What’s changing

We’re introducing search chips in Gmail, an easier way to sort and filter search results to find exactly what you’re looking for faster.

For example, you can search a colleague’s name and further narrow your results by selecting search chips like attachment type (Text document, Spreadsheet, PDF) or a specific timeframe. You can also filter out certain results, like calendar invites.

Rollout pace

• Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 19, 2020

Availability

• Available to all G Suite customers

Quick launch summary 

Last year, we announced the ability to see when someone is out of office in Gmail, specifically when composing a new email or Hangouts Chat. Now, we’re expanding that functionality to more places in Gmail on web, like when you’re hovering over someone’s name in your inbox or in the “To” or “From” line in an email.


This feature gives visibility to your time out of office in more places across G Suite, making it clear to senders the appropriate time to message you.

Getting started 

Rollout pace 

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 19, 2020 
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 19, 2020 

Availability 

• Available to all G Suite customers 

Resources 

• Google Help: Show your calendar status in Gmail
• Google Help: Stop sharing availability info with other apps

Quick launch summary

Last year, we announced a beta for Smart Compose in Google Docs, a feature that helps you compose high-quality content in Google Docs faster and more easily. Smart Compose saves you time by cutting back on repetitive writing, helps reduce the chance of spelling and grammatical errors, and can suggest relevant contextual phrases.

Getting started

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
• End users: This feature will be ON by default and can be disabled  by going to Tools > Preferences and unchecking “Show Smart Compose Suggestions”. When enabled, you’ll automatically see Smart Compose suggestions. To accept a suggestion you like, press “tab” or press the right arrow key. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Smart Compose in Google Docs.

Rollout pace

Quick launch summary

Last year, we announced improved as-you-type spelling and grammar corrections in Gmail. Now, we’re bringing that functionality to Google Docs on the web.


Autocorrect helps you compose documents quickly and with confidence. Misspelled words will automatically be corrected while typing and denoted with a grey dashed underline. As you continue typing, this dashed line will disappear.

If you need to undo a correction, you can simply hit backspace, select “Undo” while hovering over the autocorrected word, or use keyboard shortcuts like Command+Z.

Getting started

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
• End users: This feature will be ON by default and can be disabled by going to Tools > Preferences and unchecking “Automatically correct spelling”. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using autocorrect in Google Docs.

Rollout pace

Quick launch summary

You can now see a timeline of when users joined a call and events that took place during the call in the Meet Quality Tool. The timeline helps with you visually understand how the call developed over time.



The information on the timeline can be adjusted by selecting/deselecting participants and sorting them by name or join time. You can find more information about the timeline tool in the Help Center.

Getting started:

Admins: This feature will be available by default when using the Meet Quality Tool.

End users: There is no end user setting for this feature.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 13, 2020

Availability

• Available to all G Suite customers

Resources

• G Suite Admin Help: Troubleshoot meeting quality

Quick launch summary 

In the Gmail iOS app, when composing or replying to an email, you can now upload attachments from the Files app on your iPhone or iPad.

Getting started 

• End users: This feature will be available by default. In the Gmail iOS app, when composing or replying to an email, click the attachment icon and scroll to the “Attachments” section. Then select the folder icon to select an attachment from the Files app. 

Rollout pace 

• Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 12, 2020 
• Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 12, 2020 

Availability 

• Available to all Gmail iOS users.

Quick launch summary 

We’ve made some improvements to the “Settings” menu in new Google Sites. Specifically, we’ve consolidated the location of several settings into one place, making it easier for site editors to access and configure different options for their sites.

For example, you can now now add a favicon to your site by going to Settings > Brand images. Or, to add Google Analytics tracking to your site, go to Settings > Analytics.


We’ve also given site editors the new option to hide anchor links from site viewers on a published site. Currently, anchor links appear by default when site viewers hover over headings on a page. With this new setting, found in Settings > Viewer tools, site editors now have even more control over how a published site looks. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using anchor links in new Google Sites.

Getting started 

End users:

• Settings menu: The new Settings menu will be available by default. In the “Resources” section below, you’ll find a list of features that can now be accessed in the Settings menu.
• Anchor links: Use our Help Center to learn more about adding or disabling anchor links in new Google Sites. 

Rollout pace 

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 11, 2020 
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 11, 2020 

Availability 

• Available to all G Suite customers 

Resources 

• Google Help: Change how your site looks
• Google Help: Add or edit text & images
• Google Help: Add, delete & organize pages
• Google Help: Publish & share your site
• Google Help: Use analytics with your site
• Google Help: Use a Custom URL for your site
• Google Help: Convert your site to New Sites
• Google Help: Get an anchor link

Quick launch summary

You can now use Hangouts Meet, including screen sharing functionality, with Safari version 13 or higher. This will create a simpler meeting experience for Mac users who prefer to use Safari as their default browser.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.

End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Meet with all major browsers.

Rollout pace

• This feature is available now for all users.

Availability

• Available to all G Suite customers

Resources

• Google Help: Requirements for using Hangouts Meet

Update

July 1, 2021: There has been an additional delay to the turndown of the Sheets v3 API. All components of the v3 API will be turned down on August 2, 2021.

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December 22, 2020: There has been an additional delay to the turndown of the Sheets v3 API. All components of the v3 API will be turned down on June 8, 2021.

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September 21, 2020: We have further delayed the turndown of the Sheets v3 API. All components of the v3 API will be turned down on January 26, 2021.

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May 20, 2020: Given the impact of COVID-19, we're delaying the turndown of the Sheets v3 API. All components of the v3 API will be turned down on September 30, 2020.

Quick launch summary 

Earlier this year, we announced the retirement of the Sheets v3 API. At that time, we stated that you’d need to migrate any applications built on the v3 API to the v4 API by March 3, 2020 to ensure they continue working properly.

• Starting on April 9, 2020, the spreadsheet and spreadsheets.readonly scopes can no longer be used to list a user’s spreadsheets in the v3 API. 
• On September 30, 2020, the remainder of the v3 API will be turned down.

For information on transitioning your apps, check out our migration guide.

Quick launch summary 

We’re making minor changes to the apps page in the Admin console. In addition to performance improvements such as faster page loading, you may notice the following differences when you go to Admin console > Apps:

• Settings for Marketplace apps are now managed from links on the Marketplace Apps card, rather than the left hand menu. Click on the whitelisted apps link for more information, or “Manage” to control settings. 
• Links to the G Suite terms of service are now found at the bottom of the apps page, rather than on the cards themselves. 
• Visual updates, including clearer text and improved interface navigation. 

See screenshots of the new and old page below, or use our Help Center to learn more about how to manage apps in the Admin console.

Getting started 

• Admins: This feature will be ON by default. There is no admin control for this feature. 
• End users: This does not impact end users. 

Rollout pace 

• Rapid Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on Feb 7, 2020 
• Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on Feb 7, 2020 

Availability 

• Available to all G Suite customers

What’s changing 

Data regions allows G Suite customers to choose a specific geographic location for their covered data. We’re enhancing data regions with three key updates:

• Coverage of user indices for Gmail and Calendar 
• Coverage of Google Keep primary data at rest and backups 
• More granular group-based controls 

In addition to these new features, we’re also moving the location of the data region reporting dashboard from Admin Console > Dashboard to Admin Console > Reports > Data Regions.

Who’s impacted 

Admins

Why you’d use it 

G Suite’s globally distributed cloud infrastructure reduces latency and protects data with geo redundancy. Therefore, most organizations choose not to geo-restrict their data. However, some organizations have preferences around where their data is stored at rest.

To support those customers, we launched data region controls in 2018. Data regions lets customers designate the region in which covered data is stored when at rest—globally, in the US, or in Europe. Last year, we enhanced data regions with increased coverage of apps and data types.

By covering more apps, additional data types, and more granular admin controls, we hope to better support our customers’ data location preferences.

Additional details 

Coverage of user indices for Gmail and Calendar 
Gmail and Calendar construct user indices based on information in their accounts, similar to an index in a library, which lists information about all the books the library has available. This index is used to serve user search queries in Gmail and Calendar. These indices will now be covered by data regions. Once rolled out, index data for Gmail and Calendar will automatically be migrated to comply with existing data location policies. Use our Help Center to learn more about how to monitor data location move progress.




Coverage of Google Keep primary data at rest and backups 
This addition extends data regions coverage to a total of 11 apps. Once rolled out, Keep’s primary data at rest and backups will automatically be migrated to comply with existing data location policies. Use our Help Center to learn more about how to track data location move progress.

More granular group-based controls 
You can now set data regions for specific groups of users in your organization. You could previously only enable them by organizational unit (OU). This additional flexibility and control helps you use the feature without changing your organizational structure.

Getting started 

Admins: Data location is OFF by default and can be enabled at the group or OU level. However, when it’s rolled out to your domain, Keep data and indices data for Gmail and Calendar will automatically be migrated to comply with any existing data location policies you’ve set up. Visit the Help Center to learn more about how to choose a geographic location for your data.
End users: There is no end user setting for this feature.

Rollout pace 

• Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 5, 2020. 
• Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 5, 2020. 

Availability 

• Available to G Suite Business, G Suite Enterprise, and G Suite Enterprise for Education customers 
• Not available to G Suite Basic, G Suite for Education, and G Suite for Nonprofits customers 

Resources 

• G Suite Admin Help: Choose a geographic location for your data 
• G Suite Admin Help: What data is covered by a data region policy? 
• G Suite Updates blog: Choose the regions where your data is stored

What’s changing 

You can now use groups to manage context-aware access for your organization. You could previously only manage them by organizational unit (OU). Context-aware access lets you control access based on user identity and context. Managing this with groups provides extra flexibility, so you can make sure the right users have the right levels of access at the right time.

Use our Help Center to find out how to manage context-aware access.

Who’s impacted 

Admins

Why you’d use it 

With context-aware access, you can set up different access levels based on a user’s identity and the context of the request (location, device security status, IP address). This can help you provide granular access controls without the need for a VPN, and give users access to G Suite resources based on organizational policies. Find out more about context-aware access.

Using groups enables more granular access controls while minimizing the amount of work required to create and manage different OUs. For example, groups may make it easier to set up different policies for:

• Users at different organizational levels (e.g. executives) 
• Users in specific roles (e.g. admins) 
• Users with different employment statuses (e.g. full-time employees or temporary workers) 

Getting started 

Admins: There will be no change to existing context-aware access policies, but you can now set policies at the group level. Visit the Help Center to get an overview of context-aware access, or learn how to customize context-aware access with groups.

End users: There is no end user setting for this feature.

Rollout pace 

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 6, 2020 
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 6, 2020 

Availability 

• Available to G Suite Enterprise, G Suite Enterprise for Education, Cloud Identity Premium, and Drive Enterprise customers. See more details. 
• Not available to G Suite Basic, G Suite Business, G Suite for Education, G Suite for Nonprofits, and Cloud Identity Free customers 

Resources 

• G Suite Admin Help: Customize Context-Aware access with groups
• G Suite Admin Help: Control access to apps based on user and device context 
• G Suite Updates blog: Dynamic, context-aware access control for G Suite now generally available

What’s changing 

We’re updating the way multiple inboxes work in Gmail. Specifically, starting February 20, 2020, for Rapid release domains and March 5, 2020, for Scheduled release domains, we’ll enhance multiple inboxes to support independent scrolling, a unified toolbar, and adjustable width in right-side configurations.

In addition, starting on those dates, multiple inboxes will no longer support three-pane layouts with the preview pane (renamed “reading pane”) view. 

See the “Additional details” section below for more information on these changes.

Who’s impacted

End users

Why it’s important 

Multiple inboxes help you break out key emails, like important tasks or those from specific people, and make them visible alongside your main inbox in Gmail, in a completely customizable way. 

Additional details 

Split pane configurations no longer supported 
Beginning February 20, 2020, for Rapid release domains and March 5, 2020, for Scheduled release domains, multiple inboxes with preview pane (to be renamed “reading pane”) configurations will no longer be supported.

If you currently have multiple inboxes in an unsupported configuration, you will see a notification in Gmail informing you of this upcoming change. Once this change takes effect, the preview pane will turn off if you use multiple inboxes. If you want to continue using preview pane (i.e. reading pane), you’ll need to use an inbox type other than multiple inboxes. You can do this by going to Settings > Inbox > Inbox type.

Getting started

End users: Once these changes begin rolling out to your domain, the preview pane will turn off if you use multiple inboxes. If you want to continue using the preview pane, you’ll need to use an inbox type other than multiple inboxes. You can do this by going to Settings > Inbox > Inbox type.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on February 20, 2020
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on March 5, 2020 

Availability

• Available to all G Suite customers and users with personal Google Accounts

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What’s changing 

Admins can now choose whether their Android users can back up data from third-party apps, such as WhatsApp, to their G Suite accounts. Previously, admins didn’t have specific controls for third-party app backups—all G Suite users who had Drive enabled could back up this data, and users without Drive enabled could not. With this launch, admins can choose whether their users can back up this data, regardless of whether they have Drive.

This backup feature is limited to WhatsApp at launch, but other apps could be added in the future. If WhatsApp data is backed up, it can be used to restore WhatsApp conversation and message history if a user gets a new phone or deletes WhatsApp data from the device (e.g. via a factory reset).

• Third-party app backups is an additional service, which is not covered under the G Suite Terms of Service. 
• Once this feature rollout is complete, these backups will not count against G Suite storage quotas.
• WhatsApp backups are only available for Android devices. 
• Backups will automatically expire; WhatsApp backups that haven’t been updated for one year will be removed (learn more). 

Who’s impacted 

Admins and end users

Why it matters 

This gives admins more control over the content that’s stored in their domain. If enabled, third-party app backups can help users preserve and manage important data.

Additional details 

User experience of using and managing backups 
Users will see a link to Backups in Google Drive within the ‘Storage” section (see image below). This will contain their backed-up data. That data could include third-party apps such as WhatsApp (if enabled by their Admin with this control), as well as Android device backups. Users can delete these backups if they choose. Users cannot see the contents of these backups within Drive; they can only be used to restore data in third-party apps.

If admins turn third-party app backups off, users may be notified that their backups are not working properly. To avoid these notifications, the user can turn backups off on their device or back up their data to a different account on their device.

If admins have third-party app backups turned on but have Drive turned off, users may not be able to directly delete their backups through the Drive UI. Backups will continue to be deleted automatically upon expiration. You can also use our Help Center to find other ways to immediately delete backups. 

Getting started 

Admins: Starting on 5 February 2020, there will be a new setting in the Admin Console to control this feature at Admin console > Apps > Additional Google Services > Third-Party App Backups. The setting will initially have the same ON/OFF state as the Google Drive service, and can be controlled at the domain, OU, or group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing backups for your organization.

End users: This feature may be available to end users depending on the Admin control. If enabled, backups can be found and managed by users at Drive > Storage > Backups in their linked G Suite accounts. Use the Help Center to find out more about managing backups in Google Drive.

Rollout pace 

• Rapid and Scheduled release domains: 
• Admin console setting: This setting will appear in the Admin console sometime between February 5 and 12. 
• User impact: User impact: G Suite users may see the “Backups” view starting on February 5 (Rapid Release) and February 19 (Scheduled Release), but no new policies will be enforced until March 4 or later. These policies will start to go into effect for users on March 4 and rollout to all users over several weeks.

Availability 

• Available to all G Suite customers 

Resources 

• G Suite Admin Help: Turn 3rd-party app backups on or off 
• G Suite end user Help: Manage & restore your device backups in Google Drive

Check out the latest "What's New in G Suite" launch recap (pdf) for a roundup of all G Suite launches from January 2020.

Archive and translated versions (coming soon for January issue)
Stay up to date with G Suite launches

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Quick launch summary 

We’re changing the default scope for delegated admins with the “Service Settings” privilege. As a result, some admins may need to be re-granted access to the security center.

Previously, when an admin was assigned the “Service Settings” privilege, the “Security Center” privilege was also checked by default. Now, the “Security Center” must be granted specifically. As a result of this change, some delegated admins may lose their security center privileges. If this happens to an admin that should have access to the security center, a Super Admin of the domain can grant them (or the administrator role they are assigned) permission at Admin console > Admin roles. 

Getting started 

• Admins: This feature will be ON by default. Use our Help Center to learn more about administrator roles or granting security management privileges in G Suite. 
• End users: No impact to end users. 

Rollout pace 

• Rapid Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on Feb 3, 2020. 
• Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on Feb 3, 2020. 

Availability 

• Available to all G Suite customers

Resources 

• G Suite Admin Help: About administrator roles 
• G Suite Admin Help: Administrator privilege definitions: security