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Granular space creation restrictions now available in Google Chat

We are introducing a new admin setting in Google Chat that allows administrators to restrict specific users or groups from creating spaces, while continuing to permit them to create 1:1 direct messages (DMs) and group direct messages (gDMs).

Previously, Chat restriction settings functioned as a single all-or-nothing toggle, which disabled all conversation creation. With this update, administrators gain more flexible policy enforcement with the following restriction levels:

  • No restrictions: All chat creation (1:1 DMs, group direct messages, and spaces) is permitted.
  • Restrict space creation: Users can create 1:1 DMs and group direct messages, but are restricted from creating new Chat spaces.
  • Restrict all creation: Users are restricted from creating 1:1 DMs, group direct messages, and Chat spaces.

This enhancement is particularly useful for organizations—such as educational institutions, frontline environments, and external vendor/contractor teams—that want to ensure space creation is managed through designated approval workflows or admin creation, without disrupting day-to-day direct communication.

Getting started

  • Admins: This feature is available at the domain, Organizational Unit (OU), and group level. To configure space creation restrictions, open the Admin console and navigate to Apps > Google Workspace > Google Chat > Chat and space restrictions. Visit the Help Center to learn more about setting up Chat restrictions.
  • End users: There is no end-user setting for this feature. Restricted users will notice that the option to create a space in Google Chat is disabled, but they will maintain the ability to create 1:1 DMs and group direct messages.

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Business: Business Standard and Plus
  • Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard and Plus
  • Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus
  • Other Editions: Frontline Starter, Standard and Plus

Resources

Introducing Ask Gemini in Chat: your new partner in productivity

Google Chat is the central hub for real-time collaboration in Workspace, and starting August 26, 2026, it becomes the place where you can bring the power of Gemini into your flow of teamwork. We’re introducing Ask Gemini in Google Chat, a unified command line for your work, powered by Workspace Intelligence.

Ask Gemini in Chat helps you navigate your day, stay on top of the flow of collaboration, find what you’re looking for, and help you take action.

  • Find answers quickly: Search across your Workspace data (like Gmail, Drive, or Calendar) to gather information.
  • Create content: Generate images or draft critical updates without leaving the conversation.
  • Stay on top of discussions: Catch up on all your conversations in one place.
  • Manage tasks and events: Schedule your meetings and manage tasks without breaking your flow.
  • Organize your work: Structure your conversations with individual sessions to revisit and continue work on specific topics over time.
Ask Gemini helps you reduce time spent searching for information and toggling between tabs, to ensure you have everything you need to take action and keep up with the busy pace of modern teamwork.

A GIF showing how to ask questions from Gemini in Chat

Ask Gemini is available in the Shortcuts menu in Chat

Important changes to Gemini side panel in Chat

  • Ask Gemini in Chat provides many of the functions previously available in the Gemini side panel in Chat, including finding files, capturing action items and summarizing conversations. With this launch, you’ll no longer see the side panel in Chat.
  • In addition, you’ll no longer be able to access Gems via Gemini side panel in Chat. However, Gems will remain available in the Gemini side panel of other Workspace apps.
  • Your conversation history from the Gemini side panel in Chat will not migrate to the new Ask Gemini surface in Chat. However, admins will be able to export Gemini conversation history, including conversation history from the Chat side panel, and if permitted by their organization, end users will be able to download their conversation history as well. Note that in the Data Export tool and Google Takeout, this data is stored under “Gemini in Workspace,” not “Google Chat.”

Language availability

This change will only affect users who have English as their Google account language. Users with other language preferences will be able to continue using the side panel as this update will not apply to them. Support for more languages will be added in the future.

Getting started

Through October 1, 2026, Workspace customers will get promotional access to higher limits for Ask Gemini in Chat, allowing users to experiment with this feature. Usage limits will apply after that date; we’ll provide more information in the Help Center in advance of updated usage limits going into effect.

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Business: Business Standard and Plus
  • Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
  • Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education

Resources

Stable Channel Update for ChromeOS / ChromeOS Flex

M-151, ChromeOS version 16733.54.0 (Browser version 151.0.7922.168) has rolled out to ChromeOS devices on the Stable channel. 

If you find new issues, please let us know one of the following ways:

  1. File a bug

  2. Visit our ChromeOS communities

    1. General: Chromebook Help Community

    2. Beta Specific: ChromeOS Beta Help Community

  3. Report an issue or send feedback on Chrome

  4. Interested in switching channels? Find out how.


Andy Wu

Google ChromeOS

Chrome for Android Update

  Hello Everyone! We've just released Chrome 152 (152.0.7977.54) for Android to a small percentage of users. It'll become available on Google Play over the next few days. You can find more details about early Stable releases here.

This release includes stability and performance improvements. You can see a full list of the changes in the Git log. If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug.

Krishna Govind
Google Chrome

Elevate your Google Meet experience for shared meeting spaces with Room Display mode

We are excited to introduce Room Display mode, a new dual-window experience for Google Meet on the web. Launching in beta, this feature is designed specifically for "Bring Your Own Device"  meeting spaces, where users connect a personal laptop to a shared external display, such as a TV or projector.



Joining in Room Display mode

Historically, setting up a meeting on a shared display (e.g. in a meeting room) meant manually dragging browser windows across screens, dealing with clunky display layouts, and risking showing your browsing windows. Room Display mode removes this complexity by automatically splitting your meeting interface into two dedicated views the moment you connect your device and join the call:

  • Shared View (TV/Monitor): A clean, distraction-free, entire-screen view on your external display. It displays remote participant video tiles and shared presentations edge-to-edge. You can choose to go full screen by clicking the full-screen window button.

Shared View (TV) in Room Display mode with and without and active presentation
  • Personal View (Laptop Controller): Your laptop screen becomes a private personal view and "control center" for the meeting. In addition to your persona
    l view of the active presentation, it houses the meeting controls, peripherals selection, presentation controls, the participant roster, chat panels, and your "Ask Gemini" panel. This ensures you can manage the meeting privately without displaying your browser window or personal workspace to the entire room.

Personal View (Laptop) in Room Display mode with an active presentation with speaker notes and with the Ask Gemini side panel open

Whether you’re hosting a team sync, leading a pitch, or watching a presentation, Room Display mode makes running meetings on a shared display and collaborating in hybrid environments more seamless and professional.

Note: This requires a Chromium-based browser (such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge) with Window Management permissions enabled.

Getting started

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
  • End users: This feature will be available by default when a laptop running a Chromium-based browser is connected to an external display (set to Extended mode, not mirrored). Room Display mode will be highlighted as the main option to join the call when the laptop detects  a shared external display like a meeting room TV. To help us improve the feature, provide feedback via the thumbs up/down icons and the feedback link in the Personal View UI. Visit the Help Center to learn more about joining meetings with Room Display mode.

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
  • Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
  • Other Editions: Frontline Starter, Standard, and Plus; Essentials Starter, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus; Nonprofits

Resources

Announcing v25.1 of the Google Ads API

Today we are announcing the release of v25.1 of the Google Ads API. To use the new capabilities, you must upgrade your client libraries and client code. All the updated client libraries and code examples have been published.

Come join us for a live walkthrough of this release in our "Google Ads API Release Highlights" event on Discord or our Ads Developers YouTube Live tomorrow (August 20th at 10am ET). This will also be recorded and posted on YouTube for those who can’t make the live events. If you have any questions or want to discuss this post, reach out to us in the #ads-api channel on Discord.

New Features

Here are the highlights of what’s new in v25.1:

Getting Started

Google Ads API v25.1 is a drop-in upgrade for v25. If you use our client libraries, download the latest version of your client library to start using these features. For a full list of changes, please review the official release notes. If you have any questions or want to discuss this post, please reach out to us on our “Google Advertising and Measurement Community” Discord server.

For technical support issues, please reach out to the Google Ads API support channel.

 - , Google Ads API Team