Google Workspace Updates: February 2024

Set client-side encryption as the default mode for new emails, events, and files on mobile

Thursday, February 29, 2024

What’s changing Admins can now set client-side encryption (CSE) to be on by default on Android and iOS for:

Newly drafted Gmail messages and replies
Newly created Google Calendar events
Newly uploaded Google Drive files

Client-side encryption in Gmail

Admins can now set client-side encryption as the default mode for users on both web and mobile that regularly handle sensitive data. This allows organizations the flexibility to meet their compliance and regulatory requirements and reduce the burden on change management programs. Each new email, event and uploaded file on mobile is automatically client-side encrypted with customer managed keys meaning the user is compliant with their org’s policy from the outset. For organizations with strict regulatory or sovereignty requirements, this can help them close compliance gaps by defaulting users to the preferred mode for handling sensitive data while on the go.
For more information, check out our original announcement.

Getting started

Admins: This feature will be OFF by default and can be configured at an OU level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about client-side encryption.
End users: Use our Help Center to learn more about working with encrypted files in Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 29, 2024

Availability

Google Workspace Assured Controls is available as an add-on to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus customers only. For more information, contact your Google account representative.

Resources

Easily manage and secure your school’s accounts and mobile devices centrally in Google Admin console with the Endpoint Education Upgrade

Thursday, February 29, 2024

What’s changingThis year, we announced Endpoint Education Upgrade, which adds enterprise endpoint management features to your Google Workspace for Education edition. Using endpoint management, admins can better manage and secure the phones and tablets used across their school directly from the Admin console.Note that advanced endpoint management features are already included with Google Workspace for Education Standard and Plus.

Who’s impacted

Admins

Why you’d use it

Using the Endpoint Education Upgrade, admins can configure a wide range of account and device management features, helping to make your organization's data more secure across your users' mobile devices, desktops, laptops, and other endpoints. For example, you can:

Control what Android & iOS app can be installed on a device, who can log into it (for ___domain owned devices), and where it can access your data.
Protect devices from loss or theft with admin rules for alerts, ___location tracking, access restrictions, and remote data wipes.
Manage company-owned devices or set up Android work profiles, so users can safely access your school account on the go.
Require stronger device passwords and more.

Visit the Help Center for a complete list of endpoint management features.

Getting started

Admins: Visit our Help Center to learn more about the Endpoint Education Upgrade.

Rollout pace

The Endpoint Education Upgrade will be available for purchase through your current Google Workspace for Education reseller and select channel partners on February 29, 2024. If you do not currently have a Google Workspace for Education reseller, you can find one here.

Availability

Endpoint Education Upgrade is available by user based license or device based license (coming soon) — it is not a ___domain wide license. You can purchase Endpoint Education Upgrade licenses through your current Google Workspace for Education reseller and select channel partners.
If you have Education Fundamentals and wish to upgrade instead of purchasing individual Endpoint Education Upgrade licenses, you can easily upgrade to Education Standard or Education Plus.

Resources

Conduct direct 1:1 calls with people outside your video calling network on Google Meet mobile

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

What’s changingEarlier this year, we introduced cloud-encrypted 1:1 video calls between users in the same ___domain using the Meet mobile app. In the coming weeks, users from outside of your ___domain will be able to initiate 1:1 video calls with your users and vice versa. Admins will be able to pre-configure this functionality as on or off for their users with a new admin control. The timeline for this update is as follows:

Admin control for restricting external calls placed directly to a user via their email: Admins will begin seeing the new control beginning today.

Note that this admin setting does not apply to external calls placed to a users’ legacy account. Visit the Help Center to learn more about how to restrict legacy calls.

End user availability: The external calling feature will begin rolling out to end users beginning in April.

Who’s impacted

Admins and end users

Why it matters

1:1 cloud-encrypted video calling in the Meet mobile app makes it easier to connect with others by significantly reducing the need to create meeting links ahead of time. We’re expanding these 1:1 cloud-encrypted calls to allow users outside of your ___domain to initiate 1:1 calls, making it easier to connect with your external partners and stakeholders. However, to ensure external contact is appropriate, admins can turn this functionality on or off for their users.

Getting started

Admins:

Creating meetings and calling is ON by default in Meet but can always be turned OFF. Note: 1:1 calling was launched earlier this year and you may have already turned this off.

By default, users can receive calls only from contacts and other users in the organization. You can use the new admin switch to enable calls from outside your ___domain at the OU level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about restricting who can call users in your organization with Google Meet.

Note: This setting affects only Google Meet calling, not legacy services (formerly known as Duo) or calling in Google Chat. This also does not affect the ability to join meetings. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Meet legacy calling on or off for your users. Note that If you have legacy calling enabled for your users, they will have access to features previously found in Duo (group calls, messages, moments, family mode, etc.) if they have not upgraded to the new Meet app.

End users:

Rollout pace

Admin control

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on February 27, 2024

End user availability

Rapid and Scheduled Release: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 8, 2024

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Google Help: Learn about call & meeting encryption in Google Meet
Google Help: Make video or voice calls with Google Meet
Google Workspace Admin Help: Restrict who can call my organization's users with Google Meet
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn on Meet meetings and calls for your organization
Google Workspace Updates Blog: 1:1 video calling in the Google Meet mobile app is now available
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn Meet legacy calling on or off for your users without impacting additional services
Google Help: Learn about the new Google Meet app

New ways to annotate Google Docs

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Update

[May 8, 2024] Rollout to rapid release domains is complete. See the Rollout section below for more details on scheduled release domains.
[April 24, 2024] We have updated the rollout information for this feature. See the Rollout section below for more details.

What’s changing

We’re excited to announce a new feature, markups in Google Docs, which gives you more flexibility when providing feedback in a document. The new markups experience lets you add handwritten annotations to documents with a stylus or your finger when using an Android device.

Markups can be useful in numerous scenarios, such as:

Colleagues giving each other handwritten feedback on diagrams, charts, reports or proposals.
Educators giving students feedback on their essays, reports, short stories and more.
A homeowner providing ideas or updates on construction plans from their contractor.

In order to add annotations, you must use an Android device. From there, you can:

Enter the markups mode and annotate using pen or highlighter tools
Hide/show markups
Erase markups
Insert suggested markups

On iOS devices, you can:

View a document with markups
Delete markups
Hide/show markups

On desktop, you can:

View a document with markups
Delete markups
Hide/show markups

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: To turn on markups, open a document > select the markups tool from the contextual toolbar > draw with your finger or stylus. Visit the Help Center to learn how to use drawings & markups.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 27, 2024, with expected completion by May 8, 2024
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on May 20, 2024

Availability

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

Resources:

Google Help: Learn how to use drawings & markups

Available in open beta: the Groups Admin role can now be provisioned for specific group types

Monday, February 26, 2024

What’s changingThe Groups Admin role can now be assigned for security groups or non-security groups. Previously, those with the Groups Admin role had access to all groups within an organization. This change gives administrators more granular delegation of group admin responsibilities, helping limit access to the most sensitive groups to only those who absolutely need it.

This feature is available in open beta, which means no additional sign-up is required to use the feature.Getting started

Admins:

You can assign a group as a security group through the Cloud Identity Groups API or the Admin Console, and then manage these groups through the Admin SDK Groups API, the Admin console, or the Cloud Identity Groups API. See our API documentation to learn how to update a Google Group to a security group.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about the Groups Admin role, assigning specific admin roles, and prebuilt administrator roles.

End users: There is no end user impact or action required.

Rollout pace

Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 26, 2024

Availability

Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers

Resources

Easily identify which unread threads are most relevant to you in Google Chat

Monday, February 26, 2024

What’s changing Last year, we announced that all newly created spaces in Google Chat will be in-line threaded. This streamlined user experience enables you to reply to any message and create a separate discussion isolated from the main conversation. We also introduced several updates, such as home, mentions and starred messages to help you find what you need much faster in Chat.
Today, we’re continuing our enhancements across Chat by improving the in-line threaded experience in spaces. With multiple threads across numerous spaces, we know it can be difficult to identify which unread threads are most relevant to you. In order to provide you with more context upfront, you will now see participant avatars for unread threads in the conversation view. Without having to click to open the thread side panel, it will now be much easier to decide which threads to read and reply to.

Who’s impacted End users

Why you’d use it Being able to see the participant avatars for unread threads makes it easier to identify whether a thread is relevant to you.

Getting started

Rollout pace Web:

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 26, 2024

Android:

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 26, 2024

iOS:

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 26, 2024

Availability

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

Resources

Now generally available: Import and convert sensitive Excel files into client-side encrypted Google Sheets

Monday, February 26, 2024

What’s changingYou can now import and convert sensitive Excel files into Google Sheets with client-side encryption. When collaborating with external and internal stakeholders, you may find yourself working across both Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. This update keeps your work moving by layering interoperability on top of the privacy benefits of client-side encryption: users are in direct control of their encryption keys and the identity service that they choose to authenticate for those keys.

This feature was previously announced in August 2023 as part of an open beta.

Additional details

With this release:

You can only import .xslx Excel file types.
Additional Excel and tabular file types are not supported.
During import, unsupported Excel features in Sheets will be ignored.
The maximum file size is 100MB.
The maximum number of cells that can be imported is 10 million.

Getting started

Admins: Client-side encryption can be enabled at the ___domain, OU, and Group levels (Admin console > Security > Access and data control > Client-side encryption). Visit our Help Center to learn more about client-side encryption.
End users: If client-side encryption is enabled by your admin, use our Help Center to learn more about working with encrypted files in Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides.

Rollout pace

Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 26, 2024

Availability

Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, and Education Standard customers

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: About client-side encryption
Google Help: Get started with encrypted files in Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides
Google Workspace Updates Blog: Stronger data security and privacy with Google Workspace Client-side encryption, GA support for Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - February 23, 2024

Friday, February 23, 2024

1 New updateUnless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if launching to both Rapid and Scheduled Release at the same time. If not, each stage of rollout should take no more than 15 business days to complete.

New way to use smart canvas in Google Docs We’re introducing a new feature in Google Docs that utilizes smart canvas to boost productivity and streamline your workflow. Starting this week, you will see suggestions for email autocomplete, followed by a people chip conversion option using the Tab key. | Rolling out to Rapid Release domains now; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for March 7, 2024. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Learn more about and inserting smart chips in your Google Doc.

email autocomplete, followed by a people chip conversion option using the Tab key

Previous announcements

The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.

Updates to the Google Workspace Marketplace

End users can now discover and install Google Chat apps from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Additionally, users can now open the Google Workspace Marketplace directly from within Chat. | Learn more about Workspace Marketplace and Chat apps.

Introducing Gemini for Google Workspace, plus more AI offerings to better meet your business needs

On February 8, we announced the next chapter of our Gemini era. As part of this change, starting today, the Duet AI for Google Workspace Enterprise add-on is now called Gemini Enterprise.We’re also introducing Gemini Business, which is available to new and existing Google Workspace customers (see the availability section below for more details). Gemini Business is a Workspace add-on subscription which provides a subset of the generative AI features available in Gemini Enterprise, subject to monthly usage limits. | Learn more about Gemini for Google Workspace.

Updated user interface for signing in to or signing up for your Google Account

We’re updating the look and feel of our sign-up and sign-in pages with a more modern look, which is in-line with the Material Design across our other products. You'll see the updated interface across web and mobile devices. | Learn more about the updated interface.

The Google Meet API is now generally available

In November 2023, we announced the availability of the Google Meet API through our Developer Preview Program. Beginning this week, the Google Meet API is generally available. | Learn more about the Google Meet API.

Check in to your meeting room directly from the Google Meet green room

One of the challenges of joining a virtual meeting from a conference room, is that the people in the room are identified by the name of the conference room rather than as individuals. Google Meet’s room check-in feature helps ensure everyone in the meeting can see your name and be aware of your presence. | Learn more about Google Meet’s room check-in.

Completed rollouts

The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both. Please refer to the original blog posts for additional details.

Rapid Release Domains:

Scheduled Release Domains:

Improving space creation in Google Chat (new space creation flow)

Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains:

For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

Check in to your meeting room directly from the Google Meet green room

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

What’s changing One of the challenges of joining a virtual meeting from a conference room, is that the people in the room are identified by the name of the conference room rather than as individuals. Google Meet’s room check-in feature helps ensure everyone in the meeting can see your name and be aware of your presence. If you’re using companion mode on the web, you can now check in to your meeting room directly from the green room. Then, when you enter the call, everyone will immediately see your name alongside the conference room you’re joining from. Previously, you were prompted to check in once you were on the call, which is still available if you did not check in from the green room.

Checking in from the green room ensures that everyone in the meeting can see your name when you join

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers with Meet Hardware devices

Resources

Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage Meet settings
Google Help: Use Companion mode for hybrid learning & collaboration
Google Help: Use Companion mode for collaboration equity in hybrid meetings
Youtube: How to use Companion mode in Google Meet

The Google Meet API is now generally available

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

What’s changing In November 2023, we announced the availability of the Google Meet API through our Developer Preview Program. Beginning today, the Google Meet API is generally available. You can use the Meet API to:

Programmatically create and configure Meet calls
Retrieve information about past meetings, such as the meeting times and attendees.
Access meeting artifacts, such as transcripts and video recordings
Subscribe to real time updates on meetings, such as when a participant joins or leaves

For more information, please reference our original announcement.

Who's impacted

Admins and developers

Why you’d use it

Integrating the Meet API in your product with the Google Meet API streamlines workflows and provides your product with Meet information that easily enhances your product offering. For example, partners such as Hubspot, Outreach, Salesforce, and Salesloft currently integrate the Meet API into their solutions to pull meeting recordings and artifacts into their conversational intelligence tools for analysis and sales coaching.

Getting started

Rollout pace

Available now.

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Updated user interface for signing in to or signing up for your Google Account

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

What’s changing We’re updating the look and feel of our sign-up and sign-in pages with a more modern look, which is in-line with the Material Design across our other products. You'll see the updated interface across web and mobile devices. Note that this is strictly a change in visual appearance, there are no functionality impacts or changes.

The new Google sign-in page on web

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature — users see these improvements automatically. Visit the Help Center to learn more about the new Google sign-in page.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 21, 2024

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers
Available to users with personal Google Accounts

Resources

Google Help: Learn about the new Google sign-in page

Introducing Gemini for Google Workspace, plus more AI offerings to better meet your business needs

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

What’s changing On February 8, we announced the next chapter of our Gemini era. As part of this change, starting today, the Duet AI for Google Workspace Enterprise add-on is now called Gemini Enterprise. Gemini Enterprise includes full usage and access to generative AI features in Workspace, such as help me write, organize, and visualize, and more. Gemini Enterprise will continue to be the best way to get our most advanced AI features, like live translated captions in Meet.

We’re also introducing Gemini Business, which is available to new and existing Google Workspace customers (see the availability section below for more details). Gemini Business is a Workspace add-on subscription which provides a subset of the generative AI features available in Gemini Enterprise, subject to monthly usage limits. With tools to enhance productivity, boost creativity, and save you time, Gemini Business is a good option for businesses looking to get started with generative AI.

In addition, customers of Gemini Enterprise and Gemini Business can now chat directly with Gemini through a new standalone experience (gemini.google.com).This experience, which starts rolling out today, is built on our 1.0 Ultra model*, and provides enterprise-grade data protections and admin controls. Gemini can be a starting point for work and a better way to research, brainstorm, and analyze information—all with the capability to double check responses with confidence. With a Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise plan, your conversations are not used for advertising purposes, reviewed by human reviewers, nor used to improve generative machine-learning technologies. For more information, see the latest on the Workspace blog and our previous post on how we’re protecting your Google Workspace data in the era of generative AI. Roll out of Gemini starts today for Gemini Enterprise and Gemini Business customers and will continue over the next several days.

Who’s impacted

Admins

Why it’s important

With these new offerings, businesses will have greater access to our robust suite of AI-powered features, which can be used to:

Gemini Business is a great option for organizations looking to get started with generative AI. Gemini Enterprise will be the right choice for organizations that want to ensure full access to generative AI features from Google. Customers are able to have both Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise licenses in the same ___domain, providing flexibility in how they roll out generative AI in their organization.

Additional details

Gemini Enterprise is now available for Google Workspace Nonprofits

Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise add-ons can now be purchased by non-profits customers with a Google Workspace for Nonprofits subscription. Use this link to learn more about Gemini for Google Workspace.

Getting started

Admins:

See here for more information about adding Gemini to your Google Workspace plan.
Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Gemini (gemini.google.com) on or off for your users, and about Gemini Enterprise and Gemini Business for Google Workspace in general.

Availability

Gemini Business is available as an add-on for Google Workspace Business Starter, Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Frontline Starter, Frontline Standard, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, and Google Workspace for Nonprofits.

We're working to bring Gemini for Workspace to our education customers, and we look forward to sharing more about this in the coming weeks.
*Gemini (gemini.google.com) is not currently available to Gemini Enterprise and Gemini Business users working in Hong Kong, France, or French territories. However, all other Gemini for Google Workspace features are supported in these locales.
Gemini for Google Workspace features are only available for users over the age of 18.

Resources

Updates to the Google Workspace Marketplace

Wednesday, February 21, 2024

What’s changingIn 2023, we introduced the ability for admins to install Google Chat apps to direct messages on behalf of users within their ___domain from the Google Workspace Marketplace. Now, end users can also discover and install Google Chat apps from the Google Workspace Marketplace.

Additionally, users can now open the Google Workspace Marketplace directly from within Chat. This will include an enhanced browsing experience with curated app categories such as “Intelligent apps”. Lastly, developers can start publishing Chat apps on the Google Workspace Marketplace, allowing users to more easily discover, install and use the apps.

Who’s impacted Admins, end users and developers

Additional details Chat app users can now leave reviews and flag any inappropriate Chat apps directly from the Marketplace app listing.

Getting started

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

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

Resources

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - February 16, 2024

Friday, February 16, 2024

2 New updatesUnless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if launching to both Rapid and Scheduled Release at the same time. If not, each stage of rollout should take no more than 15 business days to complete.

New formatting sidebar in Google Docs, Slides and Sheets apps on Android Tablets This week, we’re further improving the Google Workspace experience on large screen Android devices by adding a new formatting sidebar in Google Docs, Slides and Sheets. In addition to meeting the Google Material Design 3 guidelines, this new sidebar reduces the number of taps needed to navigate to formatting options, enabling you to more easily arrange text, tables, images and more. | Rolling out to Rapid Release domains now; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for March 6, 2024. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

New formatting sidebar in Google Docs, Slides and Sheets apps on Android Tablets

New sidebar experience in Google Docs on an Android tablet
Easily drag and drop an image to replace the background in Google SlidesHovering over the border of an empty slide before dropping in an image (from your desktop, Content Library or another webpage) will now set the image as the background in Google Slides. Dropping the image anywhere else will simply insert the image onto the slide. | Rolling out to Rapid Release domains now; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for February 26, 2024. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Learn more about changing the theme, background, or layout in Google Slides.

Previous announcements

The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.

Google Meet “companion mode” is now supported on your mobile device for great hybrid meetings

Beginning this week, you’ll be able to use companion mode with your Android and iOS devices. | Learn more about Google Meet companion mode.

Creating more immersive presentations in Google Slides

Starting this week, Speaker spotlight in Slides, an experience that lets presenters insert their video feed directly into their Slides content, is generally available for select Google Workspace editions. With Speaker spotlight, you can deliver your message with greater impact by embedding your camera feed directly into your Slides presentations. This feature helps keep your audience focused on you and can help make your content more compelling. | Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, and Education Plus customers only. | Learn more about speaker spotlight.

Assign mobile device management admin privileges based on organizational unit

We’re giving admins more granular control over how mobile device management privileges are delegated. Specifically, admins can be assigned privileges for specific organizational units (OUs). | Learn more about mobile device management.

Sort, filter and manage comments faster in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides

We’re introducing an improved comments experience in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides to help you find and take action on comments easier than ever before. While you will continue to see and interact with the comments experience you’re familiar with, you’ll also notice updates to our comment cards, icons, and more. | Learn more about comments across Workspace.

Completed rollouts

The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both. Please refer to the original blog posts for additional details.

Scheduled Release Domains:

Jump to where your collaborator is while editing in Google Sites

Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains:

For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).

Sort, filter and manage comments faster in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides

Thursday, February 15, 2024

What’s changingWe’re introducing an improved comments experience in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides to help you find and take action on comments easier than ever before. While you will continue to see and interact with the comments experience you’re familiar with, you’ll also notice updates to our comment cards, icons, and more.
You can explore new and familiar ways to interact with comments by going to View > Comments and selecting:

Show all comments: opens up a full-length view to deep dive into multiple comments more easily in Docs, Sheets or Slides. Now you can use updated search and filter functionality to focus on the most relevant comments. You will also notice a curated ‘For you’ list, which surfaces all the comments you need to take action on.
Expand comments (in Google Docs and Slides): shows comments next to the document or presentation content so you can review comments and content together.
Minimize comments (in Google Docs and Sheets): reduces comments to icons so you can have a more focused view of your work in Docs and Sheets. This setting provides a quick preview with high level information about who is commenting when you hover over the minimized icons.
Hide comments: hides comments from view when you want to focus solely on the content in Docs, Sheets or Slides.

manage comments faster in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides

Who’s impacted

End users

Why you’d use it

With this update, you can now find and organize comments more easily, enabling seamless collaboration with others on Google Docs, Sheets and Slides.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users: This feature will be ON by default and cannot be disabled. To open the full-length panel, go to View > Comments > Show all comments. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using comments, action items, & emoji reactions

Rollout pace

Availability

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

Resources

Google Help: Use comments, action items, & emoji reactions

Assign mobile device management admin privileges based on organizational unit

Thursday, February 15, 2024

What’s changingWe’re giving admins more granular control over how mobile device management privileges are delegated. Specifically, admins can be assigned privileges for specific organizational units (OUs). This adds yet another layer of security by ensuring that access is scoped to the necessary OUs only. This feature is available as an open beta, which means you can use it without enrolling in a specific beta program.

Creating a custom role, which is assignable at the OU level.

Assigning permissions at the OU level

Example experience for an admin with OU level permissions

Getting started

Rollout pace

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 15, 2024

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Creating more immersive presentations in Google Slides

Thursday, February 15, 2024

What’s changingStarting today, speaker spotlight in Slides, an experience that lets presenters insert their video feed directly into their Slides content, is generally available for select Google Workspace editions.
With speaker spotlight, you can deliver your message with greater impact by embedding your Meet video feed directly into your Slides presentations. This feature helps keep your audience focused on you and can help make your content more compelling.
Users can insert a variety of speaker spotlight shapes directly into their slides and then format them to their liking. Once in slideshow mode, your camera feed will appear in that shape so you can deliver a captivating presentation. Speaker spotlight also integrates seamlessly with Meet and Slides Recordings for more engaging virtual or recorded presentations.

Who’s impacted End users

Why it’s important Speaker spotlight helps you better connect with audiences using video during live presentations, which is especially useful when working in a hybrid environment.

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Available to Google Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, and Education Plus

Resources

Google Help: Use speaker spotlight

Google Meet “companion mode” is now supported on your mobile device for great hybrid meetings

Monday, February 12, 2024

What’s changing Companion mode in Google Meet is designed to seamlessly connect those in meeting rooms with their remote teammates, giving everyone access to interactive features and controls, while leveraging the best of in-room audio and video conferencing capabilities. Currently, you can use companion mode from a laptop or desktop device. Beginning today, you’ll be able to use companion mode with your Android and iOS devices.

Using Companion mode from your mobile device is a quick, light-weight way to participate in meetings without opening a laptop. This can be particularly useful in meeting spaces where room for a laptop is limited, or as an easy, discreet way to participate during large in-person meetings, such as all hands or town halls.

Specifically, you can use companion mode to:

Check-in to the room to be identified by name.
Share an emoji reaction without interrupting the speaker.
Raise your hand to indicate that you’d like to speak.
Turn on captions to view subtitles as everyone speaks during a meeting.
Exchange chat messages with other meeting participants.
View and zoom in on presented content to easily follow along with the presenter on your own device.

You can also use the room check-in feature on mobile as well, making it easier for other attendees to see your name alongside the conference room you’re joining from.

Share an emoji reaction without interrupting the speaker.

Raise your hand to indicate that you’d like to speak.

Turn on captions to view subtitles as everyone speaks during a meeting.

Exchange chat messages with other meeting participants.

View and zoom in on presented content to easily follow along with the presenter on your own device

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
End users:

This feature will be available by default. You can join a meeting using companion mode from the green room before your meeting. Use this Help Center article and video guide to learn more about using companion mode in Google Meet.
Note: Your audio and mic will automatically be muted—we recommend using meeting room hardware for audio and video to avoid feedback.

Rollout pace

Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 12, 2024.
Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 27, 2024

Note that the following minimum builds are required:

Minimum Android Build:

Meet - 229. (Android Settings > Apps > Meet > [App Info > Version])
Gmail - 2024.01.28. (Android Settings > Apps > Gmail > [App Info > Version])

Minimum iOS Build:

Meet - 225.0. (Meet App > Settings > About, terms, privacy)
Gmail - 6.0.231231. (Gmail App > Settings > About Gmail)

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers
Also available to Google Workspace Individual customers, as well as users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Useful Links

Join the official community for Google Workspace administrators

In the Google Cloud Community, connect with Googlers and other Google Workspace admins like yourself. Participate in product discussions, check out the Community Articles, and learn tips and tricks that will make your work and life easier. Be the first to know what's happening with Google Workspace.

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Learn about more Google Workspace launches

On the “What’s new in Google Workspace?” Help Center page, learn about new products and features launching in Google Workspace, including smaller changes that haven’t been announced on the Google Workspace Updates blog.

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Updates

Set client-side encryption as the default mode for new emails, events, and files on mobile

Easily manage and secure your school’s accounts and mobile devices centrally in Google Admin console with the Endpoint Education Upgrade

Conduct direct 1:1 calls with people outside your video calling network on Google Meet mobile

New ways to annotate Google Docs

Available in open beta: the Groups Admin role can now be provisioned for specific group types

Easily identify which unread threads are most relevant to you in Google Chat

Now generally available: Import and convert sensitive Excel files into client-side encrypted Google Sheets

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - February 23, 2024

Check in to your meeting room directly from the Google Meet green room

The Google Meet API is now generally available

Updated user interface for signing in to or signing up for your Google Account

Introducing Gemini for Google Workspace, plus more AI offerings to better meet your business needs

Updates to the Google Workspace Marketplace

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap - February 16, 2024

Sort, filter and manage comments faster in Google Docs, Sheets and Slides

Assign mobile device management admin privileges based on organizational unit

Creating more immersive presentations in Google Slides

Google Meet “companion mode” is now supported on your mobile device for great hybrid meetings

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Localized Google Workspace Updates

Useful Links

Join the official community for Google Workspace administrators

Learn about more Google Workspace launches