Google Workspace Changes

Users can now edit password-protected Microsoft Office files directly within Google Drive using Docs, Sheets, and Slides.

Google Workspace now allows users to edit password-protected Microsoft Office files directly in Google Drive, utilizing Docs, Sheets, and Slides. When opening a protected file in Drive, users will be prompted to enter the password with the option to 'View' or 'Edit'. Selecting 'Edit' opens the file for editing in Docs/Sheets/Slides and removes the password. This enhancement improves interoperability between Workspace and Microsoft, eliminating the need for third-party applications to remove passwords or edit protected Microsoft files.

SecOps data connector is now available for Google Workspace for Education Plus and Standard.

Google is expanding the availability of the SecOps data connector to customers using Google Workspace for Education Plus and Education Standard. This feature allows organizations to seamlessly forward activity logs from Gmail, Drive, Calendar, and other Workspace services into the Google SecOps platform to enhance threat detection, streamline incident response, and maintain compliance archives.

Edit password-protected Microsoft Office files directly in Google Drive.

Google Drive now supports the editing of password-protected Microsoft Office files directly within Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. When opening a protected file, users are prompted for the password and can choose to either preview the document in read-only mode or select 'Edit', which removes the password and opens the file for editing in the corresponding Google Workspace application.

Google Vids now supports portrait-sized clips via Ingredients to Video in Veo 3.1.

Google Vids has updated its 'Ingredients to Video' capability using Veo 3.1 to support the generation of portrait-sized video clips. These improvements include faster pacing, more engaging shots, realistic audio, and better consistency for objects, characters, and backgrounds, making it easier for users to create immersive content for social media channels using reference images and prompts.

Automatic room check-in for Google Meet on mobile devices using ultrasound proximity detection.

Google Meet is introducing automatic room check-in for Android and iOS devices using ultrasound proximity detection. When a user is in a conference room, the app detects an ultrasonic signal from the hardware and highlights the 'Use Companion mode' button in the green room. Joining via this button automatically checks the user into the correct room, simplifying the process and preventing audio feedback.

Improvements to Veo 3.1 in Google Vids now support generating portrait-sized video clips with faster pace and engaging shots.

Google Vids, with improvements to Veo 3.1, now allows users to generate portrait-sized video clips. This enhancement provides faster-paced, more engaging shots, realistic audio, and maintains consistency of objects, characters, and backgrounds. This feature is particularly useful for customers creating immersive video content for marketing, announcements, and explainer videos, enabling easy resizing for social media sharing.

Automatic room check-in for Google Meet on mobile using ultrasound proximity detection.

Google Meet introduces automatic room check-in for companion mode on mobile devices using ultrasound proximity detection. This feature simplifies joining meetings in conference rooms by intelligently guiding users to the best joining option and automatically checking them into the correct room, preventing disruptive audio feedback.

Google Forms now supports automatically stopping response collection based on date/time or response count.

Google Forms is introducing an enhancement that provides creators with more control over response management. This new feature enables form owners and editors to specify a closing date and time, or a maximum number of responses, after which the form will automatically cease accepting new submissions. This eliminates the need for manual closure, streamlining data collection for various form types, including registrations, event planning, and research.

Google Forms now allows creators to automatically stop accepting responses based on a specific date, time, or response count.

Google Forms is introducing a feature that enables form owners and editors to set a close date and time or a maximum number of responses to automatically stop the form from accepting new submissions. This streamlines the closure process for registration, event planning, and research forms, removing the need for manual intervention.

Emoji reactions in Gmail will be enabled by default.

In 2025, the ability to react to emails in Gmail with emojis was introduced. Initially an opt-in feature for early customer access, starting February 9, 2026, emoji reactions in Gmail will be enabled by default for all Google Workspace customers. Organizations wishing to disable this feature can do so in the Admin console.

New toggle for 'Take notes for me' to start automatically for meeting hosts.

Google Meet is introducing a new toggle that allows meeting hosts to choose whether the 'Take notes for me' feature starts automatically whenever they host a meeting. This setting is OFF by default, and users can manage it via their Google Meet settings. Additionally, administrators have the ability to enable or disable AI note-taking for their end users.

New toggle for automatic 'Take notes for me' in Google Meet.

Google Meet is introducing a new toggle that allows users to choose whether the 'Take notes for me' feature starts automatically when they host a meeting. Previously, this feature had to be manually enabled. This new toggle is off by default and can be enabled or disabled by users at any time in their Google Meet settings. Admins also have control over enabling or disabling AI note-taking for their end users.

Admins can now manage Speech Translation in Google Meet, with general availability for users starting January 27, 2026.

Google Meet is introducing Speech Translation to provide near-real-time translation during meetings to bridge language barriers. Admins can now control this feature in the Admin console under Meet service settings > Gemini settings, where it is enabled by default and can be disabled at the OU level. The end-user feature will roll out to Rapid Release domains starting January 27, 2026, and to Scheduled Release domains starting February 18, 2026.

Admins gain control over Speech Translation in Google Meet, enabling near real-time language translation.

Google Meet is introducing a Speech Translation feature that provides near real-time language translation during meetings to help bridge communication gaps. This feature is currently in alpha and is set to launch more broadly in beta on January 27, 2026. A new admin control for this feature will be available in the Admin console under Meet service settings > Gemini settings, which is enabled by default and can be managed at the Organizational Unit (OU) level. The feature's functionality relies on the Gemini for Meet admin setting being active, and its beta status means that availability and translation quality may vary. The rollout of the admin setting will begin gradually on January 7, 2026, for both Rapid and Scheduled Release domains. For end-users, the feature will gradually roll out to Rapid Release domains starting January 27, 2026, and to Scheduled Release domains with a full rollout starting February 18, 2026. This feature will be available to Google Workspace Business Plus, Enterprise Plus, Frontline Plus, Google AI Pro and Ultra, Google AI Ultra for Business add-on, and Google AI Pro for Education add-on subscribers.

Educators can now generate and share podcast-style audio lessons in Google Classroom using Gemini.

Starting today, educators can generate and share audio lessons in Google Classroom to help students engage more deeply with instructional content and support various learning modalities. Educators can customize the target grade, topic, learning objectives, and even the style of the audio discussion, such as the number of speakers and whether it's an interview or conversational style. This feature builds upon the previous availability of Gemini in Classroom for creating content and resources.