Google Workspace Changes

New in-file experience for responding to file access requests.

Google is introducing a new file access experience that allows file approvers to review and respond to pending access requests directly from within the file (Docs, Sheets, Slides, PDFs, etc.). Approvers will see a notification dot on the 'Share' button and a banner within the sharing dialog when requests are pending, providing a more efficient alternative to responding via email.

Programmatically write working locations using the Calendar API (Beta).

Google is launching a beta feature through the Developer Preview Program that allows developers to programmatically write a user's working location using the Calendar API. This capability enables the synchronization of working locations with third-party tools, such as hot desk booking or travel booking systems. The feature is available for eligible Google Workspace editions, including Business Standard, Business Plus, Enterprise, Education, and Nonprofits.

New custom zoom settings for more granular views in Google Slides.

Users can now customize their views in Google Slides with new custom zoom settings, allowing them to either input a specific zoom percentage or select from preset percentages in the drop-down menu at the top of the presentation.

Drive log events expanded to Business Starter and Essentials Starter editions.

Drive log events, which enable administrators to access an audit and investigation page to run searches related to Drive activity, are now available for Google Workspace Business Starter and Essentials Starter editions.

Third-party smart chips are now generally available in Google Docs.

Google Docs has introduced third-party smart chips, enabling users to integrate and preview critical information from external applications directly within their documents. By installing partner add-ons from the Google Workspace Marketplace and pasting a link from a supported third-party source (such as Atlassian, Figma, Miro, or Whimsical), users can convert links into smart chips by pressing 'tab', streamlining workflows and collaboration.

Rich text formatting added to class and private comments in Google Classroom.

Rich text formatting is now available for class and private comments in Google Classroom, allowing teachers and students to emphasize content using bolding, underlining, italicizing, and bulleted lists.

Originality reports in Google Classroom now support Microsoft Word files.

Educators can now run originality reports on Microsoft Word (.docx) files in Google Classroom to check for authenticity. The tool identifies uncited content and plagiarism by comparing the file against books and webpages on the internet.

Improved table positioning and layout options in Google Docs pages format.

Google Docs is introducing enhanced table positioning options for documents set in pages format, enabling users to drag tables to specific locations, wrap text around tables (with adjustable directions and margins), set fixed positions, and utilize quick layouts for preset positioning. Additionally, the import and export functionality for Microsoft Word documents with tables has been improved to ensure better consistency.

Add or remove client-side encryption from existing Google Sheets and Google Slides files.

Users can now add or remove client-side encryption for existing spreadsheets in Google Sheets and presentations in Google Slides by navigating to File > Make a copy > Add/Remove additional encryption. This update provides greater flexibility in controlling encryption as documents and projects evolve, bringing this capability to Sheets and Slides after it was previously introduced for Google Docs.

Several closed caption languages in Google Meet have moved out of beta.

Google Meet has removed the beta tag from closed captioning for Dutch, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, and Russian, as these languages have been validated.

Google Meet adds new target languages for translated captions from English.

Google Meet now supports translating meetings spoken in English into Dutch, Indonesian, Turkish, and Vietnamese. These newly supported languages are currently denoted with a beta tag.

Google Meet expands closed captioning support to include seven new languages.

To improve inclusivity, Google Meet has expanded its closed captioning support to include French Canadian (web only), Indonesian, Polish, Romanian, Thai, Turkish, and Vietnamese.

Google Meet Hardware now supports whiteboard cameras, starting with the Logitech Scribe.

Google Meet Hardware has introduced support for whiteboard cameras, with the Logitech Scribe being the first certified device. This update allows in-person meeting participants to share content written on a physical whiteboard as a presentation, ensuring remote colleagues can see the brainstorming process in real-time. Users can access this feature through an updated touch controller UI by selecting 'Present to the meeting' and then choosing the 'Whiteboard camera' option.

Optimizing the Google Drive Android app for foldable devices

The Google Drive Android app now features controls within the item preview viewer that intelligently respond and adjust based on the position of a foldable device, whether it is opened, closed, or partially opened.

View documents in paginated mode on Android devices

Google Docs on tablets and foldable devices will now open in paginated mode by default, unless the document is specifically set to pageless. This ensures a more cohesive visual design and consistent page breaks between the web, tablet, and foldable versions of the app.