Google Workspace Changes

New features and performance improvements for the Google Drive iOS app.

A new version of the Google Drive iOS app is being released, introducing the ability to multi-select files to keep offline, star, or organize. The update also allows users to share, rename, or view file details more quickly and includes general performance improvements.

Google Calendar URL is changing from www.google.com/calendar to calendar.google.com.

To increase security, Google is changing the main Google Calendar URL to calendar.google.com. While the old URL will redirect to the new one, users may need to re-grant browser notification permissions, and developers of Chrome extensions or custom tools that parse the Calendar URL structure are advised to update their software to ensure continued functionality.

New Themes in Google Slides

Google Slides has introduced 22 new themes, accessible via a new Themes side panel, allowing users to quickly change the visual style of their presentations.

Partial cell formatting in Google Sheets

Users can now select and apply text formatting to only a portion of the characters within a single cell in Google Sheets on the web and Android app.

Explore in Google Sheets

The Explore feature in Google Sheets (web and Android) automatically analyzes spreadsheet data to create dynamic charts, surface insights, and perform instant calculations.

Hangouts services and web traffic will be served from ‘hangouts.google.com’.

Following the launch of the new standalone Google Hangouts homepage, Hangouts-related services and web traffic will be served from ‘hangouts.google.com’ in addition to existing host names. This change is rolling out gradually over the coming weeks for both Rapid and Scheduled release tracks, with no required action for Apps customers.

Revamped Google Forms interface and functionality

Google Forms has been updated with a mobile-friendly interface, new themes, color palettes, custom photo/logo options, and the ability to insert images, GIFs, and videos. Responses are now viewable in the same window as the editor.

Templates for Docs, Sheets, and Slides

A wide variety of pre-designed templates for newsletters, invoices, pitch decks, and more are now available on the home screens of Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides on the web.

Google Fonts preservation in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint

Google Fonts are now preserved when downloading Google Docs and Slides files as Microsoft Word or PowerPoint files on PCs, ensuring consistent formatting when sharing with external partners.

See new changes in Google Docs

Users can now easily identify changes made to a document since they last viewed it by clicking 'See new changes' from the File menu or the top of the document on the web.

Voice typing in Google Docs

Voice typing allows users to dictate ideas directly into Google Docs across Chrome on the web, Android, and iOS mobile apps, supporting more than 40 languages.

Research in Google Docs for Android

The Docs Android app now includes a Research feature that allows users to search Google without leaving the app and directly add facts, images, and quotes to their documents.

Launch of the Share to Classroom Chrome extension for pushing websites to students.

Google has launched the Share to Classroom Chrome extension, enabling teachers to instantly 'push' a website to all their students' devices during class. The extension also allows students to push websites to their teachers and is available to Google Apps for Education and Google Apps for Nonprofits customers using Google Classroom across Chromebooks, Macs, and PCs.

New features and a redesigned look for the Google Admin mobile app on Android and iOS.

The Google Admin mobile app has been updated with a new Material Design look and feel to align with the desktop Admin console. New functionality includes richer user profiles with group support and new attributes, the ability to perform bulk actions on users and groups, and the option to send text messages (such as SMS or WhatsApp) to users when adding them or resetting their passwords.

Google Groups audit log support added to the Admin console.

Google Workspace is introducing audit log support for Google Groups for Business. Admins can now monitor user activity, including changes to group settings, permissions, moderation actions, and membership changes (such as additions, removals, bans, and invites), via the Admin console and the Reports API. Additionally, admins can set up custom alerts for Groups audit events to track important activity.