Tag Archives: Rapid Release

Use Gemini in the side panel of Workspace apps in seventeen more languages

What’s changing 

Beginning today, Gemini in the side panel of Google Docs, Google Sheets, Google Drive, and Gmail can be used in seventeen additional languages: 
  • Arabic
  • Chinese
  • Czech
  • Danish
  • Dutch
  • Finnish
  • Hebrew
  • Hungarian
  • Norwegian
  • Polish
  • Romanian
  • Russian
  • Swedish
  • Thai
  • Turkish
  • Ukrainian
  • Vietnamese
With Gemini in the side panel of your Workspace apps, you can get help summarizing, brainstorming, and generating content by utilizing insights gathered from your emails, documents, and more—all without switching applications or tabs. Check out our original announcements for Gemini in the side panel of Docs, Sheets, and Drive, and Gmail for even more information. Image generation is supported in these languages as well. 


Additional details

  • While Gemini in the side panel of Docs, Sheets, Drive, and Gmail, is generally available in these additional languages - as we keep rolling out more Gemini alpha features in the side panel, end users with Gemini alpha features turned on may continue to see the “Alpha” badge. 
  • Gemini in the side panel of Slides and Chat is only available in English at this time.
  • Image generation of people is not supported in these additional languages at this time.

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

Available to Google Workspace:
  • Business Standard and Plus
  • Enterprise Standard and Plus
  • Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on 
  • Customers with the Gemini Business or Gemini Enterprise add-on*

Available for Gemini in the side panel of Gmail for:
  • Business Starter
  • Enterprise Starter
*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


Expanding data regions coverage to Google Classroom

What’s changing 

Data regions for Google Workspace allows customers to choose a specific geographic location—in the U.S., in Europe, or globally distributed—for their covered data at rest to help meet organizational or compliance needs. 


We previously added data regions coverage to Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, and Slides, and today, we’re extending data region coverage to primary user data for Google Classroom for the U.S. and E.U. data regions. 


By expanding data regions coverage to Google Classroom user indices, we hope to better support our customers’ data location preferences and give them greater control.


Getting started

Rollout pace 

Availability

Available for Google Workspace: 
  • Education Standard and Plus 

Resources

Updating the access experience in Google Drive

What’s changing

Last year, we introduced a beta that allows shared drive managers and My Drive owners to restrict folders to specific users. Today, we’re excited to announce the general availability of this feature in shared drives and My Drive, which means that users can restrict access to their My Drive folders using the two options outlined below, and by 2026, we will simplify and align the restricted access principles for My Drive and shared drives.

Current experience for My Drive folders & files (until February 2026): 
Users have two options to restrict access to files or folders in their My Drive: 


1. Update item only: Go to your My Drive > choose a file or folder you want to limit access to for a specific user > Change the role of the specific user (e.g. from Commenter to Viewer) > click on "Update item only"

updating role on a parent folder in drive

2. Limit folder access: Go to your My Drive > choose the folder you want to limit access > click the overflow menu > share > select share settings in the top right corner > click limit access to “Folder Name”.

limiting access to a folder in drive

For My Drive folders & files after February 2026:
By February 2026, we will stop allowing restricted access on specific files and folders as outlined in option 1 above (update item only), and limited access will be done consistently via the limited access folder setting as outlined in option 2 above (limit folder access). In the future, we will identify all the files and folders that are shared less broadly than their containing folder and enable limited access on them. This will not immediately change who has access to those items, but it will make it so that if someone were to share or unshare the item’s parent later, those changes will not apply to the item with limited access. We will provide an update in early 2026 before this process takes place.


For shared drives:
Only shared drive managers and content managers with sharing access can specify who can open a folder and see what's inside. Everyone else with regular access to the shared drive folder will be able to see that a "sensitive" file or folder exists, and can request access to it. This provides shared drive managers with greater flexibility to keep restricted and unrestricted content within a single shared drive, instead of having multiple folders for different access levels.


Who’s impacted 

Admins, end users and developers 


Why it’s important 

For My Drive, folders with limited access allow users to control the information viewed by others in their organization. For shared drives, folders with limited access allow users to organize files by project, in a single shared drive or shared folder, while ensuring that sensitive information is only accessible to the right team members. 


Additional details 

Drive’s public API 
We’re adding improvements to Drive’s public API that make it easier for developers to adopt the expansive access changes outlined above. Given these updates better align the behavior for items in My Drive and in shared drives, we recommend developers opt in to the expansive access API behavior in My Drive ahead of 2026. Visit this developer guide for more information on managing folders with limited and expansive access.

“Editors can change permissions and share” setting 
As a result of this update, the “Editors can change permissions and share” setting will change by August 2025. 
  • Turning the setting off will still prevent users with Editor access from sharing the item directly, but if the owner places the item into a shared folder, any changes to the containing folder’s access will be applied on the item. Previously, those changes were only applied if the item’s owner was the one making the folder access change. 
  • By August 2025, we will apply limited access to items that have this setting turned off. Due to the limited access, the owner will still be the only person who can share those pre-existing items. Limited access will not be applied to items that have the setting turned off after August 2025.

Getting started 

  • Admins: Admins need to set up shared drives for their organization in order for end users to access this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more about folders with limited access.
  • End users: 
    • As a shared drive manager or My Drive folder owner, go to your shared drive or My Drive folder > choose the folder you want to limit access > click the overflow menu > share > select share settings in the top right corner > click limited access to “Folder Name”. 
    • Folders with limited access can only be opened by people who have been added to it directly. People with general access to the shared drive or shared folder can see the restricted folder in Drive, but will not be able to open it. 
    • Folders with limited access are available in both shared drives and My Drive: 
      • Shared drive managers can always access folders with limited-access 
      • Folder owners can always access limited-access folders in their My Drive 
    • For users whose access has been limited, you will see the folder name, but the folder will be grayed out: For users whose access has been limited, you will see the folder name, but the folder will be grayed out
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about folders with limited access. 
  • Developers: Visit the Developer Documentation to learn more about managing folders with limited and expansive access. If you decide to opt into the expansive access API early, your app's behavior will not change when Drive stops allowing restricted access in 2026. 

Rollout pace 

Folders with limited access: 
API changes for Expansive Access: 

Availability

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

Resources 

Scroll through live captions and translated captions in Google Meet

What’s changing

We’re improving the live captions and translated captions experience in Google Meet by including the ability to scroll through the text. Previously, captions were displayed in real-time, but disappeared once they were no longer relevant to the current conversation. This update makes it possible to scroll back and review the last 30 minutes of captions at your own pace. This can be particularly helpful if you’ve missed a portion of the conversation or you want to review specific details mentioned earlier in the conversation. 

Scrolling through the caption history in Google Meet
You can use “Jump to the bottom” to see the latest real-time captions


Getting started


Rollout pace


Availability

  • Available for all Google Workspace customers, as well as users with personal Google accounts

Resources


“Take notes for me” in Google Meet now captures “next steps”

What’s changing 

In August 2024, we introduced “take notes for me” in Google Meet. When turned on, this Gemini in Meet feature is designed to boost meeting productivity by automatically capturing key discussion points and sending a recap email, helping keep everyone informed. 

Today, we’re pleased to announce that “take notes for me” will capture next steps discussed during the meeting in a new “suggested next steps” section. Powered by AI, these next steps and follow-ups will automatically be identified and organized within the meeting notes document. You can review and edit the next steps and follow-ups as needed, and even assign the task to someone. This latest note-taking enhancement will help ensure important follow-ups aren’t missed and keeps everyone aligned on what happens next after your meeting.

Suggested next steps will be included in the meeting notes document



Getting started


Rollout pace

  • Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 18, 2025

This feature will be rolling out at a much slower pace than usual as we carefully monitor performance and quality. We will update this post when rollout for Rapid Release domains is complete and Scheduled Rollout is expected to begin.


Availability

Available to Google Workspace
  • Business Standard and Plus
  • Enterprise Standard and Plus
  • Also available with the Gemini Education Premium add-on

Anyone who previously purchased these add-ons will also receive this feature:
  • Gemini Enterprise*
  • AI Meetings & Messaging*

*As of January 15, 2025, we’re no longer offering the Gemini Enterprise add-ons for sale. Please refer to this announcement for more details.

Resources


Workspace data loss protection (DLP) for Gmail is now generally available

What’s changing 

A big threat organizations must prepare for is the risk of data exfiltration through unwanted and/or unauthorized means. Whether it’s small-scale, unintended sharing, or a larger breach scenario, organizations need powerful defenses to protect themselves from these risks. To that end, we’re pleased to announce that today Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is generally available in Gmail, alongside Drive and Chat.

DLP is one of the most powerful ways organizations can protect themselves from these risks. With DLP capabilities in Gmail, organizations can identify, monitor, and control the sharing of sensitive data. It works through a series of easy to apply data protection rules that can be implemented to instantly detect sensitive content in outgoing messages, including body content, attachments, headers, and subject lines. 


Additional details

How does DLP in Gmail compare to Content Compliance rules?
To prevent the exfiltration of sensitive data from Gmail, data protection rules with DLP are recommended. These rules offer a rich set of predefined detectors and the ability to build flexible conditions. 


Additionally, organizations can tailor warning messages based on their organization's data governance requirements, terminology, and processes; these messages will help educate users on their organization's specific security and data protection policies to prevent sharing sensitive content.


Other features, such as content compliance, can still be used for different purposes, like evaluating inbound messages and routing them internally to relevant departments.


For more information, please refer to our initial open beta announcement.


DLP within the Google Workspace ecosystem
As part of Google Workspace ecosystem, DLP for Gmail comes with capabilities available across other applications, such as Drive and Chat, so admins can configure, implement and investigate Data Loss Prevention incidents using unified tools, such as Security Investigation Tool, or build custom dashboards using unified audit logs or export to BigQuery. 


Taken together, DLP capabilities across Workspace provide powerful protections for organizations to reduce the risk of data breaches, comply with regulatory requirements, and protect their reputation and intellectual property.


Getting started

  • Admins: 
    • Data loss prevention rules can be configured at the domain, OU, or group level. DLP rules can be enabled in Gmail in the Admin console under Security > Access and data control > Data protection. Visit the Help Center to learn more about controlling sensitive data shared in Gmail. Note that you can modify existing DLP rules for Drive and Chat to also apply to Gmail. 
    • DLP events can be reviewed in the Security Investigation Tool or Security > Alert Center, if alerts are configured in rules.
    • With DLP for Gmail, data protection rules can be scanned synchronously or asynchronously. Visit our Help Center for more information.
    • For new rules, we recommend starting with “Audit only” mode. This allows you to thoroughly test and monitor the rule's performance and ensure it correctly identifies the intended data without interrupting email flow for users. Once you've validated the rule's behavior and are confident in its accuracy, you can then implement actions such as blocking or warning users as needed.

  • End users: Depending on your admin configuration, you’ll be notified if your message contains information that violates DLP rules.

Rollout pace


Availability

Available to Google Workspace:
  • Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plus
  • Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, and the Teaching & Learning add-on
  • Frontline Standard
  • Cloud Identity Premium customers

Introducing the board tab in Google Chat

What’s changing 

In our continuing effort to improve the ways Google Chat helps teams communicate and collaborate, we’re excited to introduce board in Google Chat. 

This feature, which can be thought of as a virtual bulletin board, organizes important information and helps keep your team on the same page by enabling anyone to: 

  • Pin and share crucial messages, files, and links for quick access 
  • Use intelligent suggestions to quickly find and add relevant resources 
  • Maintain an organized workspace by displaying the board next to your conversation stream when needed and hidden at other times 
The board in Chat helps you stay focused and reduces context-switching. By gathering relevant assets in a consistent, accessible location, this feature helps with common tasks: 
  • A project manager can maintain a single source of truth for all project-related files and resources shared with their team 
  • A workgroup leader can provide one location to find relevant information and resources used on a regular basis
  • A new team member can quickly find resources to get up to speed on their role and responsibilities so they can contribute to the team as soon as possible 

board in google chat
Who’s impacted 


End users


Why it’s important 

Save time and keep assets and conversations organized with the board in Chat, a place where any team member can pin important messages, files and web links. Curating a repository of relevant information for a team or workgroup can be highly beneficial, but ongoing management can be time consuming and cumbersome. The board in Chat solves for this by providing a dynamic, customizable, and visually appealing way to consolidate important information, with file suggestions from Gemini to ensure that all relevant assets are included. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: 
    • The board is for everyone in a conversation to use and reference. However, space managers can restrict who can update a board by going to space settings > Modify space board and details. 
    • The board tab will appear in all direct messages, group messages and spaces. Clicking on it will open a dedicated right panel displaying the board alongside the message stream. 
      • By default, all users can pin, add resources, edit, and delete information from the board with the exception of announcement spaces. 
      • For spaces, a space manager has the ability to restrict board modification access. 
      • For announcement spaces, only space managers can edit a Board by default. Managers can change this default if needed to allow all members to edit it. 
    • The board will feature sections for pinned messages and pinned resources. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about the Board tab in Chat.

Rollout pace 

Availability 

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

Resources

Create names for group direct messages in Google Chat

What’s changing 

Spaces in Google Chat are meant to focus a conversation around a topic, project, or shared interest with multiple people. However, we know there are times when users prefer to message a group instead of a space. In order to manage discussions more easily and find conversations quicker, users can now create names for existing and new group direct messages. 

Name any group direct messages with the new option in the Chat menu

Name any group direct messages with the new option in the Chat menu




Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: 
    • Named group direct messages will continue to show in the direct messages section of Chat. 
    • Named group direct messages are still private to the members of the group. 
    • The group name will be visible to all members of the group direct message. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about naming a group direct message. 

Rollout pace 

Web: 

Android: 

iOS:

Availability 

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

Resources 

Data classification labels in Gmail are now available on all Android and iOS devices

What’s changing 

In November 2024, we launched an open beta for data classification labels in Gmail. Beginning today, data classification labels will be available when using the Gmail app on mobile Android and iOS devices. Expanding data classification labels to mobile enables organizations to protect their data whether their users are sharing and accessing information from desktop devices or from mobile devices in the field or on-the-go.

Classification labels on mobile when composing a message, reading a message, and a message thread.



Additionally, these protections provide an automated way to enhance data security. For more information on data classification labels in Gmail, please refer to our original announcement.

Getting started

  • Admins: 
  • End users: If configured by your admin, you’ll see the “Classification” option when composing a new messaging or replying to or forwarding an existing message on mobile. When you open the menu, you can select labels relevant to your message. Visit the Help Center to learn more about adding classification labels in Gmail.

Rollout pace



Availability

The Label Manager and manual classification is available to Google Workspace:
  • Frontline Starter and Standard
  • Business Standard and Plus
  • Enterprise Standard and Plus
  • Education Standard and Education Plus
  • Essentials, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus

Data loss prevention rules with labels as a condition or labels as an action are available to:
  • Enterprise Standard and Plus
  • Education Fundamentals, Standard, Plus, and the Teaching & Learning Upgrade
  • Frontline Standard
  • Cloud Identity Premium (in combination with a Workspace Edition eligible for Gmail)

Resources


Improving the cover images experience in Google Docs

What’s changing

Last year, we made it easier for you to personalize and differentiate documents with full-bleed cover images that extend from one edge of your document to the other. Since then, many users have added cover images to help set the tone for a document, and today we’re announcing the following updates: 
  • In addition to the “Choose from stock photos” and “Upload from computer”, insertion options, users can now add images via: 
    • Searching the web 
    • Uploading from Drive 
    • Importing from Google Photos 
    • Pasting a URL 
new insertion options for cover images
  • The addition of 100+ new stock images to provide users with more options. The stock image gallery will also include filtering options for categories like art, food, and abstract 
100+ new stock images

  • When clicking the “Cover image” chip at the top of your Doc, a placeholder image will appear, followed by the menu with options to create with Gemini or insert a different image via the options outlined in #1.

When clicking the “Cover image” chip at the top of your Doc, a placeholder image will appear
Additional details 



Cover images can only be added to documents set to pageless mode, allowing the image to span the entire width of the document. To set up the more immersive experience of pageless mode, go to File > Page setup > Pageless or Format > Switch to Pageless format. 


Getting started 

  • Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. 
  • End users: 
    • A stock cover image is not AI-generated and automatically uploads to your document. You can update or change the image. 
    • Visit the Help Center to learn more about adding a cover image to your document.

Rollout pace 

Availability 

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

Resources