Google Workspace Changes

Timestamped comments for videos in Google Drive on the web let users anchor feedback to specific time marks.

Google Drive now supports timestamped comments for video files on the web, enabling reviewers to attach comments to exact moments in a video. Each comment appears as a marker on the video timeline; clicking jumps to that point and highlights the note. Standard commenting features like editing, resolving, replying, and @ mentions remain fully supported. The feature works across Rapid and Scheduled Release domains and is available immediately for all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and personal Google accounts.

Ask Gemini in Drive is now available on Android and iOS mobile apps.

Google has expanded the 'Ask Gemini in Drive' feature to Android and iOS apps, providing a dedicated workspace for high-context, multi-turn conversations to explore content across Drive, other Workspace apps, and the web. The update includes dedicated conversations for specific files and folders, persistent conversation history, and maintains existing security and data protection controls.

Google Drive introduces alignment approvals to allow document sign-offs without resetting the approval flow when edits are made.

Google Drive is introducing alignment approvals, a lightweight mechanism that allows teams to request and record document sign-offs without file changes resetting the approval flow. By unchecking the 'Require all approvers to review the same content' option in the request dialog, collaborators can continue making edits without resetting recorded approver decisions, though individual approvers retain the flexibility to manually reset their status if subsequent edits no longer match their expectations.

Gmail threads can now be used as sources in Ask Gemini in Drive.

Ask Gemini in Drive now allows users to add Gmail threads as sources, enabling them to ground responses in a complete view of their business context across emails, files, and folders for more accurate and helpful insights.

Organize My Files in Drive is now generally available, using Gemini to suggest file organization.

Google Drive has introduced the general availability of 'Organize My Files in Drive'. This feature leverages Gemini to help users reduce digital clutter by suggesting moves for loose files into existing folders or proposing new folder groupings. Users can review, customize, and batch-approve these recommendations through a dedicated 'Suggest File Moves' interface, which supports interactive adjustments like hovercards and inline renaming.

Bulk import using client-side encryption and the Drive API is now generally available.

Client-side encryption (CSE) customers can now conduct bulk migrations of sensitive files from both cloud and on-premises data sources into Google Drive. This process ensures that confidential content is wrapped with customer-managed keys before being imported, allowing organizations to decommission legacy third-party storage while maintaining the CSE model throughout the document lifecycle using the highly configurable Drive API.

Ask Gemini in Drive is expanding language support to 28 additional languages.

Google is expanding the language support for Ask Gemini in Drive to include all 29 languages currently supported in the Gemini side panel, rolling out to Rapid and Scheduled release domains over the coming weeks.

Ask Gemini in Drive is now generally available for eligible Google Workspace and Google AI plans.

Ask Gemini in Drive provides an immersive workspace for high-context, multi-turn conversations to explore and understand content across Drive, Workspace apps, and the web. Key features include dedicated conversations for specific files and folders, 'Drive projects' for curating shared knowledge bases, and persistent conversation history. The tool is integrated into Drive's architecture to ensure it honors existing data protection, security controls, and access permissions.

Automatic migration of legacy restricted access items to limited access settings in Google Drive.

Google Drive is automatically migrating items with legacy restricted access to the limited access folder setting. This update ensures consistent management of restricted access and does not change who can see or access the files. Users can audit their own files with limited access using the search operator 'owner:me is:limitedaccess', and migrated items will indicate that limited access was applied by Google Drive.

Ransomware detection and file restoration for Google Drive is now generally available with improved malware detection.

Google Workspace has made ransomware detection and file restoration capabilities generally available for eligible Google Drive customers. This security feature helps protect user files by detecting suspicious files potentially impacted by ransomware and enables users to quickly restore previous safe versions. The updated AI model detects 14 times more infections than the beta version, offering more comprehensive protection. Admins can track ransomware alerts in the Admin console, view impacted users and files, and receive email notifications, while users receive desktop notifications and can easily bulk restore files.

Bulk file restoration for Google Drive is now generally available.

Google Drive now allows users to bulk restore multiple files to a previous version, enabling them to recover data after a ransomware attack without paying a ransom. This feature is available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

Ransomware detection for Google Drive is now generally available.

Google Drive has launched general availability for ransomware detection. When Google Drive for desktop is installed, the system will automatically pause file syncing if ransomware is detected, notifying the user via a desktop alert and the administrator through the Admin console security center and email.

New video player experience in Google Drive now available on iOS devices.

Google Drive on iOS devices now features a smoother and more modern video player, consistent with the updated experience previously launched on Android. This enhancement allows users to enjoy an improved video playback experience directly within the Google Drive app on their iPhones and iPads.

Google Drive on iOS now features a new, modern video player experience.

Google Drive has introduced a smoother and more modern video player experience for users on iOS devices, bringing the updated look and feel previously released for the Android app to the iOS platform.

Save PDFs directly to Google Drive from Chrome.

Users using Chrome on their computer can now save PDFs directly to Google Drive without leaving the current page. These saved files are automatically organized into a 'Saved from Chrome' folder for easy retrieval. Chrome administrators can control this feature via policy starting from Chrome version 145.