Google Workspace Updates

Now in beta: Download client-side encrypted Google Slides

2026-04-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to share that export capabilities are now available for client-side encrypted (CSE) Slides files. Beta users can "Download and decrypt" CSE Slides files and export their Slides as PowerPoint files, facilitating seamless interoperability between platforms. This launch includes high-quality conversions of core elements—such as text, styling, tables, images, and comments—from Slides to Microsoft PowerPoint format.

Getting started

Admins: This feature is ON by default for customers who have registered for the CSE Interop beta program. CSE customers can sign up for the beta program at any time to access the feature.
End users: This feature is ON for users in domains that have registered for the CSE Interop beta program.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

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

Resources

Keyword: Google Workspace Admin Help: About client-side encryption
Beta application: Registration form

Now available: The Gemini app for Mac

2026-04-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

Today, we’re bringing the Gemini app to macOS as a native desktop experience, designed to live right where you work. It’s always just a keyboard shortcut away, allowing you to quickly get the help you need without losing your focus.

Here are a few ways you can use it right now:

Stay in your flow: Switching between windows can be clunky and slow. Now, you can bring up Gemini from anywhere on your Mac with a quick global shortcut (Option + Space) to get help instantly. Whether you’re drafting a market report and need to verify a date, working on a research paper and need to cite a source, or building a spreadsheet and need the right formula, you can get your answer and get right back to work.
Share your window for instant context: With our new native experience, you can share anything on your screen with Gemini to get help with exactly what you’re looking at. If you’re reviewing a complex chart, simply share your window and ask, "What are the three biggest takeaways here?" to get an instant summary without breaking your stride.

Starting today, the native macOS app is available to Gemini users on macOS versions 15 and up, globally.

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. The Gemini app for Mac is subject to these existing controls. Visit the Help Center for more information on turning the Gemini app on or off.
End users: To get the app, visit gemini.google/mac and select "Download for Mac." Once installed, sign in with your work or school Google Account.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help Center: Use the Gemini app on Mac
Keyword Blog: The Gemini App is now on Mac
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn the Gemini app on or off for users

New more expressive AI voiceovers in Google Vids, and 16 additional languages, powered by Gemini 3.1 Flash TTS

2026-04-15T09:03:00.000-07:00

With the release of our new Gemini 3.1 Flash Text-To-Speech (TTS) model, AI voiceovers in Google Vids now include 30 new conversational voice options that better capture natural expression and realism. All 30 AI voiceover options are now supported in 24 different languages.

You can test these new voices in your next video project by adding emotional instructions like "Read this like you're excited," using bracket notation for pacing like "This [pause] is amazing!" or including sound effects like "[laugh] That was a great point."

Expanded languages

AI voiceovers is expanding support to 16 new languages: English (en-US, en-IN), Arabic, Bengali, Dutch, Hindi, Indonesian, Marathi, Polish, Romanian, Russian, Tamil, Telugu, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.

These languages join the previously supported languages: English, Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, and German.

Conversational voice options available in Google Vids voiceovers

Getting started

Admins: AI voiceovers are available by default and can be disabled at the domain level. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about getting started with Google Vids and creating AI voiceovers.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) on April 15, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Create voiceovers with AI in Google Vids
The Keyword: Gemini 3.1 Flash TTS

Gemini in Google Classroom is now available in all Classroom-supported languages

2026-04-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

Last year, we launched Gemini in Google Classroom in English to support educators with planning and creating engaging lessons, and to help students in higher education to study and learn. Starting this week, we’re beginning to expand availability to all Classroom-supported languages in which Gemini is also available. This expansion makes Gemini tools in Classroom increasingly accessible to educators and higher education students whose preferred language is now supported.

In the Gemini tab in Classroom, educators can get help creating and adapting resources, based on learning objectives, starting with the following features:

Outline a lesson plan
Generate a quiz
Write an informational text
Tackle common misconceptions
Translate text

More content generation features will become available in these languages in the coming weeks.

Educators can also collaborate with Gemini using starter prompts for the Gemini app that help with common tasks like:

Brainstorming real world examples
Gamifying an activity
Generating differentiation strategies
Drafting an exemplar and non-exemplar
Creating Depth of Knowledge (DOK) questions

Higher education students using the Gemini tab can:

Learn about a topic: Get personalized and step-by-step explanations with Guided Learning.
Take a quiz: Prepare for upcoming exams by testing your knowledge and getting hints and feedback.
Make flashcards: Turn class materials into custom flashcards for extra practice.
Create a study guide: Make a study guide about a certain topic, or upload class materials for more personalized resources.

Getting started

Admins:

Gemini in Classroom: As an administrator of your organization's Google Accounts, you can control who is allowed to use Gemini in Google Classroom to generate content and resources. Access to Gemini in Google Classroom is ON by default. These capabilities are only available to users who are designated as 18 years of age and over in your institution’s age-based access settings. Visit the Help Center to learn about managing access to Gemini in Classroom and the option to turn the service on or off for users in your Admin console.
Gemini app: Educators and students can access Gemini starter prompts in the Gemini tab in Classroom, and they will open in the Gemini app. Users’ ability to access these starter prompts and continue chats in the Gemini app is controlled by the Gemini app setting. Visit the Help Center to learn how to Turn the Gemini app on or off for users.
Note: Ensure roles in Classroom are appropriately assigned to users. Learn more about teacher and student roles here.

End users:

Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini in Classroom and feel free to take this course to learn more about generative AI for Educators.
When using generated content, you should always review the outputs as AI can make mistakes and refine the output so that it fits your context and local policies.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 13, 2026

Availability

Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus

Resources

Google Workspace Updates Blog: Gemini in Google Classroom is now available to all Google Workspace for Education editions, with added features
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Gemini in Google Classroom is expanding to students in higher education
Google Help: Learn about Gemini in Google Classroom
Google Help: Google Classroom Supported Languages
Google Help: Verify teachers and set permissions
Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage access to Gemini in Classroom
Google Workspace Admin Help: Control access to Google services by age
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn the Gemini app on or off
Google Workspace Admin Help: Select your organization type for Google Workspace for Education

Additional BYOD peripheral switchers certified for Google Meet in ChromeOS touch controller rooms

2026-04-13T09:24:00.000-07:00

We have certified additional Lightware peripheral switchers, so that you and your team can bring your own devices (BYOD) to Google Meet on ChromeOS touch controller rooms. The new devices bring improvements for video processing, networking, connectivity and security.

Plug your laptop into a Meet room with a single USB-C cable and easily use the room's display, speaker, microphone, and camera—along with your laptop—for video conferencing.

The integration is extended with the following peripheral switchers:

Lightware Taurus UCX 4x2 HC60
Lightware Taurus UCX 4x3 HC60
Lightware Taurus UCX 4x2 HC60D
Lightware Taurus UCX 4x3 HC60 BD

This offers the following benefits:

Seamless transition: Rooms will automatically enter BYOD mode as soon as a user connects their laptop via a certified cable, enabling immediate use of the room's display and high-quality audio and video equipment.
Meeting continuity: If a Google Meet call is already in progress, connecting a laptop will not interrupt the call or activate BYOD mode. The same cable for BYOD mode can be used during a Google Meet meeting for sharing your screen to the meeting, ensuring a unified meeting experience.
Enhanced admin control: Administrators will gain new visibility within the Google admin console, allowing them to see when BYOD mode is active in a room and preventing erroneous missing peripheral alerts when a third-party device is in control.

Getting started

Admins: Visit the Lightware website to learn more.
End users: Once the integration is installed, use a USB-C cable to use the room displays, audio devices, and camera.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 13, 2026

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers with Google Meet ChromeOS hardware devices

Resources

Lightware site: Lightware landing page for Google Meet solutions
Google Workspace Updates Blog: BYOD on Google Meet on Chrome OS touch controller rooms

Prepare for the NEET UG with practice tests in Gemini

2026-04-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

We recently launched full-length, no-cost practice tests in Gemini, starting with the SAT and JEE Main. Today, we’re expanding practice tests to support the NEET UG.

We have grounded practice tests in rigorously vetted content from leading education companies like Physics Wallah and Careers360, to build a best in class experience for learners coming to Gemini. This helps ensure that you’re not just practicing — you’re preparing with material that more closely resembles what you’ll see on test day.

To try it out, just tell Gemini “I want to take a NEET mock exam.”

Note: This feature is currently available in English only.

Getting started

Admins: The Gemini app and related in-app tools are controlled by the Generative AI settings in the Workspace Admin console. Practice tests in Gemini are subject to these existing controls. Visit the Help Center for more information on turning the Gemini app on or off.
End users: End users of all ages who have access to the Gemini app will receive access to practice tests automatically. To get started, tell Gemini which practice test you want to take.

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 are signed in to the Gemini app

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn the Gemini app on or off
Keyword Blog: Prep for the SAT with practice tests in Gemini
Keyword Blog: New AI Tools to Support India’s Next Generation
Workspace Updates: Prepare for the SAT with full-length practice tests in Gemini
Workspace Updates: Prepare for the JEE Main with practice tests in Gemini

Expanded NotebookLM capabilities for Education Plus and Teaching & Learning add-on customers

2026-04-13T08:28:00.000-07:00

We’re increasing limits across NotebookLM features for customers with Google Workspace for Education Plus or a Teaching and Learning add-on license at no additional cost. Users will now see a Plus badge next to their profile picture, indicating access to higher usage thresholds.

Users with Google Workspace for Education Plus or a Teaching and Learning add-on license will benefit from several upgrades, including:

Increased source context: Support for more sources in each notebook.
More engagement: Send more chat queries per day.
Expanded study tools: Create more flashcard sets and quizzes.
More multimedia generation: Create more Video Overviews, Audio Overviews, infographics and slide decks.

Visit the Help Center to see a full list of NotebookLM features and limits.

Note: Certain NotebookLM features are only available to 18+ users. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Getting started

Admins: NotebookLM is ON by default and can be disabled at the domain, OU, or group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on April 6, 2026

Availability

Education: Education Plus; Teaching and Learning add-on

Resources

Google Help: Use NotebookLM with a work or school Google account
Workspace Admin Help: Turn NotebookLM on or off for users

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - April 10, 2026

2026-04-10T14:04:00.000-07:00

Book Google Workspace resources from third-party calendars

Organizations that use both Google Workspace and other calendaring systems, like Microsoft Outlook, can now more easily coordinate shared resources, such as rooms, projectors, or company cars. | Learn more about how to book Google Workspace resources from third-party calendars.

Greater control and error visibility for Google Sheets formulas

We are introducing updates to the logic and parameter support for a targeted set of Google Sheets functions. These changes are designed to improve error visibility, offer more control over data, and ensure seamless compatibility when importing files. | Learn more about greater control and error visibility for Google Sheets formulas.

Migration update on restricted access items

With this update, all items with legacy restricted access will be automatically migrated to use the limited access setting instead. There will be no change to who can see or access the files. | Learn more about Migration update on restricted access items.

Speech translation in Google Meet is now rolling out to mobile devices

Following our recent general availability launch for web, we are excited to announce that speech translation is now rolling out to the Meet Android and iOS apps. The feature allows audio to be translated to other languages in near-real-time, helping global teams communicate more naturally and removing language barriers. | Learn more about speech translation in Google Meet is now out to mobile devices.

Edit your AI-generated scripts when you convert Slides to Vids

Now when you import Slides into Google Vids with Gemini enabled, you can see and edit your AI-generated scripts for each slide before completing the import, generating voiceovers, and applying animations. | Learn more about how to edit your AI-generated scripts when you convert Slides to Vids.

Gmail end-to-end encryption now available on mobile devices

We’re expanding Gmail end-to-end encryption (E2EE) to Android and iOS devices for Gmail client-side encryption (CSE) users. With Gmail E2EE, your users can confidentially engage with your organization's most sensitive data from anywhere on their mobile devices while ensuring data remains compliant and with your organizations sovereignty and compliance requirements. | Learn more about Gmail end-to-end encryption now available on mobile devices.

Expanding access to longer musical tracks in the Gemini app

Last month, we introduced Lyria 3 Pro in the Gemini app for select Business, Enterprise, and Education editions. Now, more users can create longer tracks with Lyria 3 Pro in the Gemini app. | Learn more about expanded access to longer musical tracks in the Gemini app.

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

Expanding access to longer musical tracks in the Gemini app

2026-04-09T12:09:00.000-07:00

Last month, we introduced Lyria 3 Pro in the Gemini app for select Business, Enterprise, and Education editions. Starting today, more users can create longer tracks with Lyria 3 Pro in the Gemini app.

Lyria 3 Pro allows users to create tracks up to three minutes long, with customization and creative control. Lyria 3 Pro better understands musical composition, so users can now prompt for specific elements like intros, verses, choruses, and bridges. It’s great for experimenting with different styles or adding custom tracks to projects, presentations, or assets.

Note: Lyria 3 Pro music generation in Gemini is currently available globally supporting languages such as English, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Spanish, Portuguese, German, and French for users over the age of 18.

Getting started

Admins: The Gemini app and related in-app tools are controlled by the Generative AI settings in the Workspace Admin console. Music generation in Gemini is subject to these existing controls. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning the Gemini app on or off.
End users: End users will receive access to full-length songs automatically. To get started, select “Create music” from the tools menu. Visit the Help Center to learn more about limits.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) started on April 8, 2026

Availability

Lyria 3 Pro is now available to the following Google Workspace customers and users with personal accounts who are 18 years or older and signed in to the Gemini app:

Business: Business Starter
Enterprise: Enterprise Starter
Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus
Consumer: Google AI Plus
Other Editions: Frontline Starter, Standard, and Plus; Nonprofits

Lyria 3 Pro is already available to the following Google Workspace customers and users with personal accounts who are 18 years or older and signed in to the Gemini app:

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

Resources

Keyword Blog: Lyria 3 Pro: Create longer tracks in more Google products
Google Workspace Updates: Create longer musical tracks in the Gemini app with Lyria 3 Pro
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn the Gemini app on or off
Google Help: Generate music with Gemini Apps

Gmail end-to-end encryption now available on mobile devices

2026-04-09T10:26:00.000-07:00

For the first time, users can compose and read these E2EE messages natively within the Gmail app on Android and iOS. No need to download extra apps or use mail portals. Users with a Gmail E2EE license can send an encrypted message to any recipient, regardless of what email address the recipient has.

Gmail recipients: If the recipient uses the Gmail app, the encrypted message will be delivered as a typical email thread to their inbox.
Guest recipients: If the recipient doesn’t have the Gmail app, they can seamlessly and securely read and reply in their own native browser, ensuring that all users have a simple and secure interface, regardless of their email service or device.

This launch combines the highest level of privacy and data encryption with a user-friendly experience for all users, enabling simple encrypted email for all customers from small businesses to enterprises and public sector.

Composing a E2EE message in Gmail

Recipient without Gmail app reading in browser

Getting started

Admins: Admin will need to enable the Android and iOS clients in the CSE admin interface in order for users to have access. This can be done in the Admin Console, visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: To add client-side encryption to any message, click the lock icon and select additional encryption, and compose your message and add attachments as normal. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using client-side encryption for Gmail.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Enterprise: Enterprise Plus with the Assured Controls or Assured Controls Plus add-on

Resources

Google Help: Learn about Gmail Client-side encryption
Google Workspace Admin Help: About client-side encryption
Google Workspace Admin Help: About Assured Controls and Assured Controls Plus
Google Workspace Blog: New in Gmail: Making end-to-end encrypted emails easy to use for all organizations

Edit your AI-generated scripts when you convert Slides to Vids

2026-04-09T08:07:00.000-07:00

Now when you import Slides into Google Vids with Gemini enabled, you can see and edit your AI-generated scripts for each slide before completing the import, generating voiceovers, and applying animations. Previously, these edits could only be made after the import process was finished.

This update allows you to:

Refine your narrative early: Review and adjust the AI-generated script or choose to use your original speaker notes for each slide before the video draft is created.
Save time and effort: By making script adjustments up front, you reduce the need for back-and-forth editing once the video is in the main editor.
Customize voiceovers: Ensure the generated voiceover perfectly matches your intended message by finalizing the text before the audio is generated.

Whether you are turning a sales deck into a quick pitch or transforming a lesson plan into an educational video, this change provides a more streamlined workflow for creating high-quality video content from your existing presentations.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: This feature will be ON by default and can be disabled by the user in the Convert Slides workflow. To see the script editing screen, users must have the "Include AI voiceover, script, and background music" toggle enabled. If disabled, Vids will automatically begin the import after selecting slides. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on March 31, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on April 14, 2026

Availability

Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
Education: Education Plus, Teaching and Learning add-on
Consumer: Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra
Other Editions: Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus; Nonprofits
AI Add-ons: AI Ultra Access; AI Expanded Access; Google AI Pro for Education

Resources

Google Help: Convert Google Slides to Google Vids
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Create videos from your existing Google Slides presentations using Gemini in Google Vids

Speech translation in Google Meet is now rolling out to mobile devices

2026-04-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

More details

Language support: The feature supports bidirectional translation between English and Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Italian.
Single language pair per meeting: Currently, only one language pair (e.g., English <-> Spanish) can be active in a meeting at a time.
Meeting room hardware: Users in conference rooms can hear translations but their own speech will not be translated.
Ongoing improvements: Users can expect visual updates to the user interface, as well as refinements to translation accuracy and nuance.

Getting started

Admins: Speech translation will be ON by default and can be disabled/enabled at the organizational unit (OU) level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Speech translation on or off for Meet.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Speech Translation.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 8, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 23, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Learn about Speech Translation
Keyword: How AI made Meet’s language translation possible

Migration update on restricted access items

2026-04-07T12:29:00.000-07:00

Last year, we stopped allowing restricted access on specific files and folders within a shared folder in Google Drive, and instead required that restricted access be managed consistently via the limited access folder setting. With this update, all items with legacy restricted access will be automatically migrated to use the limited access setting instead. There will be no change to who can see or access the files.

After the migration to the limited access setting, any user can audit the files they own with limited access by using the Drive search operators owner:me is:limitedaccess.

Items that were automatically migrated will show limited access was applied by Google Drive.

Items with limited access applied will show the updated sharing experience.
Getting started

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

Rollout pace

Personal Google accounts: Available now
Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 9, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 16, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Learn about limited access to files and folders in Google Drive
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Upcoming Change to Drive Sharing Permissions

Greater control and error visibility for Google Sheets formulas

2026-04-07T10:36:00.000-07:00

Specifically, you will notice improvements across several categories of functions, including:

Better error surfacing: Select informational and statistical functions (such as HYPERLINK, VALUE, and T.TEST) will now more accurately flag underlying errors, like broken URLs or zero-variance denominators, preventing potential data issues from being masked.
Enhanced parameter support: Several statistical distribution functions (such as HYPGEOM.DIST, NORM.S.DIST, and LOGNORM.DIST) now support additional parameters, allowing for greater control and ensuring they import smoothly from external spreadsheets.
Refined calculation logic: Select financial and array functions (such as CUMIPMT and FREQUENCY) have been updated to provide more precise and predictable results based on your specific data inputs.

These enhancements reduce friction and provide more trustworthy outcomes for users who rely on precise mathematical behaviors. You can now troubleshoot complex spreadsheets more effectively and import external files with confidence, knowing your formulas will evaluate as expected. For a comprehensive list of Sheets functions and their specific inputs and behavior, please visit our Help Center.

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 about how these functions work in Sheets.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Google Help: Google Sheets function list

Book Google Workspace resources from third-party calendars

2026-04-07T09:31:00.000-07:00

Organizations that use both Google Workspace and other calendaring systems, like Microsoft Outlook, can now more easily coordinate shared resources, such as rooms, projectors, or company cars. We are introducing an open beta that allows non-Google users to book Google Workspace resources directly from their preferred calendar service.

Google Workspace admins can grant specific non-Google users or entire non-Google domains permission to book Workspace resources. Once these permissions are configured in the Admin Console, non-Google users can reserve a resource by simply adding its email address to the calendar event guest list. If the resource is configured to auto-reply, it automatically accepts or declines the invitation based on its availability and sends an email notification to the organizer.

Additionally, for organizations using both Google Workspace and Microsoft Outlook, admins can configure Calendar Interop. This allows Outlook users to find and book Workspace resources by their name and view their availability before sending an invite.

Getting started

Admins: This feature is OFF by default and can be configured at the resource level in the Admin console. Admins can specify which non-Google users or entire domains are permitted to book specific rooms. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: Once an admin has granted permission, non-Google users can book a room by adding the resource email as an attendee to their calendar event.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 7, 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; Nonprofits

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Allow non-Google users to book resources
Google Workspace Admin Help: Allow Exchange users to book Workspace resources
Google Workspace Admin Help: Share room and resource calendars

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - April 3, 2026

2026-04-06T12:00:00.001-07:00

Introducing guest accounts: Collaborate securely and communicate with non-Workspace users in Google Chat

We're excited to announce the general availability of guest accounts in Google Workspace. Guest accounts empower organizations to securely collaborate with customers, partners, and vendors that are not on Google Workspace. | Learn more about how to collaborate securely and communicate with non-Workspace users in Google Chat.

Ransomware detection and file restoration for Google Drive now generally available

We’re excited to share these two features are generally available with significant improvements in malware detection. | Learn more about ransomware detection and file restoration for Google Drive.

Download the third-party attestation for data regions

Admins have access to an independent review of Google Workspace’s data regions, not only for their compliance needs but also for their peace of mind. | Learn more about how to download the third-party attestation for data regions.

An update on secondary calendar lifecycle changes and a new API

In the coming months, we’ll introduce a new endpoint in the Calendar API that will allow developers to programmatically transfer the ownership of secondary calendars. | Learn more about the update on secondary calendar lifecycle changes and a new API.

Generate beautiful and editable slides with ease in Google Slides

Form creation with Gemini and more now available in more languages

You can use Help me create to enter a prompt that describes the form you want to create or a prompt that references supporting Docs, Sheets, Slides, or PDFs. | Learn more about form creation with Gemini and more now available in more languages.

Upcoming change to default setting for downloading Google Meet recordings

Currently, Google Meet video recordings do not allow viewers to download or copy them by default unless the recording owner explicitly allows it. As a result, the "Ask Gemini" functionality within the Drive viewer is also disabled by default for viewers who aren’t file owners. | Learn more about the upcoming change to default setting for downloading Google Meet recordings.

Enabling user-initiated purchases, starting with higher access to advanced AI features in Workspace

We’re introducing a new capability that allows end users to purchase Google Workspace add-ons directly, starting with the AI Expanded Access add-on for users in the United States and Canada with a Google Workspace Business edition. | Learn more about enabling user-initiated purchases, starting with higher access to advanced AI features in Workspace.

Create and refine custom avatars in Google Vids

AI Avatars in Google Vids provide high-quality speakers preferred five times more often than those on other platforms. Now you can customize and refine these avatars to match your brand and message, with Nano Banana 2. | Learn more about how to create and refine custom avatars in Google Vids.

Direct an avatar to speak and act anywhere with a consistent face and voice

We’re excited to announce you can now place avatars in different scenes and have them interact with objects you specify, like your newly released product or a piece of safety equipment. Their faces and voices will remain consistent as you generate different scenes. | Learn more about how to Direct an avatar to speak and act anywhere with a consistent face and voice.

Record your screen directly from Chrome with the Google Vids Screen Recorder Chrome Extension

You can now quickly record your screen from any browser window using the new Google Vids Screen Recorder Chrome extension. | Learn more about how to record your screen directly from Chrome with the Google Vids Screen Recorder Chrome Extension.

Export Google Vids directly to YouTube

You can now publish the videos you create in Google Vids directly to YouTube. This saves you a few steps - previously you would export the project as an MP4 file, then go to YouTube to upload the file. | Learn more about how to export Google Vids directly to YouTube.

Google Meet is now available on CarPlay

We’re excited to announce Google Meet for Apple CarPlay, allowing on-the-go professionals to stay connected hands-free and join meetings safely while on the road. | Learn more about Google Meet is now available on CarPlay.

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

Google Meet is now available on CarPlay

2026-04-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

We’re excited to announce Google Meet for Apple CarPlay, allowing on-the-go professionals to stay connected hands-free and join meetings safely while on the road.

With this update, users can now access Google Meet directly from their car's dashboard. This feature is designed to provide a seamless transition from your mobile iOS device to your vehicle, ensuring you never miss an important discussion. Whether you are commuting or traveling between appointments, you can now join meetings with a single tap, view your upcoming schedule, and participate in audio-only calls to maintain focus on driving.

Please note that when you join a meeting, your camera is turned off and you won’t see the incoming video content. You will hear the audio from the meeting and have audio input access from your microphone.

Android Auto users can expect a version of Meet for Android Auto soon.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: This feature will be ON by default for users with the Google Meet app installed on their iPhone. To use it, simply connect your iPhone to a CarPlay-compatible vehicle. 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 March 23, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Use Google Meet with Apple Carplay

Export Google Vids directly to YouTube

2026-04-02T09:13:00.000-07:00

Whether you are creating marketing videos, training materials, or educational content, this feature reduces manual effort and simplifies the publishing process.

To maintain security and provide creative control, all exported videos are initially set to Private. You can review the content in YouTube Studio before choosing to set the visibility to Public or Unlisted.

Use the new option in the File menu to export your video directly to YouTube.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be available by default to organizations with both YouTube and Google Vids enabled. The feature will not be visible in domains where YouTube is disabled, or “Strict” or “Moderate” restricted modes are enforced. Access to YouTube can be controlled at the domain/OU/group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more
End users: Try the feature in Google Vids today. Visit the Help Center to learn more about exporting your vids.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on Mar 31, 2026
Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on Apr 14, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage your organization's YouTube settings
Google Help: Get started with Google Vids
Google Workspace Blog: New easy ways to create and share videos with AI in Google Vids
Keyword: Create, edit and share videos at no cost in Google Vids

Record your screen directly from Chrome with the Google Vids Screen Recorder Chrome Extension

2026-04-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

You can now quickly record your screen from any browser window using the new Google Vids Screen Recorder Chrome extension. Instead of having to open Google Vids to access recording functionality, you can now initiate a recording with a single click right from the Chrome extensions toolbar.

This is available at no additional cost to Google Workspace customers and anyone with a personal Google account.

Whether you are capturing a quick walkthrough, a bug report, or a presentation, this extension simplifies the creation process by allowing you to record from any tab without interrupting your workflow. You can record videos up to 30 minutes in length, making it easy to capture thorough walkthroughs or deep dives. Once your recording is complete, you can preview it and then seamlessly open it in Vids to edit and share like any other video.

Quickly record your screen from any browser window

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be available by default if your organization has Google Vids enabled. To facilitate a smoother rollout, admins can force-install the extension and auto-pin it to the Chrome extensions toolbar for their users via the Admin console.
End users: If your admin hasn’t already installed the extension for you, navigate to the Chrome Web Store to add the extension to your browser. If your admin has not pinned it for you, we recommend pinning the extension to your toolbar for the fastest access.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now via the Chrome Web Store

Availability

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

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Automatically install apps and extensions
Google Workspace Blog: March Workspace Drop
Keyword: Create, edit and share videos at no cost in Google Vids

Direct an avatar to speak and act anywhere with a consistent face and voice

2026-04-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

AI Avatars in Google Vids can deliver your message with a consistent face and voice throughout a video, and they are preferred 5x more often than those on other platforms.

Today we’re excited to announce you can now place avatars in different scenes and have them interact with objects you specify, like your newly released product or a piece of safety equipment. Their faces and voices will remain consistent as you generate different scenes.

You can use avatars in scenarios like:

Annual training: Avatars can explain requirements in training videos while in relevant settings.
Company announcement: Place an avatar in your office by uploading an image.
Sales pitch: Upload an image of your product and direct your avatar to showcase it.

Prompt

He picks up the phone in the phone booth, and says "Whatever your story is, Avatars can tell it in Google Vids!" into the phone as if on a call.

Veo Generation

When generating avatars, users will have the ability to:

Control actions: Instruct your avatar to walk, talk, and use objects simply by typing a prompt.
Use reference images: Upload two additional images to direct your avatar in customized locations or to use unique objects relevant to your video.
Choose an avatar: Select a speaker that provides consistency across every generation.

Direct avatar experience

Currently, this feature is only available to Workspace accounts set to English.

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.

Note: Workspace customers will get promotional access to higher usage limits of Veo 3.1 avatars in Vids, allowing users to experiment with these features. Per-user usage limits will apply afterward; we’ll provide more information in a future update prior to any changes.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on March 31, 2025

Availability

Business Starter **, Standard, and Plus
Enterprise Starter **, Standard, and Plus
Essentials Starter, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus
Nonprofits**
Education Plus** and Teaching and Learning add-on**
Google AI Pro for Education add-on
Google AI Pro and Ultra

**For a limited time, at least through May 31, 2026, Business Starter, Enterprise Starter, Nonprofit, Education Plus, and Teaching and Learning add-on accounts can access generative AI features in Vids. Learn about Google Vids availability.

Resources

Google Help: Use AI avatars in Google Vids
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Our best avatars in Google Vids yet, now powered by Veo 3.1

Create and refine custom avatars in Google Vids

2026-04-02T09:03:00.000-07:00

Why use custom avatars?

Unique Branding: Build an exclusive look that represents your specific team or organization.
Global Localization: Adjust appearance and background to fit specific regional locales.
Tailored Imagery: Stylize outfits—such as a tuxedo—to match the specific tone of your video.

Googler avatar

Astronaut avatar

Complete Creative Control

Guided Generation: Use a simple prompt or the guided form to create your initial avatar.
Easy Refinement: Request specific tweaks like adding glasses, hats, or changing locations.
Vocal Variety: Choose from seven available voices to seamlessly pair with your custom visuals.

Custom Avatar user experience

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about using avatars in Vids.

Note: Workspace customers will get promotional access to higher usage limits of avatars in Vids, allowing users to experiment with these features. Per-user usage limits will apply afterward; we’ll provide more information in a future update prior to any changes.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on April 2, 2026.

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Use AI avatars in Google Vids

Enabling user-initiated purchases, starting with higher access to advanced AI features in Workspace

2026-04-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

We’re introducing a new capability that allows end users to purchase Google Workspace add-ons directly, starting with the AI Expanded Access add-on for users in the United States and Canada with a Google Workspace Business edition. This feature is designed to help organizations and admins address the growing demand for AI tools while simplifying how users can get higher access to the latest advanced AI tools in Workspace.

Currently, users who want more access to advanced AI capabilities - such as higher usage in the Gemini app and NotebookLM, or specialized tools like Veo 3 or Avatar creation in Google Vids - must rely on their IT administrators to procure and assign add-on licenses. This can create bottlenecks for motivated users who have adopted these tools and are eager to further boost their productivity with Google Workspace. With this update, eligible users can purchase the AI Expanded Access add-on themselves using their own form of payment and an individual billing account.

Admins retain control

You retain full control of this feature, including the ability to turn this capability off for your entire organization or specific groups. Administrators can review which users have purchased subscriptions through the Admin console, and have the ability to cancel subscriptions if they wish to do so. Visibility of user-purchased subscriptions can be a valuable source of information to central teams around broader licensing decisions while maintaining administrative visibility and control.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be on by default, and can be disabled at the domain, OU, or group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: If your organization is eligible and the setting has not been disabled (see availability details below), users may see an in-product prompt to upgrade to get higher access when they reach their usage limit for certain AI features in Google Workspace. Clicking this prompt will allow the user to buy the add-on directly using their own payment method. Once they’ve signed up, they’ll get access to higher usage of advanced AI features in Workspace with the AI Expanded Access add-on when using their company Workspace account. Users will be able to manage their add-on subscription by visiting the user subscription management page at workspace.google.com/individual/user/manage.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Currently available
Users in eligible organizations may see the option to upgrade to the AI Expanded Access add-on when they reach certain AI feature usage limits starting no sooner than April 7, 2026.

Availability

Business Editions: Initially, users with Business Standard or Business Plus licenses in the United States and Canada will be able to make these purchases. We plan to make this capability available to more customers in the coming months. Administrators will be notified by email when user-initiated purchases will be made available in their domains, and they’ll have the opportunity to adjust settings for this capability in the Admin console before the rollout of user-initiated purchases.*

*Note: This feature is not yet available to customers who have purchased Workspace from a resale partner, an offline order form, or customers outside of the United States and Canada. For these customers, AI Expanded Access licenses can be purchased by Administrators in the Admin console, through your partner, or Google account manager.

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Let users buy add-ons

Upcoming change to default setting for downloading Google Meet recordings

2026-04-01T11:42:00.000-07:00

Starting April 30, 2026, we will change this default for new recordings. From that date forward, recording owners will need to manually restrict this setting for individual recordings if they do not want viewers to be able to download or copy them. This change applies only to future recordings and will not impact existing files.

If you want to keep downloads disabled by default, you must uncheck "Let Users download and copy Meet Recordings" in the Admin console before April 30, 2026. As a reminder, this will restrict Ask Gemini for viewers unless the recording owner takes action to allow downloads.

Getting started

Admins: Admins can manage this via the new "Meet video settings > Let Users download and copy Meet Recordings" control at the domain, OU, or group level. The new default is to allow users to download and copy Meet Recordings. Admins can change this default at any time. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: Recording owners retain the ability to manually restrict downloading and copying for individual recordings through the file sharing settings. 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 April 30, 2026

Availability

Business: Business Plus and Business Standard
Enterprise: Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Standard, and Enterprise Starter
Education: Education Plus and the Teaching and Learning Upgrade

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn Meet recording on or off for your organization

Form creation with Gemini and more now available in more languages

2026-04-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

Last year, we announced Help me create in Google Forms and then expanded access to the feature to seven more languages.

Help me create in Google Forms drafts your questions 3x faster than doing it manually.*

Now, this feature is also available to users in 21 more languages including Arabic, Catalan, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Mandarin, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian and Vietnamese.

You can use Help me create to enter a prompt that describes the form you want to create or a prompt that references supporting Docs, Sheets, Slides, or PDFs. Gemini will then generate a draft form, incorporating details from any files you reference, that can be used instantly or further customized.

Last year, we also announced Gemini-powered question suggestions. Now, this feature is also available to users in 28 more languages including Spanish, Portuguese, Japanese, Korean, French, Italian, and German.

*Note: The time savings for the feature are calculated from a randomized experiment of real users using Google Forms.

Getting started

Admins: To access Gemini in the side panel of Workspace apps, users need to have smart features and personalization turned on. Admins can turn on default personalization setting for their users in the Admin console. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about creating a form with Gemini in Google Forms.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

Business: Business Standard and Plus
Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
Education: Education Plus, Teaching & Learning, Google AI Pro for Education
Consumer: Google AI Pro and Ultra

Resources

Google Help: Supported languages for Google Workspace with Gemini
Google Workspace Updates blog: Use Gemini in Google Forms to quickly create a new form
Google Workspace Updates blog: Ask Gemini to suggest new questions

Generate beautiful and editable slides with ease in Google Slides

2026-04-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

Slide generation just got a major upgrade. Gemini can now create fully editable, brand-matched slides using dynamic layouts tailored to your specific content. To ensure visual consistency, Gemini securely analyzes your existing deck to generate designs that fit your established style. You can also manually reference specific files for content or style or allow Gemini to automatically surface relevant files from your Google Drive. In addition, users can now edit existing Slides to change layouts and design elements or content. Just click “Create” or “Enhance this slide” to get started.

You can still beautify your slide as an image as well, but that option is now only available from the Slide menu.

At launch, this feature will be supported in English and several additional languages.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
End users: Visit the Help Center to learn more about generating slides with Gemini.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on March 31, 2026

Availability

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

Note: This feature will be supported for English and international languages

Resources

Google Help: Learn how to generate a slide with Gemini in Google Slides
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Reimagining content creation with Gemini in Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drive

Google Workspace Updates

Now in beta: Download client-side encrypted Google Slides

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Now available: The Gemini app for Mac

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

New more expressive AI voiceovers in Google Vids, and 16 additional languages, powered by Gemini 3.1 Flash TTS

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Gemini in Google Classroom is now available in all Classroom-supported languages

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Additional BYOD peripheral switchers certified for Google Meet in ChromeOS touch controller rooms

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Prepare for the NEET UG with practice tests in Gemini

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Expanded NotebookLM capabilities for Education Plus and Teaching & Learning add-on customers

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - April 10, 2026

Book Google Workspace resources from third-party calendars

Greater control and error visibility for Google Sheets formulas

Migration update on restricted access items

Speech translation in Google Meet is now rolling out to mobile devices

Edit your AI-generated scripts when you convert Slides to Vids

Gmail end-to-end encryption now available on mobile devices

Expanding access to longer musical tracks in the Gemini app

Expanding access to longer musical tracks in the Gemini app

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Gmail end-to-end encryption now available on mobile devices

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Edit your AI-generated scripts when you convert Slides to Vids

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Speech translation in Google Meet is now rolling out to mobile devices

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Migration update on restricted access items

Items with limited access applied will show the updated sharing experience.Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Greater control and error visibility for Google Sheets formulas

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Book Google Workspace resources from third-party calendars

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - April 3, 2026

Items with limited access applied will show the updated sharing experience.
Getting started