Changes to "Who can manage" and "Who can view" members in Google Groups starting September 15, 2025

What's changing

There are upcoming changes to permissions in Google Groups which will be implemented starting September 15, 2025.

Currently, Google Groups has three roles: owner, manager, and member. Associated permissions for these roles, like Who can manage members and Who can view members can be configured in a group's settings. Additional group members can be assigned these permissions using custom roles. For example a group could have “who can manage members” set to “group owners” but then configure a custom role, add members to it, and add the custom role to “who can manage members.” 

To reduce complexity and increase consistency across Workspace products, the following will no longer be supported in Groups:
  • Custom roles for Who can manage members and Who can view members
  • The ability to allow the Entire organization to manage members

The timeline for this change is as follows:
Starting September 15, 2025, users will no longer be able to:
  • Add new custom roles for Who can manage members and Who can view members
  • Set Who can manage members to Entire organization

Starting January 5, 2026:
  • If a group has custom roles configured for Who can manage members and Who can view members, those custom roles will no longer apply
  • If a group has Who can manage members set to Entire organization, that setting will be updated to all members

Admins or end users can reassign users in custom roles in impacted groups to the default role that best matches their activity within the group. For example, if a group has Who can manage members set to owners and also has a custom role with three members in it, consider these options: 

  • Recommended: Expand the setting for Who can manage members to owners and managers and add those three users as managers 
  • Change the role of those three members to owners
  • Expand the capability to manage members to all group members

We also recommend setting Who can view members to Entire Organization to make collaboration seamless across Workspace, though if the group requires additional privacy, choose Group members. 

Getting started

Google Classroom now supports exporting grades and importing data with STLink SIS

What’s changing

Google Classroom teachers can now export and import select information via the new integration with Bubblecon STLink, a South Korean third-party student information system (SIS) that provides an innovative edtech platform. The integration between 'STlink service' and Google Classroom leverages the OneRoster standard by 1EdTech.

Once an admin establishes a connection between STLink and Classroom, teachers will be able to export grades from Classroom to STLink. Teachers can also import useful information, such as student rosters, co-teachers, grading periods, and grading categories from STLink into Classroom. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: To enable the feature, go to http://classroom.google.com/admin > next to “Select your SIS,” click the Down arrow > select “STLink” > “Connect to Google.” Under “SIS Setup, click “Connect” > enter the OAuth credentials. Visit the Help Center to learn more about connecting your Classroom to your SIS. 
  • End users: 
    • If your admin has connected to your SIS: 
      • Export grades by going to classroom.google.com > select the class > “Grades” > “SIS export.” 
      • Import grading categories by going to classroom.google.com > select the class > Settings > “Grading Categories” > “Import from SIS.” 
      • Import grading periods by going to classroom.google.com > select the class > Settings > “Grading Periods” > “Import from SIS.” 
      • Import student rosters by going to the People tab > “Invite Students” > “Import from SIS”. 
      • Invite co-teachers by going to the People tab > “Invite Teachers” > “Import from SIS”. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Classroom with your SIS. 

Rollout pace

Availability 

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

Resources 

Google Cloud donates A2A to Linux Foundation

Google, along with Amazon and Cisco, announces the formation of the Agent2Agent Foundation under the Linux Foundation, establishing A2A as an industry standard for AI agent interoperability, fostering a diverse ecosystem, ensuring neutral governance, and accelerating secure innovation in AI applications.

Adding granular control options for who can respond to existing Google Forms

What’s changing

Last year, we ​​introduced a feature that gives Google Forms creators more granular control over who can respond to their newly created forms via sharing settings. Specifically, form creators can limit response access to specific users, groups, or target audiences—similar to how file owners can restrict the sharing of Google Docs, Sheets, Slides or Sites in Drive. 

In addition to being available on newly created forms, we’re excited to announce that starting today this option is now available on existing forms. As a result, form creators can upgrade existing or old forms to have more granular controls over who can respond to them. 
Adding granular control options for who can respond to existing Google Forms

Who’s impacted 

End users

Why you’d use it 

This feature is useful in any scenario where you’d like to control who can respond to a form. For example, business leaders can better collect feedback from specific organizational units and prevent the form from being responded to by other teams or organization units. Similarly, teachers can use this to ensure a quiz is only accessible to select students who receive the link. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
  • End users: 
    • Form creators must publish their form to enable responders to view the form or submit a response. 
    • Form creators can see who has access to the form and share response access to specific users, groups, or target audiences. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about upgrading your Google Form to have better access control. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google Accounts 
    • Note: The target audiences feature mentioned above is only available for the Google Drive and Docs and Google Chat services. Supported editions for this feature on Drive, Docs & Chat include: Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus. Supported editions for this feature on Drive & Docs only include: Business Standard, Nonprofits and G Suite Business. 

Resources