External users can now securely collaborate on client-side encrypted files

What’s changing

We’re expanding visitor sharing, a feature that provides secure, pincode-based collaboration over sensitive data with people, to include client-side encrypted files. This allows users to securely collaborate with external partners on sensitive Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides files, while maintaining the confidentiality of the information with the granular control of encryption keys, identity verification and user permissions. 
External users can now securely collaborate on client-side encrypted files


Getting started 


Rollout pace 


Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Enterprise Plus Education Standard and Plus 

Resources 

Chrome Beta for Android Update

Hi everyone! We've just released Chrome Beta 127 (127.0.6533.15) for Android. It's now available on Google Play.

You can see a partial list of the changes in the Git log. For details on new features, check out the Chromium blog, and for details on web platform updates, check here.

If you find a new issue, please let us know by filing a bug.

Erhu Akpobaro
Google Chrome

Help your students learn to read with Read Along in Classroom

What’s changing

In 2019, we launched Read Along as an Android reading app to help young readers have fun while learning to read. Read Along has an in-app reading buddy who guides readers along as they read aloud, offering assistance when they struggle, and rewarding them with stars when they’re successful. 

Today, we are excited to introduce Read Along in Google Classroom, a new feature that helps students build their independent reading skills by enabling teachers to assign differentiated reading activities, based on Lexile® measure, grade level, or phonics skills. With this feature, a digital reading buddy, Diya, gives students real-time assistance and pronunciation support, with the help of AI. Read Along offers engaging and inspiring reading assignments, while providing educators with insights on students' reading progress over time, including their accuracy, speed, and comprehension.

Read Along in Classroom
Educators can also: 
  • Access 800+ fiction and non-fiction books in the Read Along library within Classroom, including texts from publishers like Heggerty and ReadWorks. Each book is categorized by Lexile® level, grade level, or phonics skills and some have comprehension questions. 
  • Personalize the experience for each learner by assigning books with the right difficulty level based on a student’s reading abilities. 
  • Check for understanding by assigning books with comprehension questions. 
  • Read Along in Classroom will be available globally, so students around the world can practice their reading skills in English. 

Read Along in Classroom Reporting
Who’s impacted 


Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Read Along in Classroom provides fun and engaging reading assignments for students, while also enabling educators to track performance and more easily identify students who need extra support. Some key highlights include the ability to: 
  • Help boost reading skills with activities for each student based on their reading level or phonics skills. 
  • Provide instant help for students, with the help of AI-powered reading buddy, Diya to give students in-the-moment assistance on correct pronunciation and more. 
  • Get important insights about your students’ progress including their accuracy, speed, and comprehension. 
  • Support English language learners in building their reading skills, with additional support in Spanish 

Additional details 

Read Along is now a Workspace Service for Google Workspace for Education customers. Admins will now find this service listed under Workspace Services in Admin Console. Read Along in Classroom will be available to all Google Workspace for Education users with their school issued account and will be governed by the Workspace for Education Terms of Service, with data collection and use being governed by the Google Workspace for Education Privacy Notice. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 

  • This feature is available now. 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Education Plus and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade 

Resources 

Insert images into practice sets in Google Classroom

What’s changing

Since adding practice sets to Google Classroom in 2023, we’ve made numerous improvements such as giving teachers more control over the resources for students in practice sets and adding the option to convert Google Forms into practice sets. 

Today, we’re excited to introduce a new feature that will enable teachers to visually illustrate concepts being assessed in practice sets. Now, teachers can import images, like graphs, charts or photos, into practice sets using files from Google Drive or directly from their computer. 

In addition to image editing capabilities within practice sets, this update will be extended to the Forms conversion workflows so if a teacher imports a Form into a practice set any images you have in the Forms will also import. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Including visuals in practice sets will provide students with more engaging assignments. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Education Plus and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade

Resources 


Insert images into practice sets in Google Classroom

What’s changing

Since adding practice sets to Google Classroom in 2023, we’ve made numerous improvements such as giving teachers more control over the resources for students in practice sets and adding the option to convert Google Forms into practice sets. 

Today, we’re excited to introduce a new feature that will enable teachers to visually illustrate concepts being assessed in practice sets. Now, teachers can import images, like graphs, charts or photos, into practice sets using files from Google Drive or directly from their computer. 

In addition to image editing capabilities within practice sets, this update will be extended to the Forms conversion workflows so if a teacher imports a Form into a practice set any images you have in the Forms will also import. 


Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

Including visuals in practice sets will provide students with more engaging assignments. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Education Plus and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade

Resources 


Chrome for Android Update

  Hi, everyone! We've just released Chrome 126 (126.0.6478.110) for Android . It'll become available on Google Play over the next few days. 

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.

Android releases contain the same security fixes as their corresponding Desktop (Windows & Mac:  126.0.6478.114/115 and Linux:126.0.6478.114  ) unless otherwise noted.


Erhu Akpobaro
Google Chrome

Chrome for Android Update

  Hi, everyone! We've just released Chrome 126 (126.0.6478.110) for Android . It'll become available on Google Play over the next few days. 

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.

Android releases contain the same security fixes as their corresponding Desktop (Windows & Mac:  126.0.6478.114/115 and Linux:126.0.6478.114  ) unless otherwise noted.


Erhu Akpobaro
Google Chrome