This official feed from the Google Workspace team provides essential information about new features and improvements for Google Workspace customers.


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

Previously, responses were largely text with static diagrams. Now, we’re delivering functional simulations that can help you better understand the topic you’re asking Gemini about. Whether you’re rotating a molecule or simulating a complex physics system, you can explore further with just one prompt. Responses include visual elements — like tables, grids, and simulations — made specifically for your question. For example, ask about a topic that could be explained visually, like “show me how DNA works in 3D,” and you’ll be able to interactively rotate and zoom into a 3D DNA structure. Or ask to watch a pendulum trade energy back and forth, or learn about cash burn rates through an interactive table.

Getting started

  • Admins: This feature is ON by default for all organizations with Gemini enabled. The Gemini app and related in-app tools are controlled by the Generative AI settings in the Workspace Admin console. This feature is subject to these existing controls. Visit the Help Center for more information on turning the Gemini app on or off.
  • End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. To get started, users can ask Gemini to “show me” or “help me visualize” a complex concept.

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual subscribers, and as well as users that meet minimum age requirements. Usage limits apply.

Resources

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.



Here's what you can expect:

  • Simplified Access to Key Controls: The controls you use most frequently, like mute and hand raise, are more prominent and easily accessible, helping you cut down on time searching for features and spend more time focusing on your meeting.
  • Intuitively Organized Features:
    • In-meeting experience: If you need to access more advanced features, like camera controls or the meeting layout, you can find them under the “More actions” menu. This keeps the main interface clean while ensuring less frequently used features are still readily accessible.
    • Pre-call experience: You'll also notice a refresh for the pre-call meeting UI, which prominently features the option to enter a meeting code or nickname, and a drop-down menu for Webex or Zoom meetings.
  • A Familiar Interface: The touch controller UI will now look and feel similar to the Google Meet UI as seen on Laptop & Desktop devices, which will help navigating the menu more intuitively.


Pre-meeting experience UI refresh Neat/Poly touch controller will now have


In-meeting experience UI refresh featuring quick action controls


This launch brings the modern UI experience to an expanded lineup of hardware, ensuring visual consistency across your meeting rooms. These improvements are designed to reduce user friction and support tickets by mirroring the exact interaction layout users are already accustomed to on their individual workstations.

Expanding availability

With the addition of Neat Pad andPoly TC8, we are continuing our commitment to expanding support for the new UI across all Google Meet touch controllers, including various Android Open Source Project (AOSP) ecosystem devices.

Getting started

  • Admins: This feature will be enabled by default for supported Neat Pad and, Poly TC8. You can visit the Help Center to learn more about managing settings and layouts for your organization's devices.
  • End users: No action is required. You will automatically see the updated, intuitive interface the next time you interact with your in-room touch controller. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using the new Google Meet Hardware touchscreen features.

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers with supported Google Meet hardware devices.

Resources

Enhanced external sharing insights now available in Drive Inventory Reporting

Administrators using Drive Inventory Reporting in Google BigQuery can now access granular external sharing fields designed to simplify complex permission structures. By automatically consolidating direct permissions, group memberships, and public links into clear signals, this update helps organizations easily identify external exposure across their Drive environments. | Learn more.

New enterprise security controls for Workspace Studio enable expanded collaboration use cases

Workspace Studio enables users to boost their productivity with custom, no-code agentic automation. Today, we are adding a new set of enterprise security controls to enable additional collaboration use cases. These granular identity, data protection, observability, and governance controls provide admins with more confidence to safely enable and adopt agentic capabilities in their organization. | Learn more.

Make a copy of a notebook in Gemini Notebook

Gemini Notebook users can now copy entire notebooks, including all associated sources and studio items, if they have copy permission for that notebook. This capability allows users to build upon existing work or templates shared by others. | Learn more.

Use Gemini to help manage Google Workspace for your organization

We are introducing Admin Assist, bringing two new Gemini-powered capabilities to the Google Admin Console: the Sidepanel and Search Overviews. Designed to simplify complex administrative workflows and troubleshooting, this launch makes managing Google Workspace easier and faster. | Learn more.

Managing unsolicited event invitations with user blocking in Google Calendar

You can now protect your calendar from repeated calendar spam and unwanted invitations. When you block a user in Google Calendar, the current event is automatically removed and you no longer receive new calendar invitations from that person. | Learn more.

Elevate your Google Meet experience for shared meeting spaces with Room Display mode

We are excited to introduce Room Display mode, a new dual-window experience for Google Meet on the web. Launching in beta, this feature is designed specifically for "Bring Your Own Device"  meeting spaces, where users connect a personal laptop to a shared external display, such as a TV or projector. | Learn more.

Introducing Ask Gemini in Chat: your new partner in productivity

Google Chat is the central hub for real-time collaboration in Workspace, and starting August 26, 2026, it becomes the place where you can bring the power of Gemini into your flow of teamwork. We’re introducing Ask Gemini in Google Chat, a unified command line for your work, powered by Workspace Intelligence. | Learn more.

Granular space creation restrictions now available in Google Chat

We are introducing a new admin setting in Google Chat that allows administrators to restrict specific users or groups from creating spaces, while continuing to permit them to create 1:1 direct messages (DMs) and group direct messages (gDMs). | Learn more.

Allowlisted Domains API now generally available

The Google Workspace Allowlisted Domains API is now generally available. Previously, administrators had to manage their allowlisted domains list manually through the Google Workspace Admin console. With this release, hosted under the Cloud Identity API suite as a top-level resource, organizations can securely automate and programmatically manage their list of allowlisted domains. | Learn more.

View Google Chat usage metrics in Gemini reports dashboard

Admins can now access Google Chat usage metrics in the Gemini reports dashboard across both organization- and user-level reports. | Learn more.

Record presentations in Google Slides with Google Vids

We are introducing a seamless way to record presentations in Google Slides using Google Vids directly from the Slides interface. Moving forward, you will see a new Record option in the right-hand menu of Slides. Selecting this option guides you through a streamlined recording workflow and outputs an immediately shareable link. | 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.

We are introducing a seamless way to record presentations in Google Slides using Google Vids directly from the Slides interface. Moving forward, you will see a new Record option in the right-hand menu of Slides. Selecting this option guides you through a streamlined recording workflow and outputs an immediately shareable link.

This new integration provides advanced creation capabilities—including transcript-based editing and voiceover generation—helping you turn simple slide decks into polished, professional video assets in seconds.

Note: For organizations currently using the existing Slides recording experience, here is what you need to know about the transition:

  • Users with access to the existing Slides recording experience will have access to both the legacy experience and the new Vids recording experience.
  • The legacy Slides recording option will move to the View menu (View > Slides Recording).

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

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

Resources

Admins can now access Google Chat usage metrics in the Gemini reports dashboard across both organization- and user-level reports.

At the organization level, this allows admins to track active Gemini users in Google Chat, analyze usage trends, and identify who benefits most from Gemini-powered summarization and generation features.

At the user level, admins can now view the level of Gemini adoption for specific users who actively engage with the app.

This launch also updates a few Gemini summarization interactions in Chat to “Active” as they are initiated by the user. Given this, you may see updated metrics reported for active users and overall usage of Chat.


Getting started

  • Admins: Visit the Help Center to learn more about Gemini reports.
  • End users: There is no end user impact or action required.

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
  • Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
  • Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education

Resources