Google Workspace Changes

Skills (reusable prompts) are launching in the Gemini app, enabling stacked instructions and eventual migration from Gems.

Starting October 13, 2026, skills will roll out to Gemini app users on both Rapid and Scheduled Release domains, with completion expected by mid‑November. Skills let you layer multiple custom instructions in a single prompt, are built on the open SKILL.md standard, and will replace Gems as the primary way to tailor Gemini for specific tasks. Users can continue using existing Gems until they are auto‑migrated to draft skills, with manual recreation also an option.

Study notebooks in Gemini are now available for Google Workspace accounts, offering personalized adaptive learning with quizzes, progress tracking, and curriculum‑aligned lessons.

Study notebooks in Gemini provide a dedicated, interactive learning space that turns Gemini into an adaptive platform. Users can create a notebook from the left sidebar, specify their study topic, upload class materials, request progress‑check quizzes to identify knowledge gaps, follow bite‑sized lessons with inline practice quizzes, and track mastery via a dynamic dashboard that categorizes topics into strengths and focus areas. The feature is available to Google Workspace and Workspace Individual customers outside the EEA (with EEA rollout coming soon) when the Gemini app and Gemini Notebook are enabled by admins, who can control access via groups or OUs. Rollout began on September 17, 2026 for Rapid Release domains, reaching full visibility within up to 15 days.

Create and share short video overviews in 80+ languages to simplify complex concepts with narrated animations.

Gemini Notebook now lets users produce Short Video Overviews—approximately 60-second videos that blend narrative explanations with educational animations—in over 80 languages. These shareable videos break down intricate formulas, diagrams, and scientific ideas into digestible content for easier learning.

Exam prep tools in Gemini Notebook gain new quiz formats, performance chat, and customizable quizzes/flashcards.

Gemini Notebook's exam preparation features have been expanded to include short answer, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank quiz formats. Users can now converse with their notebook about their latest quiz and flashcard performance to identify focus areas, and they can customize quizzes and flashcards by adding or editing questions to suit their study needs.

Interactive learning overviews in Reports combine summaries with quizzes, flashcards, and mind maps to aid focus.

Gemini Notebook now offers interactive learning overviews accessible under the Reports section. These overviews integrate summaries with studio-generated outputs such as quizzes, flashcards, and mind maps, helping users stay focused during study sessions by providing varied, engaging review formats.

Real-time conversational AI in Gemini Notebook mobile app lets users 18+ interact with their notebooks in nearly 100 languages.

Users aged 18 and over can engage in real-time voice conversations with their Gemini Notebook via the mobile app on Android and iOS, available in almost 100 languages. Responses are grounded in the user's own sources, providing step-by-step guidance, answering questions, and allowing interruptions at any point.

New audio recorder in Gemini Notebook mobile app lets users capture lectures and thoughts, saving notes alongside sources.

The Gemini Notebook mobile app now includes an audio recorder available on Android and iOS, enabling users to record lectures or personal thoughts while studying. Recordings are saved as notes directly alongside the relevant source material, facilitating easy citation and continued editing.

Notebooks in Gemini now available for schools and organizations to organize course, curriculum, and project materials in a dedicated AI-powered workspace.

Notebooks in Gemini, initially announced in April as a dedicated workspace for individual users to organize projects and conversations, is now available to students, educators, and professionals within schools and organizations. Users can upload course materials, curriculum standards, assignment rubrics, lesson templates, product information, project details, research reports, and strategy notes into a notebook to generate personalized study guides, aligned coursework, differentiated learning materials, targeted feedback, and synthesized insights. The feature integrates the Gemini app and Gemini Notebook, enabling workflows such as creating Cinematic Video Overviews from class notes and then generating study guides in the Gemini app. Administrators can control access via Gemini App and Gemini Notebook settings, and the rollout began on September 14, 2026 with a gradual rollout of up to 15 days for both Rapid and Scheduled Release domains.

Expert Intelligence adds trusted book content from Google Play Books to Gemini Notebook, enabling Q&A, infographics, audio overviews, quizzes, and more.

Expert Intelligence integrates over 100,000 books from major publishers into Gemini Notebook, allowing users to add purchased ebooks from Google Play Books as sources. Users can ask questions about the book, generate infographics, audio overviews, quizzes, and combine the book's content with their own notes or syllabi. Admins need to enable Gemini Notebook, Google Play, and Google Books for the OU, and eligible books show a Gemini Notebook badge in Google Play Books. The feature is rolling out now to Rapid and Scheduled Release domains for all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and personal Google accounts with the required services enabled.

Gemini desktop app is now available for Windows 10 and 11, offering AI assistance via Alt+Space, project summarization, and image generation.

Google has launched the Gemini desktop app for Windows 10 and 11, enabling users to access Gemini directly from their desktop. The app can be summoned with Alt+Space for quick tasks like fact-checking or brainstorming, can draft project summaries using data from Gmail and Drive, and can generate custom images via Nano Banana. Admins have the app enabled by default where Gemini is turned on, and end users can download it from gemini.google/desktop.

Admins can now control external sharing for Gemini Notebook with granular options in the Admin console.

Google Workspace administrators can now enable external sharing for Gemini Notebook using four granular sharing options (Off, Trusted Domains, On, On with public notebook sharing) configurable at the domain, OU, or group level, replacing the previous single toggle. The feature rolls out gradually over up to 15 days starting September 10, 2026 for both Rapid and Scheduled Release domains and is available to all Google Workspace customers.

Enterprise‑grade security and compliance controls are embedded in Gemini’s Workspace actions.

Gemini respects existing access permissions, does not use user data for model training, and provides human‑in‑the‑loop preview cards for actions like sending emails or scheduling meetings, ensuring data confidentiality and granular policy enforcement.

Gemini enables building branded slide decks directly from Docs using a style reference.

Users can ask Gemini in the Docs side panel to turn a proposal into a polished slide deck, specifying a style reference (e.g., @presentation) to maintain brand consistency without leaving the document editor.

Gemini can create to‑dos and reminders that are automatically added to Google Tasks.

From the Slides side panel (or other apps), users can prompt Gemini to log a reminder or generate a to‑do list based on presented content, which is instantly synced to Google Tasks for follow‑up.

Gemini helps schedule meetings and resolve calendar conflicts without opening Google Calendar.

Users can ask Gemini in Chat (via Ask Gemini) to find open times, book meetings, or resolve scheduling conflicts with teammates, keeping the workflow inside the chat interface.