Google Workspace Updates

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

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.

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

2026-09-11T08:44:25.183-07:00

This new feature allows these businesses and educational institutions to copy their existing Microsoft users, along with their emails, OneDrive files, calendar events, contacts and tasks, into Google Workspace. You can start the import in 2 simple steps:

Connect to your Microsoft business account using global admin credentials
(Optional) Exclude any users or types of data that you don’t want to import

Once you connect to Microsoft, our data import tool identifies users in your Microsoft account and prepares to add them and their data to your new Google Workspace account. This feature significantly reduces the time and effort required to switch from Microsoft, helping you get your organization up and running quickly.

Additional details

You can now import up to 10 Microsoft users and their data automatically through this new feature. Visit the Help Center to learn how to import more than 10 users from Microsoft.
You can import users and data only after completing your domain verification and MX activation. The data import process runs in the background while you can continue with your Workspace setup.
This process is only applicable if you're on a Flexible Plan. If you're on an Annual/Fixed-Term Plan, you must add more licenses before importing users. Visit the Help Center to learn how to add licenses or change purchase cap.

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: Available now

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

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

The Gemini desktop app is now available for Windows

2026-09-11T08:06:16.728-07:00

The Gemini app for Windows provides users with a variety of ways to enhance their productivity directly from their desktop:

The Alt + Space keyboard shortcut brings Gemini over active work for quick tasks, like fact-checking a document or brainstorming presentation titles.
Users can ask Gemini to draft project summaries using information pulled directly from Google Workspace apps like Gmail and Google Drive.
Users can bring creative concepts to life by generating custom images with Nano Banana directly from their desktop.

This launch marks the beginning of Gemini app’s native desktop capabilities for Windows, with more features planned to roll out over time.

Getting started

Admins: This feature is ON by default for all organizations with Gemini enabled. The Gemini app and related in-app tools are controlled by the Generative AI settings in the Workspace Admin console. This feature is subject to these existing controls. Visit the Help Center for more information on turning the Gemini app on or off.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Download the Google Gemini app today at gemini.google/desktop. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

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

News from Google: The Gemini app for Windows is here
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn the Gemini app on or off
Gemini Apps Help: Gemini app for Windows

Gemini in Google Sheets is now available on Android devices

2026-09-10T11:32:26.509-07:00

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.”

(Please note: Mobile capabilities are currently focused on data analysis and insights. To perform complex edits, formatting actions, or generate formulas, please use Gemini in Google Sheets on the web).

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 Android device and tap the Ask Gemini icon. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Gemini in Google Sheets.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on September 9, 2026

Availability

Business: Business Standard and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education: Google AI Pro for Education
Consumer: Google AI Pro and Ultra

Resources

Google Help: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Sheets

Manage external sharing for Gemini Notebook in the Admin console

2026-09-10T11:27:38.672-07:00

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. This update introduces four sharing options, allowing administrators to empower their organization’s sharing workflows. These settings can be enabled at the domain, organizational unit (OU), or group level, providing some flexibility for distinct sets of users.

The options include:

Off: Users cannot share notebooks with anyone outside the domain. This is the default setting.
Trusted Domains: Users can share notebooks externally, but sharing is strictly restricted to email addresses within a specified allowlist of trusted domains.
On: Users can share notebooks with any external email address.
On with public notebook sharing: Users can create and share public notebooks with anyone with a link. Individual emails do not need to be added as a sharee.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be OFF by default and can be controlled at the domain, OU, and group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing Gemini Notebook sharing settings.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini Notebook, including how to share notebooks.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 10, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage Gemini Notebook sharing settings
Gemini Notebook Help: Create a notebook in Gemini Notebook

Doubled cell limits in Google Sheets now generally available

2026-09-10T11:21:19.405-07:00

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.

Whether you are building a new spreadsheet from scratch, expanding an existing workbook, or importing large datasets from Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) or CSV files, Google Sheets now supports up to 20 million cells per spreadsheet.

Coming soon, we also plan to increase the file byte size limit for imported spreadsheets, making it easier to bring extensive datasets from other spreadsheet formats directly into Google Sheets.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: There is no end-user setting for this feature. The expanded limit will apply automatically when creating, expanding, or importing spreadsheets.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 10, 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, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Google Help Center: Files you can store in Google Drive
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Faster performance and doubled cell limits in Google Sheets

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

2026-09-09T12:59:50.116-07:00

Specifically, this new update introduces:

A dedicated formula editor dialog for creating and modifying custom calculations
Field selection menus to insert column names without manual typing
Real-time syntax and formula validation to catch errors before applying changes

Previously, creating calculated fields in Google Sheets required entering formulas into inline sidebar cards, which involved manual typing of exact field names and lacked live error checking. With this update, calculated fields can be created and managed with greater speed and accuracy, ensuring formulas remain consistent and easy to maintain across spreadsheets.

Getting started

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

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on September 8, 2026
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 users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Google Docs Editors Help: Create & use pivot tables

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

2026-09-09T12:15:38.450-07:00

In January 2026, we introduced Automatic room check-in for Google Meet available on mobile to organizations on the Rapid Release track enrolled in Early Preview Rooms. 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. To automatically check you in, the green room uses your phone or tablet’s microphone to detect an ultrasound signal from the conference room hardware, streamlining the process and eliminating unnecessary steps. This feature is available on Android and iOS devices.

Automatic check-in on Android, Right: on iOS

Additional details

Minimum Android build required:

Meet: 367.0 (Android Settings > Apps > Meet > [App Info > Version])
Gmail: 2026.06.29. (Android Settings > Apps > Gmail > [App Info > Version])

Minimum iOS build required:

Meet: 374.0. (Meet > Settings -> About, terms, and privacy > Version)
Gmail: 6.0.260824. (Settings > About Gmail > Version)

Getting started

Admins: Automatic check-in is on by default and can be enabled or disabled at the room level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning proximity detection on or off.
End users: The Companion mode entry point will be highlighted in the greenroom when the proximity detection signal is detected. After joining a meeting in Companion mode, the user will be automatically checked into the room. If proximity check-in isn’t working, visit the Help Center for troubleshooting tips. Users can still check in manually after joining the call.

Rollout pace

Android

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Rollout expected to complete by September 10, 2026

iOS

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on Sept 9, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers, and Workspace Individual subscribers with Google Meet hardware.

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn proximity detection on or off
Google Help: Use Proximity Detection with Google Meet

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

2026-09-09T10:42:25.904-07:00

Before, you had to prompt within each individual app to get personalized AI help. For example, generating a personalized document with Gemini required being in Docs while building AI-powered spreadsheets required being in Sheets. Now, for example, with richer AI integrations across Workspace apps, Gemini can help you drive your work forward faster by creating personalized and formatted docs or beautifully designed slides without leaving Gmail. This functionality also will soon power the flows you build in Workspace Studio.

Now you can use Gemini across your Workspace apps to:

Create content: Generate formatted Google Docs, structured Sheets, or stylized Slides in the background, saved securely to your Drive.

Example prompts:

When in Gmail (via the side panel) to create a doc: “Create a strategy brief for this project with goals, milestones and next steps.“
When in Gmail (via the side panel) to create a spreadsheet: "Create a tracker for this project in a new spreadsheet"
When in Docs (via the side panel) to create a deck: "Turn this proposal into an easy to read slide deck for my director using @presentation as a style reference.”
When in Chat (via Ask Gemini in Chat) to create a document: "Create a deck outlining Project Zebra with the latest updates"
When in Drive (via Ask Gemini in Drive) to create a document: "Create a customer insights deck from project Zebra using my project files including sheets, reports, and emails”

Conduct deep research: Synthesize complex data scattered across large folders or long threads into a summary report, complete with clear source attributions.

Example prompts:

When in Docs (via the side panel): “Can you do deep research to see how this blog post compares to other content we have drafted internally and what competitors have published externally?”

Draft and send emails: Compose detailed emails based on meeting notes or active documents, open as a draft in Gmail or send it directly from the Workspace app you are in.

Example prompts:

When in Docs (via the side panel): “Send an email to my sales team for their review and feedback"

Schedule your meetings: Find open times, schedule meetings, or resolve calendar conflicts when communicating with your teams without switching to your calendar.

Example prompts:

When in Chat (via Ask Gemini in Chat): “Schedule some time for me to discuss next steps with product around launch timelines for our new customer support tool“

Keep track of your to-dos: Instantly log a reminder or create a to-do list, mapping them straight into Google Tasks.

When in Slides (via the side panel): “Based on the presented strategy, can you remind me to follow up with the Marketing team next week to see how the social campaign went?”

Build branded decks without having to leave Docs

Enterprise security and compliance controls are built-in:

Data confidentiality: Your data is not reviewed by humans or used to train Gemini models.
Granular permissions: Gemini respects the authenticated user’s existing access permissions and sharing policies. If the user cannot access a document, neither can Gemini.
Human-in-the-Loop controls: For actions involving external communication or calendar commitments, such as sending emails or scheduling meetings, Gemini presents an interactive preview card, allowing users to review, edit, and confirm before execution.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on September 2, 2026

Availability

Business: Standard and Plus
Enterprise: Standard and Plus
Consumer: Google AI Pro (with the exception of scheduling functionality) and Google AI Ultra
Other Editions: Frontline Plus (only for scheduling functionality)
Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education
Other Add-ons: AI Expanded Access

Note: Usage of advanced AI features across Workspace apps is subject to usage limits. At launch, this feature will be supported in English only. Support for more languages will be added in the future.

Resources

Google Workspace Blog: Less switching, more flow: 5 new agentic capabilities across Google Workspace apps

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

2026-09-08T11:25:30.217-07:00

With this update, you can start typing a message and finish later, even if you close Chat or reboot your device. If you start typing a message at your desk, you can finish and send the message from your tablet or mobile phone during your commute. Your unsent drafts will be waiting in the conversation compose box and the drafts shortcut.

Drafts are saved per conversation (DMs, group DMs, and Spaces).
You will find your drafts for a given conversation or thread stored in the compose box.
You will also find your drafts across all conversations in the drafts shortcut.
Unsent drafts are retained for up to 30 days.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Rollout pace

Web

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility with expected completion by September 15, 2026) starting on September 8, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 22, 2026

Android & iOS

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

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Reply to a message in Google Chat

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

2026-09-08T10:50:47.553-07:00

To help organizations elevate their security posture, we are introducing context-aware access (CAA) policies in the Admin console for Gemini Enterprise. Google Workspace administrators can select granular security attributes for Gemini Enterprise access, including device security and location settings that can be applied to personal and managed devices.

For example, an administrator can create a CAA policy that restricts access to Gemini Enterprise from specific geographic regions. Organizations can also reuse their existing policies that apply to Workspace apps by also applying them to Gemini Enterprise.

Context-Aware Access settings for Gemini Enterprise in Admin console

Getting started

Admins: Context-Aware Access for Gemini Enterprise can be configured at the organizational unit (OU) or group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Context-Aware Access, creating Context-Aware Access levels, and assigning Context-Aware Access levels to apps.
End users: If enabled by your admin, you can access Gemini Enterprise when authenticating using your Google sign-in. If your organization’s Context-Aware Access settings are not set to allow access, you may see a message letting you know that you cannot use Google sign-in to authenticate with Gemini Enterprise, or you may see remediation messages which will provide some options on how to unblock Gemini Enterprise.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 8, 2026, with expected completion by September 15, 2026

Availability

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

Note: You will need to have purchased Gemini Enterprise to apply Context-Aware Access policies for your users.

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Assign Context-Aware Access levels to apps
Google Workspace Admin Help: Protect your business with Context-Aware Access

Introducing the new 1Password App for Google Chat

2026-09-08T09:02:56.244-07:00

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.

With this integration, teams can build automated workflows for common employee access scenarios, including provisioning and deprovisioning membership across Google Chat spaces. Managers and approvers can review requests and take action directly from interactive Google Chat messages, helping reduce delays and keeping access decisions moving without switching tools.

Getting started

Admins: Admins can install the 1Password Saas Manager Chat app on their users’ behalf. Visit the Help Center to learn more about installing Marketplace apps for your organization.
End users: End users need a 1Password SaaS Manager account to use this app. They can also search for the 1Password Chat App under Apps > Find apps. Visit the Google Workspace Marketplace to learn more and install the 1Password Chat app.