators, users can open any Google Sheet and click on Extensions > Workday for Google Sheets > Workday to sign in. Read any onboarding instructions from your Workday and Google administrators before building your first Adaptive Planning Report in Google Sheets.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts (Workday Adaptive Planning license required)

Resources

Workday: Unified Planning AI Capabilities
Workday: Install Workday for Google Sheets
Workday: Build Adaptive Planning Reports in Google Sheets
Workday: Use “Ask Workday” in Google Sheets
Google Workspace Marketplace: Workday for Google Sheets
Google Workspace Admin Help: Installing Marketplace Apps for your organization

Google Workspace Weekly Recap - September 18, 2026

2026-09-18T11:38:09.918-07:00

Set up sharing boundaries for Google Drive with unified data protection rules

We’re introducing a new capability that allows Google Workspace administrators to configure audience sharing and sensitivity-based data conditions in a single, unified rule. This unified rule flow helps organizations elevate their security posture to proactively mitigate insider risks, prevent data exfiltration, and safely unblock collaboration for high-sensitivity environments. | Learn more.

Gmail Search’s AI Overviews now available globally

Starting today, we are expanding access to AI Overviews in Gmail search to global users (with paid plans) who have their Gmail language set as English. Previously, this was only available to users in the US with their language set as English. | Learn more.

Connect to more tools with Gemini in Google Workspace

Users will now be able to use Gemini in Workspace to directly interact with Asana, Atlassian Rovo, HubSpot, Intuit Mailchimp, Intuit QuickBooks, Monday, and Salesforce through Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations. This will enable them to access information directly without needing to switch tabs, download files, or interrupt workflows across our Google Workspace apps including Sheets, Gmail, Drive, Docs, Chat, and more. | Learn more.

Connect to Google Meet hardware with room codes now generally available

Data regions support for Google Apps Script now generally available

Data regions are critical for helping organizations meet internal compliance, legal, regulatory, and data sovereignty obligations by controlling the geographic location of covered data at rest and through data processing. Expanding these controls to Apps Script allows organizations—including those in highly regulated industries and the public sector—to build, deploy, and automate enterprise workflows with confidence that their script data and executions remain within designated geographic boundaries. | Learn more.

View conference room and meeting location details directly on the Google Meet homepage

Starting today, we’re enhancing the Meet homepage experience by displaying conference room and physical meeting locations directly on upcoming meeting cards. For in-office users this update allows them to see where they need to go directly on their Meet landing page, streamlining their workflow before and between meetings. | Learn more.

Introducing Expert Intelligence in Gemini Notebook

We’re introducing Expert Intelligence, a cross Google initiative that helps users engage with trusted sources through Google AI products, starting with Gemini Notebook. Featuring more than 100,000 books from major publishers, employees and students can now incorporate insights from leading authors, publications, and domain experts directly into Gemini Notebook. | Learn more.

Automate workflows with custom starters and steps, third-party integrations, and webhooks in Workspace Studio

To expand the capabilities of Workspace Studio and help teams build powerful, custom automations, we are introducing four new features for flows in Workspace Studio: custom starters, custom steps, third-party (3P) integrations, and webhooks. These new capabilities empower users to seamlessly connect custom Google Apps Script functions, integrate third-party services, and trigger external webhooks directly within flows in Workspace Studio. | Learn more.

Notebooks in Gemini: a dedicated workspace for focused, organized work, now for schools and organizations

In April, we announced notebooks in Gemini as a dedicated, focused space for individual users to organize their projects and conversations. Now, students of all ages, educators, and professionals can access notebooks to keep conversations about a topic organized in one place. | Learn more.

New back-to-school features and learning tools available in Gemini Notebook

We’re introducing several updates to Gemini Notebook that give users a more personalized and powerful learning experience. | Learn more.

The announcements above were published on the Workspace Updates blog over the last week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.

New back-to-school features and learning tools available in Gemini Notebook

2026-09-18T08:25:59.280-07:00

We’re introducing several updates to Gemini Notebook that give users a more personalized and powerful learning experience.

Audio recorder: Users can now use a new audio recorder in the Gemini Notebook mobile app (Android/iOS) to capture lectures or record thoughts on the go, with these notes living directly alongside their sources for easy citation and ongoing edits.

Real-time conversation with notebooks: Users 18 years or older can now have a real-time conversation with their notebooks using the Gemini Notebook mobile app (Android/iOS) in nearly 100 languages. Because every response is grounded in their sources, users can get step-by-step guidance, ask questions, and interrupt at any time just by speaking.

Interactive learning overviews: To help users maintain focus during study sessions, we’re introducing interactive learning overviews under Reports, which weave together summaries and studio outputs like quizzes, flashcards, and mind maps.

Improved exam prep tools: We’re expanding exam prep tools with the following updates:

New quiz formats include short answer, multiple choice, and fill in the blank.
Users can chat with their notebook about their performance on the most recently completed quiz and flashcard set to help determine where to focus their attention next.
Quizzes and flashcards can be customized by adding or editing questions.

Short Video Overviews for learning: Users can also create engaging Short Video Overviews in more than 80 languages and even share them with classmates or other people. These bite-sized ~60-second videos combine narrative overviews with educational animations to help make complex formulas, diagrams, and scientific concepts easier to digest.

Getting started

Admins: These features will be available to users who are in a group or organizational unit with Gemini Notebook set to On. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Gemini Notebook on or off for users.
End users: There are no end user settings for these features. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini Notebook.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) started on September 15, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

News from Google: Sharpen your study routine with new Gemini Notebook tools
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn Gemini Notebook on or off for users
Gemini Notebook Help: Generate reports in Gemini Notebook

Notebooks in Gemini: a dedicated workspace for focused, organized work, now for schools and organizations

2026-09-17T13:07:42.396-07:00

Students can upload all of their materials for a specific course into a single notebook to turn Gemini into a personalized, course-aware study partner that can generate custom practice quizzes and simplify complex topics.
Educators can upload their curriculum standards, assignment rubrics, and lesson templates to rapidly generate aligned coursework, differentiated learning materials, and targeted student feedback.
Professionals can upload product information, project details, research reports, and strategy notes for a specific topic into a notebook to synthesize key insights and draft deliverables.

This tool also combines two of Google’s most powerful AI tools, the Gemini app and Gemini Notebook, to unlock new ways of working and studying. For example, if you’re a student, try adding class notes to a notebook and using Gemini Notebook to create a Cinematic Video Overview. The next day, open the notebook in the Gemini app and ask it to create a study guide based on that same material.

Getting started

Admins: Access to Notebooks in Gemini is on by default, and is controlled using the Gemini App and Gemini Notebook access settings. As an administrator of your organization's Google Accounts, you can control who can use Notebooks in Gemini. Notebooks in Gemini are available to users who are in a group or OU with both Gemini Notebook and Gemini set to On. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Gemini and Gemini Notebook on or off for users.
End users: Open the left side panel in the Gemini app and click “New notebook” to start adding your sources and focus area. You can add up to 10 sources to your notebook. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on September 14, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers and Workspace Individual subscribers outside of the European Economic Area (EEA), as well as users with personal Google accounts globally

Resources

News from Google: Try notebooks in Gemini to easily keep track of projects
Gemini Notebooks Help: Notebooks in Gemini Apps
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn the Gemini App on or off

Automate workflows with custom starters and steps, third-party integrations, and webhooks in Workspace Studio

2026-09-17T10:42:35.896-07:00

All of these features are backed by granular enterprise security controls that allow admins to safely enable and adopt agentic capabilities across their organizations.

Custom starters: Build and publish custom, real-time triggers to run flows based on events in other applications.

Custom starter that triggers a Studio Flow from an external application

Custom steps: Build and run custom logic (e.g. using Apps Script) and tailor flows to advanced business needs.

Create custom steps using Apps Script

Third-party integrations (Beta): Connect third-party applications and services to pass data effortlessly between Workspace and external tools to automate your business flows. The following integrations are available:

Asana
Confluence
Hubspot
Jira
Mailchimp
Quickbooks
Salesforce
Slack

Step to add a Jira comment in Studio Flows

Webhooks: Send HTTP requests to external endpoints and trigger actions in them. On supported editions, admins can set an URL allowlist for webhook access.

Webhook step in Studio Flows

Getting started

Admins:

These features are OFF by default. Admins can enable them in the Workspace Admin Console under Apps > Google Workspace > Workspace Studio:

Custom steps settings
Integration settings
Webhook settings

Admins can change the human approval requirements in the Workspace Admin Console under Apps > Google Workspace > Workspace Studio > Approvals. Custom steps and Integration have their own approval settings, while Webhooks respect the approval settings for Sensitive Steps.
Visit the Admin Help Center to learn more about setting up Workspace Studio, allowing or blocking custom starters and steps, allowing or blocking integration steps, and allowing or blocking send a webhook.

End users: Try the new features in Google Workspace Studio. Learn more by reviewing the Help Center articles for Custom Starters and Steps, Third-party Integrations, and Webhooks

Rollout pace

Admin console settings

Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility) starting on September 17, 2026

End-user visible features

Rapid Release domains: Full rollout (1-3 days for feature visibility) starting on September 21, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 30, 2026

Availability

Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education; Teaching and Learning
Other Add-ons: AI Expanded Access

*Webhook URL allowlist functionality is available for Business Plus; Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus; Education Standard and Education Plus

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Workspace Studio
Workspace Studio Help: Get Started with Workspace Studio
YouTube: Workspace Studio Playlist
Discord: Workspace Studio Channel

Introducing Expert Intelligence in Gemini Notebook

2026-09-17T09:21:01.044-07:00

Users will be able to add compatible ebooks they’ve purchased from Google Play Books directly to a Gemini Notebook, making it simple for them to ask questions about a book and receive responses grounded directly in its text. Readers can also use Gemini Notebooks to help you understand books in new ways, for example, by generating Infographics, Audio Overviews, Quizzes, or more. We’re also providing a book on us for users 18 years or older in the U.S. while supplies last.

Even better, employees and students can combine an author’s expertise with a variety of other sources, including their own information. For example:

A student can upload their class syllabus and lecture notes alongside a purchased book to generate an Audio Overview and practice quizzes to prepare for final exams.
A manager can ask Gemini Notebook to help brainstorm strategies on how to best give employees feedback and navigate tough conversations by consulting a book on management best practices.

Note: To interact with an ebook in a shared notebook—such as asking questions or creating artifacts—recipients must also have purchased an eligible Play Book ebook.

Getting started

Admins: In order for end users to access this feature, they must be in an OU with Gemini Notebook, Google Play, and Google Books set to On. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Gemini Notebook and Google Play and Google Books on or off for users.

Tip: For students who need access only to specific books, admins can purchase books using Buy for Groups and allocate to the students without needing to provide Google Play access (available to organizations with Google Workspace for Education Plus or a Teaching & Learning add-on).

End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. To see if a book is eligible for Expert Intelligence, visit Google Play Books. If the ebook is eligible, you’ll see Gemini Notebook listed when you click the “Tools” badge on a book’s detail page, or you can browse eligible books. Visit the Help Center to learn more about adding Play Books ebooks as a source in Gemini Notebook.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts who have Gemini Notebook, Google Play, and Google Books enabled

Resources

Keyword: Expert Intelligence: a new way for you to engage with trusted content
Gemini Notebook Help: Add or discover new sources for your notebook
Google Play Books Help: Expert Intelligence

View conference room and meeting location details directly on the Google Meet homepage

2026-09-16T08:09:16.595-07:00

Earlier this year, we introduced the refreshed Google Meet homepage on the web to help you stay organized and prepared throughout your entire meeting workflow. Starting today, we’re enhancing the Meet homepage experience by displaying conference room and physical meeting locations directly on upcoming meeting cards. For in-office users this update allows them to see where they need to go directly on their Meet landing page, streamlining their workflow before and between meetings.

Key capabilities of this update include:

Intelligent Room Prioritization: For meetings with multiple rooms across different buildings or campuses (such as all-hands or cross-functional team syncs), Google Meet automatically compares room metadata against the user's Working Location set in Google Calendar. The conference room located in the user's building is moved to the top and highlighted, saving users from having to search through remote room lists.
Wayfinding: Clicking or tapping on a conference room opens building wayfinding or campus map links (where configured by administrators), helping users navigate to unfamiliar rooms with ease.
Google Maps Integration for Physical Locations: For offsite meetings, client visits, or events that specify a street address rather than a conference room, clicking the location opens Google Maps directly for turn-by-turn directions.
Contextual Visibility: Room and location details are prominently visible on cards for meetings that are "Happening Now" and "Starting Soon" (< 10 minutes). For later meetings, location details appear on hover. If an event has multiple rooms or both a room and an address, hovering reveals an overflow button listing all locations.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. Conference room details are automatically populated from the building and room resources configured in the Google Workspace Admin console (under Directory > Buildings and resources).
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Go to the Google Meet homepage on the web to use the enhanced experience. To take full advantage of local room prioritization, users should ensure their working location is set in Google Calendar. Visit the Help Center to learn more about setting your working location.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on September 14, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 28, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers and Workspace Individual subscribers.

Resources

Google Meet: Google Meet Homepage
Google Meet Help: Use the Google Meet homepage
Google Calendar Help: Set your working location
Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage buildings, features, and resources
Google Workspace Updates Blog: A centralized hub for meeting resources on the new Google Meet homepage

Data regions support for Google Apps Script now generally available

2026-09-16T02:21:31.233-07:00

When a data regions policy is applied to an organizational unit or group, Apps Script data storage and runtime execution adhere to the specified region:

Data at rest: Script project files, code definitions, manifest configurations, trigger metadata, and key-value storage (such as Property Service and Cache Service) are stored within the designated geographic region.
Data processing: Script executions, container-bound automations, and associated runtime operations are processed within the selected region.

Note on non-regionalized services:

As Google Apps Script transitions to a regionalized data residency model, non-regionalized Apps Script services will be disabled starting in September 2026 for organizations that turn on the Drive and Docs disablement toggle in data regions advanced settings in the Admin console. Learn more about disabling non-regionalized services.

Enabling Data regions support for Apps Script (Under Drive & Docs)

Getting started

Admins: Apps Script automatically adheres to your existing organizational data location policies configured in the Admin console under Menu > Data > Compliance > Data Regions.

To manage advanced controls, such as allowing or disabling features that process data outside designated regions, navigate to Data > Compliance > Data Regions > Advanced settings.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about choosing a geographic location for your data, what data is covered by a data region policy, and advanced settings for data regions.

End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Script project creation and executions will automatically follow the data region policy assigned to the user by their administrator. For custom cloud logging and external services, developers can review recommendations in the Apps Script Cloud Projects guide.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Enterprise: Enterprise Plus (provides in-region data storage and processing)
Education: Education Standard and Education Plus (provides in-region data storage only)
Other Editions: Frontline Plus (provides in-region data storage and processing)

Resources

Admin Help Center: Select geographic locations for data residency
Admin Help Center: Data covered by region policies
Admin Help Center: Configure advanced regional settings
Admin Help Center: Overview of Assured Controls add-ons
Developer Documentation: Apps Script overview and guides
Developer Documentation: Managing Google Cloud Platform projects

Connect to Google Meet hardware with room codes now generally available

2026-09-15T12:53:45.433-07:00

Google Meet users can now connect to nearby conference room hardware by entering a 5-character room code on their personal device. Building on the recent Connect Room launch that uses proximity-based detection to identify nearby hardware, this update provides a reliable manual fallback when ultrasound is unavailable or disabled. Users will see a "Connect with room code" button on their device’s pre-call screen, which allows them to enter the alphanumeric code displayed directly on the hardware’s screen.

See our Early Preview announcement for full details.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be ON by default and can be disabled/enabled at the device level. We have updated our admin settings for Connect room and related features, visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: This feature will be ON by default. Your admin can turn this feature off for devices in your organization.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 15, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers with Google Meet hardware devices

Resources

Google Meet Help: Use Connect room feature in Google Meet
Workspace Updates Blog: Seamlessly join meetings on Google Meet hardware with “Connect room”

Connect to more tools with Gemini in Google Workspace

2026-09-15T12:50:43.531-07:00

Users will now be able to use Gemini in Workspace to directly interact with Asana, Atlassian Rovo, HubSpot, Intuit Mailchimp, Intuit QuickBooks, Monday, and Salesforce through Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations. This will enable them to access information directly without needing to switch tabs, download files, or interrupt workflows across our Google Workspace apps including Sheets, Gmail, Drive, Docs, Chat, and more.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be ON by default for users with Gemini for Google Workspace access, and can be managed at the domain, organizational unit (OU), or group level in the Admin console under Apps > Google Workspace > Gemini for Workspace > Third-Party Connectors. Admins can control which third-party connectors are enabled for their organization and manage access policies. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing third-party connectors for Gemini.
End users: Once enabled by an admin, end users can access third-party connectors through the Gemini side panel in Docs, Sheets, and Slides, as well as in Google Chat. Visit the Help Center to learn more about third party integrations with Gemini in Google Workspace.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Business: Business, Standard, and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise, Standard, and Plus
Consumer: Google AI , Pro, and Ultra
Other Editions: Enterprise Essentials Plus
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education; Teaching and Learning; Endpoint Education

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Managing third-party connectors for Gemini
Google Help: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Sheets
Google Help: Get started with Ask Gemini in Google Chat

Gmail Search’s AI Overviews now available globally

2026-09-15T10:08:18.819-07:00

We recently announced the launch of AI Overviews in Gmail search which allows users to ask natural language questions in Gmail’s search bar and get concise summaries and answers without digging through emails. Starting today, we are expanding access to AI Overviews in Gmail search to global users (with paid plans) who have their Gmail language set as English. Previously, this was only available to users in the US with their language set as English.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be ON by default if Gemini for Workspace in Gmail is enabled and Workspace Intelligence access to Gmail is enabled.
End users: This feature is available by default when smart features are enabled. Users must have both “Smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet” and “Google Workspace smart features” turned on to access AI Overviews in Gmail search.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on September 3, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on September 21, 2026
Personal Google Accounts (Consumer): Gradual rollout started on September 3, 2026

Availability

Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
Consumers: Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra (excluding personal accounts in the EEA, UK, Switzerland, and Japan)
Other Editions: Frontline Plus
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education
Other Add-ons: AI Expanded Access

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage access to Gemini features in Workspace services
Google Help: Get an AI Overview in Gmail search
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Search faster and smarter with AI Overviews in Gmail search
Consumer Launch Blog: Gmail is entering the Gemini era

Set up sharing boundaries for Google Drive with unified data protection rules

2026-09-15T09:52:47.357-07:00

Previously, administrators managed user/group-based sharing controls with trust rules and data loss prevention (DLP) policies separately for Google Drive. With this launch, admins can now build granular, content-aware sharing boundaries that can evaluate data sensitivity (with classification labels or DLP conditions) and the audience with whom the data is being shared using trust rules criteria (such as organizational units, groups, or domains).

New granular admin policies that prevent sharing between audiences based on data sensitivity

Additional details

The feature supports three audience restriction options:

Block sharing with all external users: Prevents any file meeting the content criteria from being shared outside the organization
Block all internal and external sharing, except with specific users (Allowlist): Restricts access to a curated list of trusted internal organizational units (OUs), groups, or external domains
Block sharing with specific users (Denylist): Explicitly blocks sharing with specific internal organizational units, groups, or external parties (such as vendors or contractors) while permitting sharing with everyone else

Getting started

Admins: When configuring data protection rules in the Admin console, admins should select Google Drive as the app and the “block sharing” option to use this functionality. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 14, 2026

Availability

Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education: Education Standard and Plus
Other Editions: Enterprise Essentials; Frontline Standard and Plus

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Set up sharing boundaries in data protection rules

Google Workspace Weekly Recap - September 11, 2026

2026-09-11T12:19:37.819-07:00

Use custom web fonts in Google Sheets charts

Google Sheets now supports the full Google Fonts web font library directly within charts. Users can now select “More fonts” from any font dropdown inside the chart editor sidebar to search, add, and apply custom web fonts across key chart text elements. | Learn more.

Introducing the new 1Password App for Google Chat

Introducing the new 1Password App for Google Chat Google Chat Rapid Release Scheduled Release The new 1Password SaaS Manager integration for Google Chat helps teams streamline IT and HR processes by bringing notifications, actions and approvals directly within Chat. | Learn more.

Context-aware access controls are available for Gemini Enterprise in the Admin console

Context-aware access controls are available for Gemini Enterprise in the Admin console Admin console Gemini Rapid Release Scheduled Release Security and Compliance To help organizations elevate their security posture, we are introducing context-aware access (CAA) policies in the Admin console for Gemini Enterprise. | Learn more.

Pick up where you left off with persistent drafts in Google Chat

We are introducing persistent drafts in Google Chat. Unsent messages are now automatically saved so you can finish and send later, and are also synchronized across your devices, allowing you to start composing a message on one device and finish or send it from another. | Learn more.

Create content, schedule events, and coordinate tasks across Workspace regardless of what app you are in

Completing a single task shouldn't mean breaking your focus or switching apps. To keep you in the flow of work, Gemini can tackle complex tasks behind the scenes, working as an intelligent orchestrator across Workspace using the power of Workspace Intelligence. | Learn more.

Automatic room check-in for Google Meet available on mobile devices

We’re excited to announce that this feature is now rolling out to all Workspace customers with Google Meet hardware. This feature simplifies the process of joining meetings for those using companion mode on a phone or tablet within a conference room. We're introducing automatic room check-in via ultrasound proximity detection. | Learn more.

Create and edit calculated fields in Google Sheets pivot tables with an improved editor

We are introducing a new, dedicated formula editor dialog for creating and editing calculated fields within pivot tables in Google Sheets. This update streamlines how you build custom formulas and derived metrics, making data analysis faster and more accurate. | Learn more.

Doubled cell limits in Google Sheets now generally available

We’re committed to continuously improving Sheets to ensure it is a powerful, responsive, and scalable spreadsheet tool for your needs. To that end, we’ve increased the cell limit in Google Sheets from up to 10 million cells to up to 20 million cells. This limit applies to new, existing, and imported files. | Learn more.

Manage external sharing for Gemini Notebook in the Admin console

Google Workspace administrators can now enable external sharing for Gemini Notebook using granular controls in the Admin console. Previously, administrators only had a single high-level toggle to turn Gemini Notebook completely on or off for their entire organization. | Learn more.

Gemini in Google Sheets is now available on Android devices

Building upon the power of Gemini in Sheets on the web, we’re excited to announce that you can now use Gemini in Google Sheets on your Android device to quickly analyze and understand your data while on the go. | Learn more.

The Gemini desktop app is now available for Windows

Today, we’re launching the Gemini desktop app for Windows 10 and 11. This new application is designed to operate seamlessly alongside users’ favorite tools, providing instant assistance without disrupting their workflows. | Learn more.

Seamlessly import your team and data from Microsoft to Google Workspace during setup

We’re excited to announce the GA release of a new, simplified way for small businesses to import their users and their business data from Microsoft while setting up Google Workspace with our data import tool. | Learn more.

The announcements above were published on the Workspace Updates blog over the last week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.