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Google Workspace Updates

This official feed from the Google Workspace team provides essential information about new features and improvements for Google Workspace customers.

  • Teacher-led Gemini Notebook in Google Classroom now offers insight summaries for educators and updated sharing settings for admins, including trusted domains

    Following the launch of teacher-led Gemini Notebook in Google Classroom, we are introducing insight summaries for educators. This update provides teachers with greater visibility into how students interact with assigned notebooks, helping gauge instructional value and inform lesson planning.

    Teachers now have access to actionable insight summaries, powered by Gemini, based on student conversations with teacher-assigned notebooks. Teachers can see:

    • An overall summary of how students engaged with the assigned notebook
    • A sample of common themes to help inform instruction, such as common questions, areas of strength and suggested areas to support.
    • Individual student chat transcripts for assigned notebooks for additional context and to confirm the accuracy of AI provided insights.


    This functionality is only available for Gemini Notebooks assigned through Google Classroom, and students will see a notification in the assigned notebook informing them that their conversations in their assigned notebook are visible to their teacher.

    Additionally, Google Workspace administrators can now enable external sharing for Gemini Notebook using granular controls in the Admin console, including Trusted Domains. For example, this now allows Classroom users to create and assign notebooks if teachers and students are in different domains that are designated as trusted domains, if sharing with trusted domains is enabled by admins.

    Getting started

    Rollout pace

    • Insight summaries:Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on October 19, 2026
    • External sharing for Gemini Notebook using granular controls in the Admin console:Available now 

    Availability

    • Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus

    Resources



  • Analyze BigQuery data using natural language with Gemini in Google Sheets

    We’re introducing a new way to analyze BigQuery data in Google Sheets. After connecting to BigQuery data with Connected Sheets, you can use Gemini to interact and analyze that data conversationally, right in Google Sheets. Gemini queries run against the full dataset in BigQuery, not just what’s visible in your spreadsheet. This means users can now ask questions on, analyze, and create views over super large data sets. Key use cases include:

    • Ask questions in natural language:Ask something like “What were total sales in the Northeast last quarter?” and get an answer based on your complete BigQuery data.
    • Dig deeper with follow-ups:Keep the conversation going with questions like “How does that compare to the same quarter last year?” or “Which products drove the increase?”

    Ask Gemini to analyze and pull insights from your largest datasets in BigQuery
    • Go from analysis to dashboard:Describe what you need, such as “Build a quarterly sales review with revenue by region, a monthly trend, and our top 10 products.” Gemini will share its plan for you to review, then build a new spreadsheet tab with native, connected, refreshable objects like database formulas, pivot tables, and charts.

    Gemini can create connected charts, pivot tables, and dashboards that are always up to date with scheduled refreshes

    For business users, Gemini handles the legwork of completing their end to end analysis, from querying the data to garnering complex and nuanced insights from the data, to laying out the final dashboard for review, allowing them to get their work done faster without ever leaving Google Sheets. For data teams, this means a shorter backlog of one-off requests for reports and data pulls from BigQuery.

    Getting started

    • Admins:This feature will be ON by default. There is no admin control for this feature.
    • End users:This feature will be available by default in spreadsheets connected to BigQuery, for users with permission to query the connected data. To get started, open the Gemini side panel in a connected spreadsheet. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

    Rollout pace

    Availability

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

    Resources


  • Publish interactive apps from the Gemini app to Google Sites

    You can now export interactive apps built in the Gemini app directly to Google Sites. With one click, your app is added to a new, private site draft — fully interactive and ready to customize. From there, you can add more content, publish the site, and share it just like any other Google Site.

    This makes it easy to take what you create in the Gemini app and share it with your team, customers, or students, with no code to copy and nothing to rebuild.


    Getting started

    • Admins: There is no new admin control for this feature. Users can only export to Google Sites if Google Sites is turned on for them and they are allowed to create and edit sites. Sites created this way follow your organization's existing Google Sites and Google Drive policies.
    • End users: In the Gemini app, select Export > Google Sites on your interactive app. It opens directly in Google Sites as a new draft, ready to edit and publish.

    Rollout pace

    Availability

    • Available to Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts who have access to the Gemini app.


  • Gemini in Google Sheets is now available on iOS devices

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

    Simply tap on the Gemini spark icon, and you can ask questions about your data, generate analytical insights, and create charts. To help you get started, we've included suggested prompts such as “Summarize this table,” and “Analyze for insights.”

    Finance Tracker:

    Employee Tracker:

    Getting started

    • Admins:There is no specific admin control for this mobile feature beyond the general Gemini for Google Workspace enablement at the domain/OU level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing Gemini access.
    • End users:This feature will be available by default for eligible users. To access it, open a compatible spreadsheet on your iOS device and tap the Ask Gemini icon. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Gemini in Google Sheets.

    Rollout pace

    Availability

    • Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
    • Enterprise:Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
    • Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education
    • Consumer: Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra

    Resources



  • Follow through on your meeting tasks with meeting recaps in Google Chat

    To make it easier for teams to move from planning to action, we’re introducing meeting recaps in Google Chat. Meeting recaps provide a convenient summary directly in Google Chat, including:

    • Meeting summary:A high-level overview highlighting key discussion topics and takeaways.
    • Direct artifact links:One-click access to the full Gemini meeting notes document, the meeting recording, and the transcript.
    • Key decisions:Core conclusions and agreements reached during the call.
    • Action items:Assigned next steps with designated owners so team members can immediately take action.

    Google Chat thread showing an automated meeting recap card with a summary, key decisions, action items, and links to the meeting notes document in Google Drive.

    Automatically review key decisions, action items, and artifact links directly in Google Chat after your meeting ends.


    Meeting recaps will appear automatically for any conversation with ‘Take notes for me’ enabled in Google  Meet, in the Chat space associated with that meeting, bringing essential post-call takeaways directly into the flow of your team's ongoing conversations. Participants can review agreed-upon next steps, and colleagues who missed the meeting or joined late can catch up on what happened without reading lengthy transcripts or hunting for files.

    Additional details

    • Requirements:Meeting recaps are generated when “Take notes for me” is active during a Google Meet call and an associated meeting chat conversation exists.
    • Notes sharing settings:If the meeting host sets “Send notes to” in Google Meet to “Hosts and co-hosts only,” a recap card will not be posted to the group chat.
    • Silent notifications:To reduce distraction, recap cards are delivered silently, without bolding the conversation or adding an ‘unread’ badge in the conversation roster.
    • Recap card management:Any participant in the meeting conversation can delete the recap card by clicking More options (three dots) > Delete. Deleting the recap card removes the summary from the chat thread, but the original notes document remains safely stored in Google Drive.

    Getting started


    User clicking the three-dot overflow menu on a Google Chat meeting recap card.

    Access full notes in Google Drive or manage recap cards directly from the chat thread.

    Rollout pace

    Availability

    • Business: Business Standard and Business Plus
    • Enterprise:Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus
    • Other Editions:Frontline Plus

    Resources



  • Google Workspace Weekly Recap - October 16, 2026

    Google Meet now uses post-quantum cryptography

    Calls in Google Meet will use post-quantum cryptography (PQC) for extra protection, starting now with laptop web clients and meeting room hardware, with mobile support coming soon. There are no visible changes, and you can continue using Meet normally. The updated encryption protects your data against potential future quantum computer threats. | Learn more.

    Configure Access Management and Access Approvals policies using classification labels with rules in Assured Controls

    We’re introducing Assured Controls rules in the Google Workspace Admin Console, giving administrators a more granular, resource-centric way to enforce Access Management and Access Approvals policies on Google Drive files. | Learn more.

    Find your routine next steps on the post-meeting screen in Google Meet

    We are introducing next steps in Google Meet. Powered by Gemini and Workspace Studio, our new capability allows users to automate repetitive post-meeting tasks directly within Google Workspace. Next steps help you transform meeting discussions into definitive actions, like drafting follow-up emails in Gmail or exporting action items to Google Tasks. | Learn more.

    Switch from live stream viewer to contributor in Google Meet on Android

    You can now switch from watching a Google Meet live stream to participating with audio and video directly on Android. This feature is available for viewers who have been invited to both the live stream and the main meeting. | Learn more.

    An update on the launch of skills in the Gemini app and Workspace

    As previously announced, skills in the Gemini app are starting to roll out today, with an expected completion by mid-November. In the coming weeks, we’ll also introduce critical features like the ability to share Gemini app skills and an integration with Google Drive. We’ll post on the Workspace Updates blog as soon as those capabilities start rolling out. | Learn more.

    Now generally available: Preview client-side encrypted PDF and image files directly in Google Drive

    Google Drive now supports previewing CSE files directly within Drive. Previously, users had to download encrypted non-native files to their local devices in order to see the contents. With this capability, authorized users can preview encrypted content instantly in their web browser without ever leaving Drive. | Learn more.

    Gmail’s AI Inbox is rolling out to paid Workspace users

    Earlier this year, we launched AI Inbox in Gmail which helps users catch up on what matters most. Starting today, we’re expanding AI Inbox to paid Google Workspace users. By highlighting key actionable to-do’s and summarizing priority work updates across your emails, AI Inbox makes it easier to stay on top of daily business workflows. | Learn more.

    Gmail Live is rolling out to paid Workspace users

    Following our initial rollout of conversational AI voice capabilities, we are bringing Gmail Live to Google Workspace customers on mobile (Android and iOS). Using our latest Gemini models, Gmail Live delivers a low-latency, inbox-aware voice search experience that lets you ask questions naturally and hear synthesized answers directly from your email inbox. | 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.

  • Gmail Live is rolling out to paid Workspace users

    Finding critical information on the go often involves sifting through lengthy email threads and switching between multiple messages while your hands are busy commuting or multi-tasking. Following our initial rollout of conversational AI voice capabilities, we are bringing Gmail Live to Google Workspace customers on mobile (Android and iOS). Using our latest Gemini models, Gmail Live delivers a low-latency, inbox-aware voice search experience that lets you ask questions naturally and hear synthesized answers directly from your email inbox. We’ve included sources for users to easily view the emails where the information is being pulled, as well as the following improvements:

    • See where the information is coming from:An email source card is now surfaced prominently at every conversational turn.
    • Ability to pick the voice of your choice: You can now pick your preferred voice directly from Gmail Live.

    Common use cases include:

    • “What is the order status for Black Forest Construction Supply?”
    • “When is my next mandatory training due?”
    • “Show me the latest update from my manager, John.”
    • “What gate is my flight leaving from tomorrow?”

    Getting started

    • Admins:This feature will be ON by default for organizations with Gemini in Workspace access and respects existing smart features and personalization admin settings. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
    • End users:On supported iOS and Android devices, tap the Live entry point in the Gmail search bar to begin a voice session. First-time users will be prompted to grant microphone access. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

    Rollout pace

    Availability

    • Business:Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
    • Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
    • Frontline: Frontline Plus
    • Nonprofits:Google Workspace for Nonprofits
    • Add-ons:Gemini Business, Gemini Enterprise, AI Expanded Access, and AI Ultra Access
    • Education Add-ons:Google AI Pro for Education
    • Consumer:Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra

    Note that this feature is currently only available to users in the US with EN-US as their language.

    Resources

  • Gmail’s AI Inbox is rolling out to paid Workspace users

    Earlier this year, we launched AI Inbox in Gmail which helps users catch up on what matters most. Starting today, we’re expanding AI Inbox to paid Google Workspace users. By highlighting key actionable to-do’s and summarizing priority work updates across your emails, AI Inbox makes it easier to stay on top of daily business workflows.

    AI Inbox’s core capabilities:

    • Suggested to-dos:Automatically extracts action items, deliverables, and deadlines embedded within email conversations. Teams and business leaders gain clear visibility into critical follow-ups without manual note-taking or scanning through dense threads.
    • Topics to catch up on: Delivers clear, context-rich summaries of your most important topics, across multi-message threads and rapid back-and-forth discussions. Users can reference this section to get caught up on the latest key decisions and status changes.

    Getting started

    • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
    • End users:Eligible users can access AI Inbox directly within the Gmail desktop client or mobile app menu. Use our Help Center to learn more about AI Inbox.

    Availability

    • Business:Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
    • Enterprise:Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
    • Education:AI Pro for Education
    • Other Editions:Frontline Plus

    Note that this feature is currently only available to users in the US with EN-US as their language.

    Rollout pace

    Note: AI Inbox will rollout later to Starter and Education editions in the coming months.

    Resources

  • Now generally available: Preview client-side encrypted PDF and image files directly in Google Drive

    Client-side encryption (CSE) gives organizations ultimate control over who can access their most confidential data, using customer-managed encryption keys that render the data unreadable to unauthorized third parties, including Google. Google Drive now supports previewing CSE files directly within Drive. Previously, users had to download encrypted non-native files to their local devices in order to see the contents. With this capability, authorized users can preview encrypted content instantly in their web browser without ever leaving Drive.

    The feature improves productivity and strengthens security by removing the need for unnecessary downloads. At launch, previewing is available only in Drive, and only for:

    • Encrypted PDF documents
    • Encrypted image file formats

    Getting started

    • Admins:There is no admin control for this feature.
    • End users:This feature will be on by default. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

    Rollout pace

    Availability

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

    Resources

  • An update on the launch of skills in the Gemini app and Workspace

    As previously announced, skills in the Gemini app are starting to roll out today, with an expected completion by mid-November. In the coming weeks, we’ll also introduce critical features like the ability to share Gemini app skills and an integration with Google Drive. We’ll post on the Workspace Updates blog as soon as those capabilities start rolling out.

    We also want to share an update on the rollout of skills in Workspace. We previously shared that the launch to Rapid Release would be complete by October 12, 2026, and the rollout to Scheduled Release would begin on October 19, 2026. While we work to ensure skills in Workspace launch in a safe and reliable manner, those rollouts are slightly delayed. We will share the updated timeline here as soon as it’s confirmed. 

    Getting started

    Rollout pace

    Availability

    • Skills in the Gemini app
      • Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google accounts
    • Skills in Workspace
      • Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
      • Enterprise:Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
      • Education Add-ons:Google AI Pro for Education
      • Other Add-ons:AI Expanded Access

    Note that skills in Workspace are available only to users over age 18; skills in the Gemini app will be available to users of all ages.

    Resources