Tag Archives: Google Chat

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – April 25, 2025

5 New updates

Unless 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 look for the Gmail mobile app on iOS devices 
Starting this week, you’ll notice a refreshed look and feel for the Gmail mobile app on iOS devices that is in line with Google Material Design 3. This matches the experience on web and Android devices. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about the Gmail app.


Introducing easier editing for objects and audio tracks in Google Vids
Following the recently introduced looping animations feature in Google Vids, we’re excited to announce an additional update that improves the editing experience in Vids. Users can now control the height of the timeline, which helps a user easily view more objects when working on timing for individual scenes. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to Business Standard and Plus; Enterprise Standard and Plus; Essentials, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus; Education Plus; customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on, and anyone who previously purchased a Gemini Business or Gemini Enterprise add-on. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about controlling audio timing & transitions with audio tracks.

editing for objects and audio tracks in Google Vids

Create birthdays in Google Calendar using iOS devices 
Last year, we introduced the ability to create and modify birthday events in Google Calendar on Android devices. This week, we’re excited to announce these capabilities are now available on iOS devices as well. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing birthdays on your calendar. 

Create birthdays in Google Calendar using iOS devices

Generate and use images with Gemini in the side panel of Gmail on Android and iOS devices
Building upon the ability to generate images using Gemini in the side panel of Workspace apps on web, we’re excited to announce you can now generate images in Gmail on your mobile device. Once you select the image, you can then save it, copy it, or insert it into a compose draft. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains on Android and iOS devices. | Available to Business Starter, Standard and Plus; Enterprise Starter, Standard and Plus; Google One AI Premium; customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on, and anyone who previously purchased a Gemini Business or Gemini Enterprise add-on. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini in Gmail.


Introducing draggable dividers on large screen Android devices
When using the Gmail or Google Chat app on your large screen Android device, such as a tablet or foldable, you can now drag the divider that divides the list view and conversation view in the existing two pane layout. Draggable dividers enable you to pick between a one pane or two pane experience and allow you to control the width of each pane when in two pane mode. | Rollout to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

draggable dividers on large screen Android devices

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.


Adding new capabilities to student groups in Google Classroom 
We’ve introduced improvements to student groups that enable teachers to email groups, sort by groups when grading on the Student work page and edit student groups when creating an assignment. | Learn more about student groups in Classroom. 

Introducing even more high-quality Google Slides templates to elevate your presentations 
We’ve introduced a second wave of templates that cater to a wide range of use cases such as business proposals, product pitches, marketing plans, quarterly reviews, team intros or celebrations, and more. | Learn more about templates in Slides. 

Data classifications labels for Gmail are now generally available 
Data classification labels are generally available, giving admins yet another way to enhance their security posture. | Learn more about Data classifications labels. 

Introducing Frontline Plus: Enhanced Security and AI features for Frontline Workers
We’re expanding Google Workspace Frontline to include a new edition: Frontline Plus. | Learn more about Frontline Plus.


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: 
Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains: 


Rollout updates 

We have changed the rollout timelines for this feature. Please refer to the original blog post for complete details.

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


Preview summaries in the Google Chat home view now available in three additional languages

What’s changing

Last year, we announced that Gemini in Google Chat can now help you catch up on unread conversations in the Chat home view with summaries. Recently, we extended this ability to direct messages and read conversations. 

Upon navigating to a conversation in home, click the “Summarize” button to see a quick, bulleted synopsis of the message content. This enables you to quickly review recent activity across all active conversations to determine where best to focus your time and attention. 

Today, we’re excited to announce that summaries in the home view are now available in three additional languages: 
  • Spanish 
  • Portuguese 
  • German 

Who’s impacted

End users 


Why it matters 

Since introducing a more streamlined user experience in Chat to help you find what you need much faster, we’re adding more ways to help you prioritize the most important conversations. This new summaries in home feature does just that by helping you catch up more quickly. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Business Standard and Plus 
  • Enterprise Standard and Plus 
  • Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on 
Anyone who previously purchased these add-ons will also receive this feature: 
  • Gemini Business* 
  • Gemini Enterprise* 
  • AI Meetings and Messages* 
*As of January 15, 2025, we’re no longer offering the Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise add-ons for sale. Please refer to this announcement for more details.

Resources 

Use Gemini in the side panel of Google Chat in additional languages

What’s changing 

Over the last few months, we’ve released the use of Gemini in the side panel of Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Drive, Google Slides and Gmail in additional languages and today we’re excited to expand the availability of Gemini in the side panel of Chat to the following languages: 
  • Spanish 
  • Portuguese 
  • Italian 
  • German 
  • Japanese 
  • French 
  • Korean 

Gemini in Chat helps users collaborate more effectively in their spaces, group messages and direct messages by providing conversation summaries, identifying action items, and searching the web. For additional information on Gemini in Chat, check out our original announcement of Gemini in the side panel of Chat. 


Additional details

Users may see the “Alpha” badge as we bring more features into Gemini in the side panel of Google Workspace. 


Getting started


Rollout pace 


Availability 


Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Business Standard and Plus 
  • Enterprise Standard and Plus 
  • Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on 
Anyone who previously purchased these add-ons will also receive this feature: 
  • Gemini Business* 
  • Gemini Enterprise* 
  • AI Meetings and Messages* 
*As of January 15, 2025, we’re no longer offering the Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise add-ons for sale. Please refer to this announcement for more details.

Resources 

See summaries of shared Google Docs, Slides, or Sheets files directly in Google Chat

What’s changing

Similar to how Google Chat’s summaries in the home view provide users with a bulleted synopsis of message content, we’re excited to introduce a new way to preview files shared in Chat. 

Starting today, users can easily summarize Google Docs, Slides, and Sheets files shared within a Chat conversation. Simply click the new “Summarize this file” button that appears within the respective file preview card in the conversation, and Gemini will summarize the file so you can get a quick overview without having to leave Chat. 

Gemini summaries for linked Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides

Who’s impacted 

End users 


Why you’d use it 

By providing quick, on-demand summaries of files shared in Chat, Gemini helps you save time and get the gist of shared files instantly, eliminating the need to open each document. 


Getting started 

Rollout pace 


Availability

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Business Standard and Plus 
  • Enterprise Standard and Plus 
  • Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on 
Anyone who previously purchased these add-ons will also receive this feature: 
  • Gemini Business* 
  • Gemini Enterprise* 
  • AI Meetings and Messages* 
*As of January 15, 2025, we’re no longer offering the Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise add-ons for sale. Please refer to this announcement for more details.

Resources 

Upcoming changes to how retention policies are applied to 1:1 direct messages in Google Chat

What’s happening 

Many Google Workspace organizations rely on Google Chat to facilitate communication and collaboration, including with users in the same domain, users in other Workspace Domains, and users with personal Google accounts. Currently, each organization in an external 1:1 direct message conversation can set their own retention policy, which impacts what messages end users see in the product user interface and what admins see in Google Vault.


To provide a more consistent product experience across conversation types, we are changing how retention policies are applied to 1:1 direct messages with external participants.


Following this change, 1:1 direct messages with external participants will respect the retention policy of the user who created the conversation. If a user in your organization did not create the conversation, they may see more or fewer messages in the Chat user interface after this change since the creator’s policy will be respected. You can see who created the conversation by scrolling to the top of the conversation, or hovering over the external badge. 


This change does not impact an admin’s ability to apply a retention policy or ability to access 1:1 direct messages in Google Vault or Data Export for users with a Google Vault policy applied. 


If you do not have Vault, or do not have a Vault policy applied, changes in access to conversations will apply to the product user interface and Data Export.


Additionally, today, in the case that two users within the same organization have conflicting retention or auto-deletion policies, we respect those policies separately for each user. Once the migration happens, we will respect the longer of the two retention policies and the shorter of the two auto-deletion policies for both users in the conversation. If one user has a custom retention rule while the other has only a default retention rule, the custom rule will take precedence over a default rule.


Starting May 1, 2025:
  • All new external 1:1 direct messages will respect the retention policy of the creator. 
    • For users with a Vault policy applied, the creator’s policy will only impact messages in the Chat product user interface. 

Starting June 2, 2025:
  • Existing 1:1 direct messages will migrate to respect the retention policy of the creator. 
    • For users with a Vault policy applied, the creator’s policy will only impact messages in the Chat product user interface. 

By August 1, 2025:
  • We anticipate the migration will be complete.

Until February 1, 2026:
  • We will preserve impacted 1:1 direct messages in Google Vault or Data Export for 6 months past the end of the migration to allow organizations to download a copy of the data.

Why it matters

It’s important to note that if your organization has a Google Vault policy applied to your users, you will not lose access to any conversations—even if they no longer appear in the Chat product user interface. If your organization does not have Vault or does not have a Vault policy applied, some conversations that were previously available may no longer be available in Data Export or Vault. 


Getting started

Resources

More AI-powered features in Google Meet and Google Chat are coming to Google Workspace Business and Enterprise editions

What’s changing 

Earlier this year, we announced that we’re including the best of Google AI in Workspace Business and Enterprise plans without the need to purchase a separate Gemini add-on. Beginning today, additional AI-powered features are available for Business and Enterprise editions: 


For Google Meet: 
  • Generated background images: With Gemini in Meet, you can generate unique and bespoke meeting backgrounds. Meeting backgrounds can help obscure your surroundings during a meeting or they can enhance the meeting itself. Users will also benefit from our latest model upgrade for background generation, as well as additional style options, like a professional office, library, or home office to help refine their custom backgrounds. 
  • Studio look: Gemini in Meet uses machine learning to detect and enhance (if necessary) the quality of your portrait by reducing noise and increasing sharpness, bringing you into focus so you can look your best in meetings. 
  • Studio lighting: Using machine learning, Gemini in Meet will simulate studio-quality lighting and adjust light position and brightness in your video feed, so you're perfectly lit for your meeting. Note: Studio lighting is only available on devices that meet certain browser and processor requirements. Visit the Help Center to learn more about device requirements for studio lighting. 
  • Studio sound: Gemini in Meet will automatically recreate and balance missing or distorted frequencies helping to make your voice come through crisp and clear. This can be especially useful when dialing in via phone or using bluetooth headsets for example. 

For Google Chat: 
  • Translate for me: Chat will automatically detect and translate over 120 languages to a user’s preferred language while keeping the original message available for review. Instead of navigating outside of Chat to translate a message, this reduces friction and improves collaboration with colleagues, partners and customers in other parts of the world. 

For Google Drawings: 
  • Background image removal: Gemini’s image background removal functionality (also available in Slides and Vids) is now available in Google Drawings.

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

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

These features are already available to Gemini for Workspace add-on customers. Note that as of January 15, 2025, Gemini Business, Gemini Enterprise, AI Meetings & Messaging, and AI Security add-ons are no longer available for purchase. Please refer to this announcement for more details.



More AI-powered features in Google Meet and Google Chat are coming to Google Workspace Business and Enterprise editions

What’s changing 

Earlier this year, we announced that we’re including the best of Google AI in Workspace Business and Enterprise plans without the need to purchase a separate Gemini add-on. Beginning today, additional AI-powered features are available for Business and Enterprise editions: 


For Google Meet: 
  • Generated background images: With Gemini in Meet, you can generate unique and bespoke meeting backgrounds. Meeting backgrounds can help obscure your surroundings during a meeting or they can enhance the meeting itself. Users will also benefit from our latest model upgrade for background generation, as well as additional style options, like a professional office, library, or home office to help refine their custom backgrounds. 
  • Studio look: Gemini in Meet uses machine learning to detect and enhance (if necessary) the quality of your portrait by reducing noise and increasing sharpness, bringing you into focus so you can look your best in meetings. 
  • Studio lighting: Using machine learning, Gemini in Meet will simulate studio-quality lighting and adjust light position and brightness in your video feed, so you're perfectly lit for your meeting. Note: Studio lighting is only available on devices that meet certain browser and processor requirements. Visit the Help Center to learn more about device requirements for studio lighting. 
  • Studio sound: Gemini in Meet will automatically recreate and balance missing or distorted frequencies helping to make your voice come through crisp and clear. This can be especially useful when dialing in via phone or using bluetooth headsets for example. 

For Google Chat: 
  • Translate for me: Chat will automatically detect and translate over 120 languages to a user’s preferred language while keeping the original message available for review. Instead of navigating outside of Chat to translate a message, this reduces friction and improves collaboration with colleagues, partners and customers in other parts of the world. 

For Google Drawings: 
  • Background image removal: Gemini’s image background removal functionality (also available in Slides and Vids) is now available in Google Drawings.

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

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

These features are already available to Gemini for Workspace add-on customers. Note that as of January 15, 2025, Gemini Business, Gemini Enterprise, AI Meetings & Messaging, and AI Security add-ons are no longer available for purchase. Please refer to this announcement for more details.



Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – February 28, 2025

4 New updates

Unless 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.



Summaries in Google Chat home now available for direct messages and read conversations 
Last year, we introduced the ability for Gemini in Google Chat to help you catch up on unread conversations in the Chat home view with summaries. In addition to being available for group conversations, spaces, or threads from home, we’re excited to announce summaries in home are now available for: 
  • Direct messages 
  • Read conversations. Prior to today, you could only review summaries for unread conversations. Now, you can review summaries regardless of read state. 
Upon navigating to a conversation in home, click the “Summarize” button to see a bulleted synopsis of the message content. This enables you to review recent activity across all active conversations to determine where best to focus your time and attention. | Rollout to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard and Enterprise Plus. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about summaries in home.


Adding real-time Markdown styling and code formatting support in Google Chat 
Users can change the appearance of their Google Chat messages using the format menu or markdown, and today we’re excited to introduce support for real-time markdown styling and code formatting. With this update, markdown will be converted in the compose bar to formatted text as a user types, rather than being converted only once the message is sent. In addition, we’re adding support for code and code block in the compose bar. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about using markdown formatting in Google Chat.

Markdown formatting as you type in the compose bar
Markdown formatting as you type in the compose bar




Extending file upload to Gemini app users
We’re excited to announce that users of the Gemini app can now upload a variety of files from Google Drive or locally from their device into the Gemini app: 
  • Document files: DOC, DOCX, PDF, RTF, DOT, DOTX, HWP, HWPX 
  • Documents created in Google Docs 
  • Plain text files: TXT 
  • Presentation files: PPTX 
  • Presentations created with Google Slides
Rollout to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available to all Google Workspace users 18+ accessing the Gemini app. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about uploading & analyzing files in Gemini Apps. 



Google Vids introduces new looping animations feature 
We’re introducing a feature that enables users to add looping animations to text, stickers, and other shapes in their videos. Looping animations play continuously between enter and exit animations, allowing users to add extra emphasis or style to callouts, supers, and other elements in their videos, which can help increase viewer engagement. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to Business Standard and Plus, Enterprise Standard and Plus, Essentials, Enterprise Essentials and Enterprise Essentials Plus and Education Plus. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about Google Vids.

looping animations in Vids



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.


Enhancing video navigation and accessibility with Google Drive video transcripts 
Last year, we announced that users can automatically generate captions for any video uploaded to Google Drive, improving the accessibility of videos and saving users the effort of manually creating captions. To build upon this feature and make information discovery, referencing, and productivity with video content much more efficient, we’re excited to introduce video transcripts. | Learn more about video transcripts.

Google Voice now supports call delegation
Admins can assign delegates to handle other users' calls. When assigned, delegates can: 1) Answer calls on the delegator’s behalf, 2) Place calls on the delegator’s behalf, including transferring the call to the delegator once connected , 3) Transfer calls selectively to the delegator and 4) Listen to voicemail messages and view voicemail transcripts. | Learn more about call delegation.

Transferring your personal Google Voice number to a Google Workspace business account just got easier
We're pleased to introduce a significantly improved experience for transferring a personal Google Voice number to a Google Workspace account. | Learn more about transferring your personal number to a Workspace business account. 

New Google Drive Inventory Reporting enhancements provide even richer insights into file permissions
We've enhanced Drive Inventory Reporting to include more detailed permission information for files and folders in My Drive. | Learn more about Drive Inventory Reporting.

Expanding SIP Link for Google Voice to new countries
We've launched Voice to new countries by expanding SIP Link availability. | Learn more about SIP Link.

Integrating HubSpot with Google Chat
Many utilize HubSpot, an AI-powered customer platform, to perform marketing, sales, customer service, content management, operations, and commerce tasks. This week, we’re excited to introduce an integration with HubSpot that enables users to see notifications and updates from HubSpot directly in Chat. | Learn more about the HubSpot integration.

Google Vids is expanding its AI voiceovers with new options
Users can now choose from a wider range of AI voices for their videos with the introduction of new options. | Learn more about new AI voiceovers in Vids.


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: 
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).       

    Integrating HubSpot with Google Chat

    What’s changing

    Many utilize HubSpot, an AI-powered customer platform, to perform marketing, sales, customer service, content management, operations, and commerce tasks. Today, we’re excited to introduce an integration with HubSpot that enables users to see notifications and updates from Hubspot directly in Chat. 

    With this integration, users can: 
    • Receive HubSpot notifications in Chat for things like new leads, deal status updates, or changes in contact records. 
    • Improve customer response times by connecting their HubSpot inbox to spaces in Chat. 
    • More efficiently collaborate on support tickets, expedite ticket resolution, and boost customer satisfaction by connecting their help desk workspace to Chat spaces. 
    • Configure and send custom notifications to specific users and Chat spaces through HubSpot workflows, which ensures the right people are informed about any significant event. 
    • Summarize HubSpot records using Breeze Copilot directly from the notifications in Chat. 
    Integrating HubSpot with Google Chat



    Who’s impacted 

    Admins and end users 


    Why you’d use it 

    This update enhances communication, productivity and efficiency for HubSpot customers that use Chat as their primary collaboration tool. 


    Getting started 

    Rollout pace

    Availability 

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

    Resources 

    New Chat Usage Analytics Updates for Admins and Developers

    What’s changing 

    In December 2024, we introduced new, detailed usage reports for Google Chat. These reports help admins better understand how their teams are using Chat, allowing them to analyze engagement, drive adoption, configure safety features, and more. These reports aggregate data at the group and organization level, to provide relevant insights for Workspace admins while protecting individual privacy. 

    Starting today, customerUsageReports.get and userUsageReports.get for Google Chat are available via the Admin SDK Reports API for customers to use in their own customized dashboards and reporting tools. This gives admins more ways to analyze Chat usage data.


    Please refer to the table below to learn about the metrics available to you:

    Category

    Variations

    # of messages sent by users of the organization

    Total number of messages

    Messages sent by conversation type (direct message, group chat, space)

    Messages sent by type (regular, voice, video, huddle)

    Messages sent with or without attachment

    Messages sent to conversations that contain or do not contain external users.

    # of spaces owned by organization

    Number of active spaces

    Number of spaces created

    # of active users in your organization by level of activity

    Number of engaged users (read at least one conversation or sent messages or reactions)


    Number of communicator users (sent at least one message or reaction)

    # of actions by specific users*

    Number of messages and reactions sent


    Number of attachments uploaded


    Number of spaces created


    Number of conversations read

    Most metrics are available for periods of 1, 7, and 28 days.
    *Available for 28 days only

    Additional details

    We’ve also added four new fields and one additional event available in Chat Audit Logs and surfaced in the Security Investigation Tool. In addition to providing even more context on Chat usage, admins can leverage these additional data points in their own custom reporting.


    The fields are:
    Conversation ownership indicates whether the conversation, where a specific Chat event occurs, is owned by the organization or by an external entity. These possible values include:
    • Internally owned: conversation is owned by the admin’s organization
    • Externally owned: conversation is owned by an external entity

    Conversation type indicates the type of conversation where the event occurs:
    • User-to-user direct message
    • User-to-app direct message
    • Group chat
    • Space

    Message type indicates type of the message in Message sent and Message edited events:
    • Regular message
    • Voice message
    • Video message
    • Huddle

    Attachment status indicates whether the message was sent with an attachment (image or file):
    • Has attachment
    • No attachment

    Additionally, we’ve added a new event, “Conversation Read”. Every time a user opens a conversation and reads one or more unread messages, an event will be logged.

    Getting started



    Rollout pace


    Availability

    • New Chat usage metrics in Report API  are available for all Google Workspace customers.
    • The security investigation tool is available for Google Workspace
      • Enterprise Standard and Plus
      • Education Standard and Plus
      • Enterprise Essentials Plus
      • Frontline Standard
      • And Cloud Identity Premium customers