Now available: A refreshed user interface for Google Meet hardware touch controllers on Neat and Poly devices

On August 26, 2026, we are officially launching our updated user interface for Neat touch controllers and  the Poly TC8. Overall, the design allows users to concentrate on their meetings rather than searching for controls, resulting in a more efficient and aesthetically pleasing experience. | Learn more.

Generate interactive simulations and models in the Gemini app

Gemini can transform your questions and complex topics into custom, interactive visualizations — directly within your Gemini app chat.  | Learn more.

Restrict who can view the member lists in Google Chat spaces

Space owners and managers can now control who can view the full list of members in a Google Chat space, providing enhanced privacy and administrative control for sensitive, large-scale, or external collaboration spaces. | Learn more.

Introducing data import for Microsoft Teams: An easier, faster, and higher-fidelity migration to Google Workspace

For enterprise organizations, migrating communication history and collaboration channels to a new platform can feel daunting and risk interrupting daily business operations. To make this transition smoother, we are excited to announce that migrating chat data from Microsoft Teams to Google Workspace for large scale workloads is now generally available in data import. | Learn more.

Introducing data import for Microsoft OneDrive: An easier, faster, and higher-fidelity migration to Google Workspace

For enterprise organizations, migrating files along with their permissions to a new platform can feel daunting and risk interrupting daily business operations. To help simplify this transition, we are excited to announce general availability of Google Workspace data import (advanced mode) to support large-scale file migrations from Microsoft OneDrive. | Learn more.

Preserve and reuse grouped pivot table fields in Google Sheets

Google Sheets now supports grouped field persistence for pivot tables. When you create custom groupings or work with grouped date, time, or numeric fields, these fields are now retained directly in the pivot table editor sidebar as reusable source fields. | Learn more.

Control “Take notes for me” directly from Google Meet hardware touch controllers

On August 31, 2026, we’ll start rolling out the ability to start, stop, and manage the “Take notes for me” feature directly from the Google Meet Hardware touch controller for eligible meetings. This ensures in-room participants have direct control over Gemini note-taking without being in Companion mode. | Learn more.

Google Classroom now supports Context-Aware Access controls

We’re excited to introduce the ability to specify Context-Aware Access policies to control access to Google Classroom. This update allows Google Workspace administrators to set granular security parameters for Classroom access directly from the Admin console. | Learn more.

Improving Google Calendar’s interoperability with third-party video conferencing solutions

We are introducing improvements to Google Calendar that make it easier to join third-party video meetings, including Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Cisco Webex, when collaborating across different calendar and email clients. | Learn more.

Suppress email responses to calendar invitations and updates

We’re introducing a new per-event setting in Google Calendar that allows meeting organizers or their delegates to decide whether or not to receive RSVP emails and automatic responses, such as out-of-office messages and vacation responders. | Learn more.

Preview client-side encrypted PDF and image files directly in Google Drive, now available in beta

Previously, users needed to download encrypted non-native files to their local devices to view the contents. With this capability, authorized users can immediately preview encrypted content in their web browser without leaving Drive. | Learn more.

Gemini-based data classification in Google Drive is now available in open beta

This feature leverages Gemini models to apply data classification labels to files in Google Drive. Previously, AI classification required admins to identify and manually label training files for the AI model to learn the types of data associated with each data classification level. | Learn more.

The announcements above were published on the Workspace Updates blog over the last week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.

Gemini-powered AI classification in Google Drive is now available in open beta.

By automating file identification and labeling across Drive, AI classification helps organizations enforce granular data loss prevention (DLP) policies at scale, establish retention rules, and utilize label metadata during audit investigations. This also becomes a critical aspect in elevating an organization’s security posture in the agentic era, preventing agentic workflows from accessing and acting autonomously on sensitive data. 

This feature leverages Gemini models to apply data classification labels to files in Google Drive. Previously, AI classification required admins to identify and manually label training files for the AI model to learn the types of data associated with each data classification level. With this new capability, Gemini models offer admins an alternative method for data classification that is faster and more efficient, eliminating the need for manual model training and replacing it with administrator-defined instructions.

In the Admin console, Gemini models interpret instructions, evaluate files, and apply appropriate data classification labels.

Administrators maintain full control of the Gemini-based data classification process. They select the label, provide Gemini with instructions, and scope the audience for the files being evaluated. For Gemini-labeled files, editors and owners of those files with the appropriate label permissions will have the opportunity to either review and accept, or modify the automatically-applied label. Audit logs capture when files are labeled, including any user acceptance or modification of a Gemini-applied label.

In the Admin console, once enabled, Workspace Admins can see metrics on the labels applied to files by Gemini.

Data classification is a critical activity for organizations that are conscious about data protection, compliance, and reporting. However, data classification can also be challenging to put into practice, particularly when it comes to accurately classifying files at scale. By using the new Gemini-based capabilities in AI classification for Drive, admins are able to achieve a higher degree of data classification accuracy at scale.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout to Open Beta — targeting completion by September 30th.

Getting started

• Admins: For customers on a supported product license, the option for configuring Gemini-based AI classification instructions will appear in the Workspace Admin Console under the Data Classification option in the Security section (Security > Access and data control > Data classification). Use our Help Center to learn more.
• End users: There is no end user setting for this feature.

Availability

• Enterprise: Enterprise Plus
• Education: Google AI Pro for Education
• Other Editions: Frontline Plus

Resources

• Google Drive Help: Label Google Drive files automatically using AI classification | Security & data protection

Client-side encryption (CSE) provides organizations control over access to their confidential data, with customer controlled encryption keys and data that is indecipherable to third-parties, including Google. Google Drive now supports direct file previewing for CSE files. Previously, users needed to download encrypted non-native files to their local devices to view the contents. With this capability, authorized users can immediately preview encrypted content in their web browser without leaving Drive.

This feature streamlines productivity and bolsters security by eliminating unnecessary downloads. At launch, preview is supported only on Drive, and for:

• Encrypted PDF documents
• Encrypted Image file formats

Admins with eligible Workspace licenses can sign up for the beta program, which provides access to the feature.

Preview of an encrypted PDF, accessible in Drive

Getting started

• Admins: Admins with eligible Workspace licenses can sign up for the beta program. We’ll provide more information on how to get started if you’re accepted.
• End users: This feature is ON for users in domains that have registered for the beta program.

Availability

• Enterprise: Enterprise Plus
• Education: Education Standard and Plus
• Other Editions: Frontline Plus, Assured Controls, Assured Controls Plus

Resources

• Google Workspace Admin Help: About client-side encryption
• Beta Application: Registration form

We’re introducing a new per-event setting in Google Calendar that allows meeting organizers or their delegates to decide whether or not to receive RSVP emails and automatic responses, such as out-of-office messages and vacation responders.

By default, this new setting, called “Get an email when guests respond,” is checked - ensuring organizers receive email responses for RSVPs. If the box is unchecked:

• Organizers will not receive RSVP emails from attendees using Google Calendar, but their RSVP status will still show up on the Calendar event.
• Organizers will not receive RSVP emails from attendees using third-party calendar tools (e.g. Outlook) and their RSVP status will not show up on the Calendar event.
• Organizers will not receive any email auto-replies (like out-of-office messages and vacation responders).

This feature is beneficial for organizers of large meetings, who don’t need to be informed about individual RSVP responses. Please note that for recurring events, this setting can only be applied to the full series.

Getting started

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
• End users: By default, meeting organizers will get email responses for RSVPs. To stop receiving email responses, a meeting organizer must uncheck the box. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 28, 2026 
• Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on September 10, 2026 

Availability

• Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

• Google Help: Track responses to your event

We are introducing improvements to Google Calendar that make it easier to join third-party video meetings, including Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Cisco Webex, when collaborating across different calendar and email clients.

Specifically, users may notice:

• A better join experience for external recipients (for outgoing invitations): When you send a Google Calendar invitation containing a third-party video conferencing link to external recipients who use clients like Microsoft Outlook or Apple Calendar, Google Calendar now automatically includes the conferencing URL in the event's Location field. Because many external clients render links in the Location field as prominent, clickable buttons or chips in event previews, your guests can join calls with a single click without opening the full invite description.
• Structured "Join" button in Google Calendar (for incoming invitations): When you receive a calendar invite from an external system (such as Microsoft Outlook) containing third-party conferencing details in the event description or location, Google Calendar now automatically identifies and extracts the meeting URL, meeting ID, and passcode/PIN into structured video conferencing data. Instead of searching through text descriptions, you will see a prominent "Join video call" button directly on the event across Google Calendar on Web, Android, and iOS.

These improvements remove friction from the scheduling and meeting-join experience. Whether you or your external collaborators use Microsoft Outlook, Apple Calendar, or Google Calendar, joining video calls is now seamless and effortless.

Getting started

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
• End users: This feature will be available by default for all incoming and outgoing calendar invitations containing supported third-party conferencing links (Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Webex). No additional action is needed.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on August 27, 2026

Availability

• Available to all Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts.

Resources

• Google Workspace Learning Center: Add or remove a video conference from your Calendar event