Google Workspace Updates

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - May 29, 2026

2026-05-29T13:32:58.000-07:00

Introducing a fresh visual identity for Google Workspace app icons

We’re updating icons across Google Workspace to introduce a modern visual design that gives every app a more distinct identity. Over the next several weeks, users will see new icons for Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Meet, Drive, Docs, Slides, Sheets, Vids, Keep, Forms, Voice, Sites, and Tasks. | Learn more about the new fresh visual identity for Google Workspace app icons.

Simplify decision-making with Polly, now available for Google Chat

Making decisions in a fast-paced environment often leads to long, messy threads and lost consensus. Polly helps teams solve this by enabling the creation of interactive polls within existing Chat conversations. | Learn more about how to Simplify decision-making with Polly, now available for Google Chat.

Improvements to Out-of-Domain file-level warnings

We’re announcing improvements to our Out-of-Domain file-level warnings. First launched in April 2025, these badges alert users to documents and users outside of their Workspace organization, helping to prevent accidental data exfiltration and potential phishing attacks that spoof internal content. | Learn more about the improvements to Out-of-Domain file-level warnings.

Keep your sources up to date with automatic Drive syncing in NotebookLM

We’re making it easier to keep your sources and insights current in NotebookLM by enabling automatic syncing with Google Drive. Previously, if you uploaded a file in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, you’d have to manually update it in NotebookLM to see the changes. With this update, as the content in your Drive files evolves, the information within the notebook updates automatically to match. | Learn more about how to Keep your sources up to date with automatic Drive syncing in NotebookLM.

Gemini LTI Update: Include your LMS sources when using NotebookLM in Powerschool Schoology

When creating a notebook in Powerschool Schoology, Gemini LTI users can now add content directly from their course as sources. This integration allows educators and students to seamlessly bridge their course materials with AI-powered research and analysis, and generate Studio artifacts like Audio and Video Overviews, infographics, slide decks, and more based on their Schoology resources. | Learn more about how to include your LMS sources when using NotebookLM in Powerschool Schoology.

More granular admin controls for Workspace Studio steps and starters

We’re introducing more granular admin controls for Workspace Studio steps and starters. With these new controls, admins can define which steps and starters people in their organization can use to create flows, including by Workspace service or individually. | Learn more about more granular admin controls for Workspace Studio steps and starters.

Easily identify data irregularities with anomaly detection in Connected Sheets

You can now easily identify critical irregularities and outliers in your time-series data when using Connected Sheets to analyze BigQuery data sets from Google Sheets. Anomaly detection in Connected Sheets allows users to distinguish between expected trends and true outliers without requiring manual model training or complex SQL knowledge. | Learn more about how to easily identify data irregularities with anomaly detection in Connected Sheets.

Ask Gemini in Google Meet is becoming more easily accessible on web

We’re excited to announce that we’re making the feature more easily accessible by moving the Ask Gemini prompt box into the bottom left-hand corner of the Google Meet web interface. | Learn more about how ask Gemini in Google Meet is becoming more easily accessible on web.

Prevent account takeovers with Device Bound Session Credentials (DBSC), now generally available in the Chrome browser for Windows

Previously available in beta, Device Bound Session Credentials (DBSC) in the Chrome browser on Windows is now generally available and enabled by default for Google Workspace users. | Learn more about how to prevent account takeovers with Device Bound Session Credentials (DBSC), now generally available in the Chrome browser for Windows.

Share chats, canvases, and generated media from the Gemini app securely via Google Drive

We are introducing the ability for Workspace users on the web to share snapshots of their chats, canvases, and generated media in the Gemini app. | Learn more about how to share chats, canvases, and generated media from the Gemini app securely via Google Drive.

Google Chat external interoperability with Microsoft Teams via NextPlane OpenHub is now available

Organizations often need to collaborate with customers, partners, and suppliers who use Microsoft Teams. NextPlane OpenHub was built to bridge this Google Chat and Microsoft Teams divide, and it is now launching external interoperability to allow communication across organizational boundaries. | Learn more about how Google Chat external interoperability with Microsoft Teams via NextPlane OpenHub is now available.

Available in beta: Convert your client-side encrypted Slides after a Vault or Takeout export

Admins can now bulk export client-side encrypted (CSE) Slides using Vault or Data Export (takeout), and then convert those exports into PowerPoint files. This allows your organization to retain complete ownership, access, and control of sensitive data in a highly portable format. | Learn more about how to Convert your client-side encrypted Slides after a Vault or Takeout export.

Keep track of student progress with learning standards and skills in Google Classroom

2026-05-29T10:28:04.707-07:00

Google Classroom now allows educators to tag coursework and rubrics with learning goals, including specific learning standards and skills, providing a more structured way to monitor student growth. When creating assignments, quiz assignments, questions, or materials, educators can search for available, established standards and skills or click on suggested goals, which use AI to analyze assignment and course content. By tagging coursework with these goals, teachers can view analytics that visualize student performance and identify instructional gaps across individual students, entire classes, or specific learning areas.

Learning standards from around the world are made available in Classroom through partnerships with 1EdTech and Common Good Learning Tools. These standard frameworks are pulled from Satchel Rosetta Exchange, a public space hosted by Common Good Learning Tools where anyone can browse various learning standard sets that leverage the 1EdTech® Competencies and Academic Standards Exchange® (CASE®) standard specification. Visit the Help Center to learn more about getting new standard sets added to Classroom.

This update enables systematic tracking for standards-based learning, offering several benefits across the school community:

For educators and leaders: Teachers can utilize data-driven student performance analytics to adjust instruction, while education leaders with Google Workspace for Education Plus can use the "Visit a class" feature to see how coursework aligns with required standards.
For students and guardians: Students and guardians can see the learning goals tagged on assignments, giving them clarity for how curriculum relates to required learning milestones and targeted skill growth.
Global availability: Classroom has a growing list of standards already available and periodically brings in new ones from the Satchel Rosetta Exchange. Learning standards are available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Brazil, Japan, Mexico, Italy, and Australia. Learning skills are currently supported in a selection of languages including English, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
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) started on May 27, 2026

Availability

Available in all courses owned by a Google Workspace customer, including Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus

Resources

Google Help: Use learning goals in Classroom
Google Help: Add local learning standards to Classroom
Keyword: Transform teaching and learning with updates to Gemini and Google Classroom
Keyword: Gemini in Classroom: No-cost AI tools that amplify teaching and learning
YouTube: Learning goals with data-driven insights in Google Classroom

Available in beta: Convert your client-side encrypted Slides after a Vault or Takeout export

2026-05-29T08:45:35.985-07:00

Eligible Google Workspace admins can sign up for the CSE Office Interop beta program, which provides immediate access to CSE compatible export, import, takeout and office editing features. Organizations who’ve previously signed up for the beta program should see this feature in their domains now.

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 launch has no impact on end users.

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: Available in beta: Convert your client-side encrypted documents after a Vault or Takeout export
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Now generally available: Convert your Client-side encrypted Google Sheets after a Vault or Takeout export
Beta Application: Registration form

Google Chat external interoperability with Microsoft Teams via NextPlane OpenHub is now available

2026-05-28T10:12:34.478-07:00

Organizations often need to collaborate with customers, partners, and suppliers who use Microsoft Teams. NextPlane OpenHub was built to bridge this Google Chat and Microsoft Teams divide, and it is now launching external interoperability to allow communication across organizational boundaries. OpenHub directly connects Google Chat users to people on external Microsoft Teams tenants, making cross-platform collaboration more seamless.

This release supports external interoperability between Google Chat and Microsoft Teams, including presence, 1:1 chat, group chat, Channels and Spaces, file sharing, and meeting and call initiation. A single Google Workspace environment can connect to multiple external Microsoft Teams tenants via OpenHub, enabling cross-tenant collaboration through a single interoperability layer. OpenHub is designed to provide a familiar cross-platform collaboration experience without requiring all parties to use the same collaboration platform.

OpenHub is also designed to support enterprise governance and deployment requirements. It is deployed as a dedicated single-tenant service, can run in a customer-owned GCP project, and keeps customer data under customer control. It uses customer-managed identities and does not require fake user accounts, Nextplane-controlled user accounts, cross-tenant impersonation, or a proxy Teams tenant.

For Google Workspace admins and IT decision-makers, this can help reduce deployment friction through tightly scoped, auditable permissions aligned with customer best practices. Ongoing configuration and management are handled through the existing Google Admin console and Microsoft Teams admin center, without requiring a separate OpenHub administration console. This is especially important for Google Workspace customers working with external organizations, because it avoids imposing a separate portal or a new management process on customers, partners, and suppliers.

Examples of how this can be used include:

Collaborate with customers, partners, and suppliers who use Microsoft Teams
Support cross-Teams tenant collaboration from a single Google Workspace environment
Maintain cross-platform communication during multi-company projects, joint ventures, or extended partner workflows
Enable interoperability when domain validation requirements make internal interoperability difficult to deploy

Getting started

Admins: This feature requires administrator consent on both sides of the connection, and Workspace and Teams admins must register NextPlan OpenHub as an enterprise application with their respective platforms before use. Configuration is managed at the domain level through the Google Admin console and Microsoft Teams admin center. OpenHub does not require a separate administration console and is managed through existing platform controls. Visit the NextPlane site to learn more about connecting Teams and Workspace.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus

Note that separate NextPlane licensing is required to enable interoperability.

Resources

NextPlane: Connect Teams & Google Workspace
Workspace Updates Blog: Introducing enhanced interoperability between Google Chat and Microsoft Teams — powered by NextPlane
NextPlane Blog: Google and NextPlane Partner to Enhance Cross-Platform Collaboration for Google Workspace Customers

Share chats, canvases, and generated media from the Gemini app securely via Google Drive

2026-05-28T10:07:48.245-07:00

We are introducing the ability for Workspace users on the web to share snapshots of their chats, canvases, and generated media in the Gemini app. Because this feature is powered by the same underlying technology as Google Drive, it uses the familiar, consistent sharing interface you already rely on for Google Docs and other files. You can still choose to allow conversation sharing via link.

With this update, members of your organization can easily share Gemini workflows and build on top of what others have created, scaling AI competency and collaboration across teams and enabling new ways for educators and students to teach and learn.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be ON by default and can be managed via a new Admin console setting. Additionally, sharing is governed by your organization’s existing Drive sharing policies. If Drive content is set to be shareable outside the organization, your Gemini assets will be as well. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

End users: If enabled by your admin, you can share your Gemini conversations, canvases, and media from the web interface using the standard Drive sharing menu.

Rollout pace

Admin controls

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on May 28, 2026

End-user visibility

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

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn conversation sharing on or off

Prevent account takeovers with Device Bound Session Credentials (DBSC), now generally available in the Chrome browser for Windows

2026-05-28T08:54:28.673-07:00

Previously available in beta, Device Bound Session Credentials (DBSC) in the Chrome browser on Windows is now generally available and enabled by default for Google Workspace users.

DBSC strengthens account security after users are logged in and helps bind a session cookie — small files used by websites to remember user information — to the device a user authenticated from. Even if malware was present on the user’s device, DBSC reduces the risk of session theft and makes it meaningfully more difficult for malicious actors to exploit stolen session cookies.

With this change to general availability, Workspace admins no longer need to take action to enable DBSC in the Admin console. Organizations can also bolster protections with more granular account attributes when using DBSC together with context-aware access (CAA). To monitor DBSC binding events, admins can view the audit logs available in the security investigation tool.

An example of the audit log and log details for a DBSC event in the admin console

Getting started

Admins: This feature is ON by default for all Google Workspace customers, and there is no administrator control to disable it.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 60 days for feature visibility) started on May 25, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Prevent cookie theft with session binding

Ask Gemini in Google Meet is becoming more easily accessible on web

2026-05-27T13:47:20.086-07:00

In September 2025, we launched Ask Gemini in Meet, which brings the power of Gemini into your organization’s meetings. Today, we’re excited to announce that we’re making the feature more easily accessible by moving the Ask Gemini prompt box into the bottom left-hand corner of the Google Meet web interface:

Previously, Ask Gemini in Meet was available only by hovering over the icon in the top right corner. This change makes it much easier to discover and use this feature in Google Meet calls. Other than the entrypoint change, there are no changes to the Ask Gemini in Meet functionality itself.

As a reminder, you use Ask Gemini in Meet to:

Get a quick brief on the goals and topics for the meeting you’re in
List key takeaways, decisions, and action items mentioned in the meeting
Catch up on what you missed if you joined late (as long as Take Notes for Me was enabled)

Getting started

Admins: These features will be on by default for organizations with Ask Gemini in Meet enabled. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Ask Gemini in Meet on or off.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Ask Gemini in Meet.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on May 26, 2026

Availability

Business: Business Standard and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus

Resources

Google Workspace Updates Blog: Ask Gemini in Meet: Your Personal Meeting Assistant
Google Meet Help: Ask Gemini in Meet
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn Ask Gemini on or off

Easily identify data irregularities with anomaly detection in Connected Sheets

2026-05-27T13:38:35.517-07:00

Powered by BigQuery ML and TimesFM, this capability delivers "zero-shot" analysis, meaning you can uncover actionable AI insights immediately—no need to configure or wait for a model to be trained on your data. Anomaly detection also builds upon our recently introduced forecasting feature to provide a more comprehensive suite of predictive tools right where you already work.

Key features include:

Easy, SQL-free configuration: A user-friendly side panel guides you through configuring your anomaly detection analysis without writing a single line of SQL.
Clear, built-in formatting: Results are cleanly rendered with new columns for is_anomaly (a boolean indicator) and lower_bound/upper_bound intervals to help you quickly sort, filter, and interpret the findings.
Customizable thresholds: Take control of your analysis by setting a specific time period, anomaly probability threshold (defaulting to 0.95), and filtering input data
Automated refresh ability: Just like other Connected Sheets objects, your anomaly detection extracts can be scheduled to refresh automatically, ensuring your insights are always current.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: Access to anomaly detection in Connected Sheets requires permissions to a BigQuery project with billing enabled.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Use BigQuery ML in Connected Sheets

More granular admin controls for Workspace Studio steps and starters

2026-05-27T07:28:28.651-07:00

We’re introducing more granular admin controls for Workspace Studio steps and starters. With these new controls, admins can define which steps and starters people in their organization can use to create flows, including by Workspace service or individually. They provide admins more granular control of Studio functionality, and are particularly useful for gradual rollout of Studio in their organizations.

Getting started

Admins: Workspace Studio starters and steps will be ON by default and can be disabled at the domain, organizational unit, or group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. The steps turned off by admins will show up as disabled (greyed out) in Studio. Existing flows with these steps won’t run, and the user will see an error.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on May 26, 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*

*Starting June 1, 2026, users with AI Expanded Access licenses will have higher limits on usage of Workspace Studio.

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Workspace Studio help for admins
Workspace Studio Help: Workspace Studio help for end users
Google Workspace Learning Center: Workspace Studio training and help
YouTube: Google Workspace Studio video playlist
Discord: Workspace Studio Discord channel

Gemini LTI Update: Include your LMS sources when using NotebookLM in Powerschool Schoology

2026-05-26T11:17:20.789-07:00

When creating a notebook in Powerschool Schoology, Gemini LTI users can now add content directly from their course as sources. This integration allows educators and students to seamlessly bridge their course materials with AI-powered research and analysis, and generate Studio artifacts like Audio and Video Overviews, infographics, slide decks, and more based on their Schoology resources. By automating the import of Schoology course materials, users can quickly ground their notebooks in specific curriculum content without the need for manual file uploads.

Getting started

Admins:

In order for educators and students to access Gemini LTI™, you’ll need to enable the Google Workspace LTI™ service in the Admin console and enable the Gemini service in the Admin console. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini LTI in general.
Learning Management Systems admins need to enable Gemini LTI™ in their LMS as well. Visit the Help Center to learn more about setting up Gemini LTI in Powerschool Schoology.
For educators and students to use Schoology content as a source in NotebookLM, users must be in a group or OU with NotebookLM set to On. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning NotebookLM on or off for users.

End users:

To add Schoology content notebook sources, open the Schoology homepage and select Google Gemini > Manage notebooks > Create new > Enter a title > Files > Select file(s) > Create notebook.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini LTI™.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Learn how to turn on Google Workspace LTI™
Google Workspace Admin Help: Set up Gemini LTI™ in PowerSchool Schoology Learning
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn the Gemini app on or off
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn NotebookLM on or off for users
Google Help: Learn about Gemini LTI

Keep your sources up to date with automatic Drive syncing in NotebookLM

2026-05-26T10:27:11.359-07:00

We’re making it easier to keep your sources and insights current in NotebookLM by enabling automatic syncing with Google Drive. Previously, if you uploaded a file in Google Docs, Sheets, or Slides, you’d have to manually update it in NotebookLM to see the changes. With this update, as the content in your Drive files evolves, the information within the notebook updates automatically to match. This update ensures that you're always working with the most accurate and up-to-date information without the manual effort of re-syncing files.

NotebookLM will also strictly respect file deletions and permissions. If a user’s access to a Drive file is revoked, they will no longer be able to use that file as a source in their notebook. The source will appear in the sources list with a link to the source for the user to request access. Additionally, if a file is deleted from Drive, it will be removed from the notebook as well, ensuring your research environment stays organized and secure.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. Visit the Admin Help Center to learn more about turning NotebookLM on or off for users.
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 May 26, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn NotebookLM on or off for users

Improvements to Out-of-Domain file-level warnings

2026-05-26T09:58:09.832-07:00

Today, we’re announcing improvements to our Out-of-Domain file-level warnings. First launched in April 2025, these badges alert users to documents and users outside of their Workspace organization, helping to prevent accidental data exfiltration and potential phishing attacks that spoof internal content. We’ve expanded support across devices and sharing types in the following ways:

Files in the Android and iOS apps for Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides now include external indicators
Chat Spaces and Google Groups can be configured to allow external users; if they’re given access to a document, that document now shows the external badge
If a service account has access to a document, and that service account is owned by an external Google Cloud organization, it now triggers the external badge in documents
Comment email notifications now include badges for external documents and users
File sharing email notifications now include badges for external documents and users

How Out-of-Domain warnings work

This feature helps users identify potentially risky files and avoid phishing scams when working with files shared from outside your organization.

Notification in comments

Notification in file sharing email

Image of "External" badge displayed in Google Docs

Getting started

Admins: This feature is ON by default and can be disabled at the domain and organizational level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Out-of-Domain Warnings on or off for your organization.
End users: This feature is ON by default. There is no end-user setting for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more about sharing files from Google Drive.

Image of the Google Workspace Admin console, Sharing settings, showing the "Highlight external files" option enabled

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage external sharing for your organization
Google Drive Help: Share files from Google Drive - Android
Google Drive Help: Stop, limit, or change sharing
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Enhance Your Organization’s Security with Out-of-Domain File Warnings in Google Workspace

Simplify decision-making with Polly, now available for Google Chat

2026-05-26T09:47:08.789-07:00

Making decisions in a fast-paced environment often leads to long, messy threads and lost consensus. Polly helps teams solve this by enabling the creation of interactive polls within existing Chat conversations. By keeping the feedback loop inside the "flow of work," Polly helps eliminate the friction of switching between apps, leading to faster responses and clearer team alignment.

Effortless authoring and participation

Creating a poll is as simple as mentioning @Polly in any Google Chat space. Whether you need a quick pulse on a project direction or a simple vote on a meeting time, you can author a poll in seconds. For end users, participation is just as easy: team members can cast their votes with a single click directly within the chat stream.

Real-time results

Results are updated as votes come in, providing immediate visual feedback to the entire space. This transparency ensures that everyone is on the same page and can move forward with confidence as soon as a decision is reached.

Use cases for Polly in Google Chat:

Driving consensus: Rapidly narrow down options for project names, design directions, or strategy shifts.
Meeting logistics: Quickly vote on the best time for a sync or gather topics for an upcoming agenda.
Team preferences: Streamline simple office or team logistics, from lunch orders to preferred collaboration hours.

Admins can easily enable the Polly integration to empower their teams with a more structured way to collaborate without leaving the Google Workspace ecosystem.

Getting started

Admins: Admins can install the Polly Chat app on their users’ behalf. Visit the Help Center to learn more about installing Marketplace apps for your organization. If you’ve already deployed Polly for Google Meet, then the Polly Chat app will automatically be available as well.
End users: End users can search for the Polly add-on in Google Chat under Apps > Find apps. Visit the Google Workspace Marketplace to learn more and install Polly. If you’ve already installed Polly for Google Meet, then the Polly Chat app will automatically be available as well.

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

Resources

Google Workspace Marketplace: Polly App Listing
Polly Help Center: Use Polly in Google Chat

Introducing a fresh visual identity for Google Workspace app icons

2026-05-26T08:57:04.419-07:00

These changes drive consistency and cohesion across our product suite, while ensuring each individual application remains modern and recognizable on your screen. These design updates do not alter any core functionality or administrative controls.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this update; changes will roll out automatically according to the schedule below. If you need to update internal documentation, visit the Help Center to find the new icon designs.
End users: There is no end user control for this update; changes will roll out automatically according to the schedule below.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) started on May 19, 2026

Impact

Impacts all Google Workspace users

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Brand your internal communications with Google Workspace

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - May 15, 2026

2026-05-15T11:20:20.684-07:00

Whiteboarding add-ons now available for Android-based Google Meet hardware

Third-party whiteboarding add-ons for Google Meet, including Figma, Lucidspark, and Miro, will be available for room hardware based on Android. | Learn more about whiteboarding add-ons for Android-based Google Meet hardware.

Android-based all-in-one room devices from Neat and Logitech certified for Google Meet

The Neat Board series (32, 50, and Pro) and the Logitech Rally Board 65 are now certified for Google Meet as the first Android-based all-in-one devices. | Learn more about these all-in-one room devices.

Add avatars when you convert presentations to Vids

You can already convert your Google Slides content into Google Vids, and use Gemini to generate scripts, voiceovers, and background music. Now, you can add a spokesperson to your videos using AI avatars when importing content from Slides. | Learn more about adding avatars when you convert presentations to Vids.

Google Workspace Assignments LTI™ and Gemini LTI™ are now available for Moodle

We’re expanding the availability of Assignments LTI™ and Gemini LTI™ to include Moodle, joining our existing support for Canvas and Schoology. | Learn more about Assignments LTI and Gemini LTA availability for Moodle.

Use NotebookLM in your Google Workspace Studio flows

This enhancement lets you use your existing notebooks as an AI knowledge source for your automations. You can use the new Ask NotebookLM step to generate grounded responses based on the insights, summaries, and research in your notebooks. | Learn more about NotebookLM in Workspace Studio.

Small businesses can now seamlessly import users from Microsoft to Google Workspace

We’re excited to announce the beta release of a new, simplified way for very small and small-sized businesses to import their users from Microsoft to Google Workspace when setting up their Workspace account for the first time. | Learn more about this new data import option for small businesses.

Deploying ServiceNow Now Assist Virtual Agent from the Google Workspace Marketplace

Google Workspace customers can now deploy the Now Assist Virtual Agent for Google Chat integration directly from the Google Workspace Marketplace. | Learn more about the ServiceNow Now Assist Virtual Agent for Chat.

Enhancing the Datadog app for Google Chat

The latest version of the Datadog app for Google Chat allows you to integrate Datadog into your Google Chat workflows more seamlessly and stay on top of critical infrastructure without leaving the flow of team collaboration. | Learn more about the updated Datadog app for Chat.

Improving security posture with default context-aware access for all SAML applications

This update introduces a default assignment that serves as a universal security baseline, automatically protecting any SAML-based app that does not have a specific policy already assigned. | Learn more about applying a global context-aware access (CAA) policy to all SAML applications.

Expanded options for header images in Google Forms

Previously, creators could only use a pre-selected theme, upload an image, or choose an image from Google Photos. In addition to these options, they can now choose an image from Google Drive or Google Images or use a URL. | Learn more about new options for header images in Forms.

Expanding language support for refining messages with Gemini in Google Chat

In addition to English, users can now use Gemini to polish their messages in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. | Learn more about expanded language support for Refine with Gemini in Chat.

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

Android-based all-in-one room devices from Neat and Logitech certified for Google Meet

2026-05-15T11:18:27.540-07:00

The Neat Board series (32, 50, and Pro) and the Logitech Rally Board 65 are now certified for Google Meet as the first Android-based all-in-one devices. They package up and deliver a modern Meet experience in stylish form factors ideal for simple deployment in traditional meeting rooms, open spaces, personal offices, phone booths, and even portable solutions.

Equipped with touch displays, these devices can be used for both traditional video meetings and interactive whiteboarding via the Figma, Lucid, and Miro add-ons.

Neat Board Series Pro, 50 and 32

Logitech Rally Board 65

Getting started

Admins: The Logitech Rally Bar 65 and the Neat Board 32, 50, and Pro are available for order starting today through authorized partners. Firmware updates enabling native Google Meet support will begin rolling out immediately.
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 with Google Meet hardware devices

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Google Meet hardware certification program for ChromeOS and AOSP
Logitech: Rally Board 65
Neat: Neat Board Series

Whiteboarding add-ons now available for Android-based Google Meet hardware

2026-05-15T11:17:36.619-07:00

Third-party whiteboarding add-ons for Google Meet will be available for room hardware based on Android. As all-in-one devices with touchscreens become certified for Meet, users will be able to whiteboard on them to share ideas, brainstorm, and work on projects together in real-time meetings, wherever they are.

The following third-party whiteboard software will be available on these devices:

Figma
Lucidspark
Miro

Participants who join Meet calls on the web or via the mobile app will be able to view and interact in whiteboard sessions by installing the corresponding add-on. Add-ons can be found in the Workspace Marketplace along with pricing and terms from each third-party vendor.

Add-ons for Google Meet are available from the Workspace Marketplace

Getting started

Admins: To use whiteboarding with room hardware, admins must first install the Figma, Lucidspark, or Miro add-on from the Google Workspace Marketplace. These add-ons can be installed for OUs with room devices or your entire domain. Visit the Help Center to learn more about installing Marketplace apps for your organization.
End users: If their admin allows it, users can install the Figma, Lucidspark, and Miro add-ons from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Visit the Help Center to learn how to use add-ons with Google Meet.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers with Google Meet hardware devices

Resources

Google Meet Hardware Help: Use add-ons with Google Meet on Desk 27 and Board 65
Google Meet Help: Use add-ons with Google Meet
Google Workspace Admin Help: Install Marketplace apps for your organization

Expanding language support for refining messages with Gemini in Google Chat

2026-05-14T10:39:40.984-07:00

We are expanding the capabilities of Gemini in Google Chat by adding support for several new languages when refining message drafts. In addition to English, users can now use Gemini to polish their messages in French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish. This update allows a broader range of global users to improve the clarity and professional tone of their communications within Chat.

By leveraging Gemini to adjust wording, grammar, and spelling, users can communicate more effectively across different languages and regions. This is particularly helpful for teams working in multilingual environments or for individuals composing messages in a second language, ensuring that the intended meaning is conveyed accurately and confidently.

Getting started

Admins: This feature remains on by default for eligible users. Use the Help Center to learn how to manage access to Gemini features in Workspace services.
End users: This feature will be available by default for eligible users. When composing a message in any of the supported languages, select the "Refine" icon from the formatting toolbar or highlight specific text to see refinement options. Visit the Help Center to learn how to improve your Chat messages with Refine.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on May 11, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on May 26, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Improve your Chat messages with Refine

Expanded options for header images in Google Forms

2026-05-14T09:30:57.323-07:00

Form creators now have more options for header images in Google Forms. Previously, creators could only use a pre-selected theme, upload an image, or choose an image from Google Photos. In addition to these options, they can now choose an image from Google Drive or Google Images or use a URL. This makes it easier to add an appropriate and compelling header image to your form.

User chooses a Google Drive image as the header image for a Google Form

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about adding a header image.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) visibility) started on May 14, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on June 1, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Change the theme or font of your form

Improving security posture with default context-aware access for all SAML applications

2026-05-14T09:13:41.770-07:00

Administrators can now apply a global context-aware access (CAA) policy to all SAML applications within their organization. This update introduces a default assignment that serves as a universal security baseline, automatically protecting any SAML-based app that does not have a specific policy already assigned. By establishing this "secure-by-default" posture, IT teams can help protect internal data and third-party SaaS tools as new applications are integrated into their ecosystem.

This global control significantly reduces the administrative burden of managing security for applications at scale. Instead of manually configuring rules for every individual SAML app, administrators can set a single policy to cover their entire environment. Specific application-level policies will still take precedence, allowing for granular control where needed while the global policy acts as a reliable safety net.

These default policies support both Monitor and Active modes, providing flexibility in how security requirements are phased in. Detailed audit logs will capture these enforcement events, and remediation messages help end users understand how to resolve access issues independently.

Admins can configure CAA policies for all SAML apps in the Admin console under Security > Context-aware Access > General settings.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be OFF by default and can be enabled at the OU or group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about applying a default context-aware access policy for all SAML apps.
End users: This feature is available to admins only.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education: Education Standard and Plus
Other Editions: Frontline Standard and Plus; Enterprise Essentials Plus; Cloud Identity Premium

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Apply a default Context-Aware Access policy for all SAML apps
Google Workspace Admin Help: Deploy Context-Aware Access

Enhancing the Datadog app for Google Chat

2026-05-14T09:09:43.950-07:00

Link previews

Cut and paste a widget from a Datadog dashboard and see the chart inside Google Chat.

Improved notification set-up

Link your Workspace domain to Datadog and you’ll be able to easily create Google Chat notification handles from within Datadog.

Incident management

Declare incidents with a command from Google Chat, and automatically create spaces in Google Chat to centralize conversations about an incident.

Note that a Datadog license is required to use the Datadog app for Chat.

Getting started

Admins: Ensure the Datadog Google Chat App is allowlisted for your organization, then follow instructions to connect your Chat organization to your Datadog organization and delegate a service account user.
End users: Share dashboard widgets by copying and pasting from Datadog. Learn more about configuring and declaring incidents from Google Chat.

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 (Datadog license required)

Resources

Google Workspace Marketplace: Datadog
Datadog Docs: Integrate Google Chat with Datadog Incident Management
Datadog Docs: Google Chat

Deploying ServiceNow Now Assist Virtual Agent from the Google Workspace Marketplace

2026-05-14T07:51:06.935-07:00

Google Workspace customers can now deploy the Now Assist Virtual Agent for Google Chat integration directly from the Google Workspace Marketplace. This update simplifies the deployment process for Workspace and ServiceNow administrators, allowing them to provide employees with centralized access to support and automated workflows within their primary communication tool more easily.

The Now Assist Virtual Agent allows users to perform routine ServiceNow tasks and requests without leaving Google Chat. Individuals can get answers from knowledge base articles, create support tickets, check the status of existing requests, and order new items. This integration reduces the need to switch between applications, helping users maintain focus and resolve issues more efficiently.

With Now Assist, users have a contextual conversational experience that can initiate AI Agents to further automate complex workflows and requests.

Getting started

Admins: ServiceNow admins need to install the Google Chat plugin 3.0 and link their Google Chat with ServiceNow. Workspace admins can then deploy the Now Assist Virtual Agent on their users’ behalf. Visit the Help Center to learn more about installing Marketplace apps for your organization.
End users: End users need a ServiceNow account to use this app. They can search for the Now Assist Virtual Agent in Google Chat under Apps > Find apps or visit the Google Workspace Marketplace to install the Now Assist Virtual Agent.

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. To utilize this feature, customers must have both ServiceNow and Google Chat. Note that Now Assist capabilities require an additional license from ServiceNow.

Resources

ServiceNow Help Center: Activate Now Assist in Virtual Agent for Google Chat
ServiceNow Help Center: Conversational Integration with Google ChatGoogle
Workspace Updates Blog: Effortlessly work with ServiceNow data across Google Chat and Sheets

Small businesses can now seamlessly import users from Microsoft to Google Workspace

2026-05-13T09:52:52.870-07:00

This new feature allows these businesses and educational institutions to automatically copy their existing Microsoft users into Google Workspace. Once you connect to Microsoft, the system automatically identifies users in your Microsoft account and prepares to add them in your new Google Workspace account. This feature significantly reduces the time and effort of switching from Microsoft and helps you get your organization up and running in no time.

You can complete the import in a single click after connecting to your Microsoft business account.

Additional details

If you are a small business looking to switch from Microsoft to Google Workspace, you can now import up to 10 Microsoft users automatically through this new feature. Visit the Help Center to learn how to import more than 10 users from Microsoft.
You can import emails, calendars, contacts, and OneDrive files for the imported users through the data import tool in the Admin console.
You can import users only after completing your domain verification.

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 your users from Microsoft to Google Workspace before completing the setup. Visit the Help Center to learn more about importing business data during setup.
End users: This feature is for admins only.

Rollout pace

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

Availability

Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus
Other Editions: Frontline Starter, Standard, and Plus; Essentials Starter, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus; Individual; Nonprofits; Cloud Identity Free and Premium
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education; Teaching and Learning; Endpoint Education

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Import business data during setup (beta)

Use NotebookLM in your Google Workspace Studio flows

2026-05-12T13:21:56.429-07:00

We’re integrating NotebookLM into Google Workspace Studio. This enhancement lets you use your existing notebooks as an AI knowledge source for your automations. You can use the new Ask NotebookLM step to generate grounded responses based on the insights, summaries, and research in your notebooks.

Getting started

Admins: This step is available by default if you allow Gemini for Google Workspace steps. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing access to steps and starters in Workspace Studio.
End users: Try the feature in Google Workspace Studio. Visit the Help Center to learn more about the Ask NotebookLM step.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on May 12, 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*

*Starting June 1, 2026, users with AI Expanded Access licenses will have higher limits on usage of Workspace Studio.

Resources

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

Google Workspace Assignments LTI™ and Gemini LTI™ are now available for Moodle

2026-05-12T09:09:32.254-07:00

We’re expanding the availability of Assignments LTI™ and Gemini LTI™ to include Moodle, joining our existing support for Canvas and Schoology. Gemini LTI™ brings Google AI tools like the Gemini app and NotebookLM directly into third-party Learning Management Systems (LMS), enabling students and teachers to get in-the-moment assistance to enhance their teaching and learning experiences.

Assignments LTI™ allows educators to securely distribute, analyze, and grade student work while checking for authenticity through originality reports. While the core functionality remains consistent across platforms, Moodle administrators will benefit from a streamlined setup process by using the LTI Dynamic Registration specification to register these tools.

This expansion helps educational institutions centralize access to Google’s AI tools, including features like content-grounded notebooks and automated FAQ support for students. For educators, Assignments LTI™ continues to facilitate efficient grading and the use of originality reports to help ensure authentic work. Students can also use the Gemini LTI™ integration to access course-specific guidance, generate audio overviews of materials with NotebookLM, and engage with training resources designed for the safe and productive use of AI in their studies.

Getting started

Admins:

In order for educators and students to access the Gemini LTI™, Workspace admins need to enable both the Google Workspace LTI™ service and the Gemini service in the Admin console. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini LTI. LMS admins need to enable Gemini LTI™ in their LMS as well. Visit the Help Center to learn more about setting up Gemini LTI in Moodle.
For educators and students to access the Assignments LTI™, Workspace admins need to enable the Google Workspace LTI™ service in the Admin console. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Assignments LTI.

End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini LTI™ and Assignments LTI™.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) started on May 11, 2026

Availability

Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus