Tag Archives: Rapid Release

Access and sort shared files within a space in Google Chat more easily

What’s changing

We’re enhancing the Files tab in Google Chat spaces to improve upon the file management experience and create a central place to manage all conversation-related artifacts. The updated tab will now be called Shared. 

In addition to the new tab name, you will also notice a refreshed user interface and features like a sort drop-down menu, support for shared links and media files, and more. 

This update reflects our continued effort to make Google Chat the central hub for project and team collaboration in Google Workspace. 
Shared tab now stores files, links, and media

Who’s impacted 

End users 


Why you’d use it 

The new Shared tab improves team collaboration by providing a centralized and visible method to access shared content shared within a space. 


Additional details 

Using the new sort drop-down, you can narrow down the list of documents displayed based on category (file, link, media) or date shared. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: At the top of a space in Google Chat, you will see the following tabs: Chat, Shared and Tasks. Upon clicking Shared, you will see three sections: Files, Links and Media. Visit the Help Center to learn more about sending & sharing files in Google Chat messages. 

Rollout pace 


Availability 

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

Resources 

Send voice messages in Google Chat

What’s changing 

In continuing our efforts to improve the Google Chat experience and help ensure it’s a useful tool for seamless communication, especially when on the go, we’re excited to introduce voice messages on Chat mobile (with web support coming soon). 

Sending a voice message instead of typing enables you to save time, convey more information, and emphasize the most important information for the message receiver. We hope this highly requested feature helps you communicate with others more effectively. 
Send voice messages in Google Chat

Additional details 

We will be enabling transcription for voice messages in the coming months. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: 
  • End users: 
    • You can send voice messages on mobile (to direct messages, group chats and spaces) and receive them on all platforms, including web. However, you cannot send voice messages on web at this time. 
    • To record on your Android or iOS device, tap the microphone icon > start speaking > watch a live waveform visualize your voice. A timer counts up so you know exactly how long you've been recording. 
    • You can preview and then send your voice message or delete it and try again if needed. 
    • Voice messages can be interacted with (quoted, reacted to, replied to in thread, etc.) just like any other Chat message. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about sending voice messages in Google Chat.

Rollout pace 

Availability 

  • Available to Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus 

Resources 

Securely migrate existing encrypted messages to Gmail client-side encryption (CSE)

What’s changing 

Beginning today, admins can migrate encrypted emails from other services like Microsoft 365, Microsoft Exchange, or Virtu, to Gmail client-side encryption in the S/MIME format. This enables Google Workspace customers to simplify the migration process by bulk importing sensitive emails as S/MIME messages without compromising their privacy or compliance posture.


Specifically: 
  • S/MIME messages imported from other mail providers are now supported by Gmail CSE 
  • Virtru customers can use our migration utility to encrypt their plain-text archives from Vault or Takeout, and import them as S/MIME messages 
  • Customers can bulk-import any plain-text email archives into Gmail as S/MIME messages

Additional details

The Gmail CSE Migration Utility is available for Windows, Mac, and Linux and supports PST & Mbox file formats. 

Getting started 


Rollout pace 

Web & Android: 
  • This feature is available now.
iOS: 

Availability 

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

Resources 

Subtly enhance your appearance with portrait touch-up when using Google Meet on the web

What’s changing 

In October 2023, we introduced portrait touch-up for Google Meet on mobile devices. Beginning today, we’re extending this functionality to Google Meet on the web. Portrait touch-up can be used to lightly touch up your appearance before or during a meeting, helping you feel more comfortable and confident in your appearance during video calls.




You can choose from two portrait touch-up modes:
  • Subtle: very light complexion smoothing, under eye lightening and eye whitening.
  • Smoothing: slightly more complexion smoothing, under eye lightening and eye whitening.

Getting started

Rollout pace

  • Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on March 15, 2024
  • Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on April 1, 2024

Availability

  • Available to Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Plus, Teaching & Learning Upgrade, Google One and Google Workspace Individual subscribers

Resources


Import data from other messaging platforms using the Google Chat API is now generally available

What’s changing 

Google Workspace developers registered in our Workspace Developer Preview program have been able to import user data from other messaging platforms into Google Chat using the Google Chat APIs. This functionality is now generally available to all Workspace developers and admins. 


Who’s impacted

Admins and developers 


Why it’s important

In order to import data, you can create a Chat app and “import mode” Chat space. Within an import mode space, Chat apps can import the following data as equivalent REST resources:
  • Messages
  • Attachments
  • Reactions
  • Memberships with the following considerations:
    • Historical memberships must be imported when a space is in import mode. You can't import historical memberships after the space completes import mode.
    • Other existing memberships from the source messaging platform must be created after a space completes import mode.
    • Members must be users within the same domain.
  • Spaces: only SpaceType.SPACE is supported.
This is a helpful workflow for those who are transitioning from other messaging platforms to Google Chat. Rather than copying source data into regular spaces, import mode has the following advantages:
  • Preservation of resource creation timestamps: You can set a historical time for the creation times of space and message resources, letting Chat apps retain historical context during user adoption of Google Chat.

  • End users can't view or access spaces in import mode: To prevent user interference with a space undergoing data import, or to avoid possible user confusion as a result of viewing an in-progress data import, spaces in import mode are hidden from end users. After a space has completed import mode, you can add users to the space.

  • Chat turns off notifications during import mode: This helps users to avoid unnecessary alerts about the migration.

Getting started


Rollout pace

  • Available now.

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers

Select App Access Controls can now be applied at the organizational unit

What’s changing 

Google Workspace Admins can now configure a number of App Access Control (AAC) policies at the Organizational Unit (OU) level. Previously, this was only possible at the domain level. Specifically, this applies to: 


Who’s impacted

Admins


Why it’s important

We know that users rely on a variety of tools to do their best work, including third-party apps. However, not every third-party app aligns exactly with every organization’s security policies. App access controls give customers and partners the ability to control access to third-party apps and how those apps access Google Workspace data. This update gives admins added flexibility, allowing them to set App Access Controls as they see fit at the OU level, rather than across their entire domain.


Additional details

For Google Workspace education editions, the “User requests to access unconfigured apps setting” can now be configured at the OU level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing access to unconfigured third-party apps for users designated under the age of 18.

Getting started


Rollout pace


Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources


Create fully customized email campaigns using new layout editor tool

What’s changing

In 2022, we made it easier for you to send professional-looking emails, announcements, newsletters and more with layouts. These are predefined email templates that can be further customized with company or brand color schemes, logos, images, links and more. In 2023, we took this a step further by introducing the ability to customize an existing template, reuse a custom layout in multiple email campaigns, or create a brand new layout from scratch for Workspace Individual subscribers. 


Today, we’re excited to announce that even more users across Google Workspace editions can now create customized email layouts using a new email layout editor that is accessible from the compose screen in Gmail or Google Drive. In the layout editor, you can create a new email layout from scratch or select from a predefined set of email templates, which include images, text elements and buttons. 


You can then fully customize these templates by placing elements such as color schemes, logos, images, footer text and links wherever you’d like. You can also share a layout file directly from the email layout editor using the Share button. Once another user has edit access, they can open the same layout in their Gmail or from Drive and you can collaborate with them in real time. 
Create fully customized email campaigns using new layout editor tool


Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users 


Why you’d use it 

With Google Workspace, you can create, collaborate and communicate seamlessly across our apps. This new feature is yet another way we are striving to help you do so as you create fully customized announcements, newsletters, and other mass-email campaigns. 

Getting started 

  • Admins: 
    • Customized layouts are ON by default at the domain level. You can turn layouts ON or OFF for specific domains, OUs, or groups by going to the admin panel for Gmail. 
    • If you don't want users to use Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms, and email layouts, but to still use Drive for file management, leave Drive turned ON and turn OFF Docs creation.
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing Gmail settings for your users, customizing access policies for different organizational units or groups, and turning Docs creation ON or OFF.
  • End users: If enabled by your admin, visit the Help Center to learn more about using layouts in Gmail and Drive. 
    • Gmail: 
      • You can access custom email layouts in Gmail from the layout icon in your Compose toolbar.

gmail - compose toolbar
      • You can then open the full screen editor from the embedded editor in Gmail using the “Edit in full screen” button in the top-right:

gmail - edit in full screen


    • Drive:
      • You can open an email layout that you have in Drive (an email layout created previously or an email layout shared with you) by double clicking the email layout file in Drive.

email layout in drive
      • Your custom layouts are stored in Drive as a special file type associated with the layouts editor.  You can find email layouts in Drive by searching: “type:email-layouts”
    • You can also access the standalone editor by going to docs.google.com/email-layouts/create?title=newDoc.
    • Mail-merge tags work with email layouts when enabled in Gmail. You can insert mail merge tags in email layouts. Visit the Help Center to learn more about sending personalized emails with mail merge.

Rollout pace 

Embedded layout editor (in Gmail's compose window): 
Full screen editor for email layouts & feature availability via Google Drive: 

Availability

  • Available to Workspace Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus, Education Standard, Education Plus and Workspace Individual subscribers 

Resources 

Application load failures are now captured for the Google Meet hardware devices

What’s changing

In November 2023, we announced a series of improvements for managing Google Meet hardware devices, which included surfacing additional information about device issues, such as a description of the issue, when the issue was detected, and more. Today, we’re adding an additional data point: admins can now see when the Google Meet app fails to load for a device.


“Application load failures” will now be displayed in the “Device status” column.


When you click on the alert, you’ll see more detailed information on the error.






Getting started

  • Admins: 
    • To filter for devices that are in the “Application load failure” state specifically, navigate to Admin Console > Google Meet hardware > Devices > Filter by ‘Device Status’ and select ‘Application load failure’.
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about understanding device usage in your organization.
  • End users: There is no end user impact or action required.

Rollout pace



Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers with Google Meet hardware devices

Resources


User enrollment for managed iOS devices is now generally available

What’s changing 

In late 2023, we introduced user enrollment in beta, an additional option for iOS mobile management. User enrollment separates work and personal data on iOS devices, giving admins control over Workspace data on the device while users retain privacy over their personal data. Beginning today, user enrollment is now generally available. For more information, use our Help Center or reference our original announcement.


Getting started



Rollout pace


Availability

  • Available to Google Workspace Enterprise Plus, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Essentials Plus, Frontline Standard, Frontline Starter, Business Plus, Cloud Identity Premium, Education Standard, Education Plus and Nonprofits customers.


Google Meet co-host support added for client-side encrypted meetings

What’s changing

Client-side encrypted meetings are now getting support for using the co-hosts feature. This means that an organizer can plan and book client-side encrypted video meetings on behalf of other users and assign those as co-hosts to allow them to join and open the meetings independently from the organizer. Client-side encrypted meetings differ from point-to-point encrypted meetings in the way they always require a host to join first. This task can now be delegated and shared between multiple users without the organizer ever joining the call.



Getting started


Rollout pace

Note: This feature is only available on the web as planning meetings with co-hosts can only be done on a computer.

Availability

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

Resources