Google Meet users can now connect to nearby conference room hardware by entering a 5-character room code on their personal device. Building on the recent Connect Room launch that uses proximity-based detection to identify nearby hardware, this update provides a reliable manual fallback when ultrasound is unavailable or disabled. Users will see a "Connect with room code" button on their device’s pre-call screen, which allows them to enter the alphanumeric code displayed directly on the hardware’s screen.

See our Early Preview announcement for full details.

Getting started

• Admins: This feature will be ON by default and can be disabled/enabled at the device level. We have updated our admin settings for Connect room and related features, visit the Help Center to learn more.
• End users: This feature will be ON by default. Your admin can turn this feature off for devices in your organization.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on September 15, 2026

Availability

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

Resources

• Google Meet Help: Use Connect room feature in Google Meet
• Workspace Updates Blog: Seamlessly join meetings on Google Meet hardware with “Connect room”

Users will now be able to use Gemini in Workspace to directly interact with Asana, Atlassian Rovo, HubSpot, Intuit Mailchimp, Intuit Quickbooks, Monday, and Salesforce through Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrations. This will enable them to access information directly without needing to switch tabs, download files, or interrupt workflows across our Google Workspace apps including Sheets, Gmail, Drive, Docs, Chat, and more.

Getting started

• Admins: This feature will be ON by default for users with Gemini for Google Workspace access, and can be managed at the domain, organizational unit (OU), or group level in the Admin console under Apps > Google Workspace > Gemini for Workspace > Third-Party Connectors. Admins can control which third-party connectors are enabled for their organization and manage access policies. Visit the Help Center to learn more about managing third-party connectors for Gemini.
• End users: Once enabled by an admin, end users can access third-party connectors through the Gemini side panel in Docs, Sheets, and Slides, as well as in Google Chat. Visit the Help Center to learn more about third party integrations with Gemini in Google Workspace.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Available now

Availability

• Business: Business, Standard, and Plus
• Enterprise: Enterprise, Standard, and Plus
• Consumer: Google AI , Pro, and Ultra
• Other Editions: Enterprise Essentials Plus
• Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education; Teaching and Learning; Endpoint Education

Resources

• Google Workspace Admin Help: Managing third-party connectors for Gemini
• Google Help: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Sheets
• Google Help: Get started with Ask Gemini in Google Chat

We recently announced the launch of AI Overviews in Gmail search which allows users to ask natural language questions in Gmail’s search bar and get concise summaries and answers without digging through emails. Starting today, we are expanding access to AI Overviews in Gmail search to global users (with paid plans) who have their Gmail language set as English. Previously, this was only available to users in the US with their language set as English.

Getting started

• Admins: This feature will be ON by default if Gemini for Workspace in Gmail is enabled and Workspace Intelligence access to Gmail is enabled.
• End users: This feature is available by default when smart features are enabled. Users must have both “Smart features in Gmail, Chat, and Meet” and “Google Workspace smart features” turned on to access AI Overviews in Gmail search.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) started on September 3, 2026 
• Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on September 21, 2026
• Personal Google Accounts (Consumer): Gradual rollout started on September 3, 2026

Availability

• Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
• Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
• Consumers: Google AI Plus, Pro, and Ultra (excluding personal accounts in the EEA, UK, Switzerland, and Japan)
• Other Editions: Frontline Plus
• Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education
• Other Add-ons: AI Expanded Access

Resources

• Google Workspace Admin Help: Manage access to Gemini features in Workspace services
• Google Help: Get an AI Overview in Gmail search
• Google Workspace Updates Blog: Search faster and smarter with AI Overviews in Gmail search
• Consumer Launch Blog: Gmail is entering the Gemini era

We’re introducing a new capability that allows Google Workspace administrators to configure audience sharing and sensitivity-based data conditions in a single, unified rule. This unified rule flow helps organizations elevate their security posture to proactively mitigate insider risks, prevent data exfiltration, and safely unblock collaboration for high-sensitivity environments.

Previously, administrators managed user/group-based sharing controls with trust rules and data loss prevention (DLP) policies separately for Google Drive. With this launch, admins can now build granular, content-aware sharing boundaries that can evaluate data sensitivity (with classification labels or DLP conditions) and the audience with whom the data is being shared using trust rules criteria (such as organizational units, groups, or domains).

New granular admin policies that prevent sharing between audiences based on data sensitivity

Additional details

The feature supports three audience restriction options:

• Block sharing with all external users: Prevents any file meeting the content criteria from being shared outside the organization
• Block all internal and external sharing, except with specific users (Allowlist): Restricts access to a curated list of trusted internal organizational units (OUs), groups, or external domains
• Block sharing with specific users (Denylist): Explicitly blocks sharing with specific internal organizational units, groups, or external parties (such as vendors or contractors) while permitting sharing with everyone else 

Getting started

• Admins: When configuring data protection rules in the Admin console, admins should select Google Drive as the app and the “block sharing” option to use this functionality. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
• 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 September 14, 2026

Availability

• Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
• Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus
• Other Editions: Enterprise Essentials; Frontline Standard and Plus

Resources

• Google Workspace Admin Help: Set up sharing boundaries in data protection rules

Use custom web fonts in Google Sheets charts

Google Sheets now supports the full Google Fonts web font library directly within charts. Users can now select “More fonts” from any font dropdown inside the chart editor sidebar to search, add, and apply custom web fonts across key chart text elements. | Learn more.

Introducing the new 1Password App for Google Chat

Introducing the new 1Password App for Google Chat Google Chat Rapid Release Scheduled Release The new 1Password SaaS Manager integration for Google Chat helps teams streamline IT and HR processes by bringing notifications, actions  and approvals directly within Chat. | Learn more.

Context-aware access controls are available for Gemini Enterprise in the Admin console

Context-aware access controls are available for Gemini Enterprise in the Admin console Admin console Gemini Rapid Release Scheduled Release Security and Compliance To help organizations elevate their security posture, we are introducing context-aware access (CAA) policies in the Admin console for Gemini Enterprise. | Learn more.

Pick up where you left off with persistent drafts in Google Chat

We are introducing persistent drafts in Google Chat. Unsent messages are now automatically saved so you can finish and send later, and are also synchronized across your devices, allowing you to start composing a message on one device and finish or send it from another. | Learn more.

Create content, schedule events, and coordinate tasks across Workspace regardless of what app you are in

Completing a single task shouldn't mean breaking your focus or switching apps. To keep you in the flow of work, Gemini can tackle complex tasks behind the scenes, working as an intelligent orchestrator across Workspace using the power of Workspace Intelligence. | Learn more.

Automatic room check-in for Google Meet available on mobile devices

We’re excited to announce that this feature is now rolling out to all Workspace customers with Google Meet hardware. This feature simplifies the process of joining meetings for those using companion mode on a phone or tablet within a conference room. We're introducing automatic room check-in via ultrasound proximity detection. | Learn more.

Create and edit calculated fields in Google Sheets pivot tables with an improved editor

We are introducing a new, dedicated formula editor dialog for creating and editing calculated fields within pivot tables in Google Sheets. This update streamlines how you build custom formulas and derived metrics, making data analysis faster and more accurate. | Learn more.

Doubled cell limits in Google Sheets now generally available

We’re committed to continuously improving Sheets to ensure it is a powerful, responsive, and scalable spreadsheet tool for your needs. To that end, we’ve increased the cell limit in Google Sheets from up to 10 million cells to up to 20 million cells. This limit applies to new, existing, and imported files. | Learn more.

Manage external sharing for Gemini Notebook in the Admin console

Google Workspace administrators can now enable external sharing for Gemini Notebook using granular controls in the Admin console. Previously, administrators only had a single high-level toggle to turn Gemini Notebook completely on or off for their entire organization. | Learn more.

Gemini in Google Sheets is now available on Android devices

Building upon the power of Gemini in Sheets on the web, we’re excited to announce that you can now use Gemini in Google Sheets on your Android device to quickly analyze and understand your data while on the go. | Learn more.

The Gemini desktop app is now available for Windows

Today, we’re launching the Gemini desktop app for Windows 10 and 11. This new application is designed to operate seamlessly alongside users’ favorite tools, providing instant assistance without disrupting their workflows. | Learn more.

Seamlessly import your team and data from Microsoft to Google Workspace during setup

We’re excited to announce the GA release of a new, simplified way for small businesses to import their users and their business data from Microsoft while setting up Google Workspace with our data import tool. | 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.