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


In April, we announced notebooks in Gemini as a dedicated, focused space for individual users to organize their projects and conversations. Now, students of all ages, educators, and professionals can access notebooks to keep conversations about a topic organized in one place. For example:

  • Students can upload all of their materials for a specific course into a single notebook to turn Gemini into a personalized, course-aware study partner that can generate custom practice quizzes and simplify complex topics.
  • Educators can upload their curriculum standards, assignment rubrics, and lesson templates to rapidly generate aligned coursework, differentiated learning materials, and targeted student feedback.
  • Professionals can upload product information, project details, research reports, and strategy notes for a specific topic into a notebook to synthesize key insights and draft deliverables.

This tool also combines two of Google’s most powerful AI tools, the Gemini app and Gemini Notebook, to unlock new ways of working and studying. For example, if you’re a student, try adding class notes to a notebook and using Gemini Notebook to create a Cinematic Video Overview. The next day, open the notebook in the Gemini app and ask it to create a study guide based on that same material.


Getting started

  • Admins: Access to Notebooks in Gemini is on by default, and is controlled using the Gemini App and Gemini Notebook access settings. As an administrator of your organization's Google Accounts, you can control who can use Notebooks in Gemini. Notebooks in Gemini are available to users who are in a group or OU with both Gemini Notebook and Gemini set to On. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Gemini and Gemini Notebook on or off for users.
  • End users: Open the left side panel in the Gemini app and click “New notebook” to start adding your sources and focus area. You can add up to 10 sources to your notebook. Visit the Help Center to learn more

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers and Workspace Individual subscribers outside of the European Economic Area (EEA), as well as users with personal Google accounts globally

Resources

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.

The Gemini app for Windows provides users with a variety of ways to enhance their productivity directly from their desktop:

  • The Alt + Space keyboard shortcut brings Gemini over active work for quick tasks, like fact-checking a document or brainstorming presentation titles.
  • Users can ask Gemini to draft project summaries using information pulled directly from Google Workspace apps like Gmail and Google Drive.
  • Users can bring creative concepts to life by generating custom images with Nano Banana directly from their desktop.

This launch marks the beginning of Gemini app’s native desktop capabilities for Windows, with more features planned to roll out over time.


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. Download the Google Gemini app today at gemini.google/desktop. Visit the Help Center to learn more.

Rollout pace

Availability

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

Resources

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

Beginning today, the Gemini app adheres to your organization’s data regionalization requirements. As with Google Workspace, admins have the flexibility to configure controls for EU storage and processing, US storage and processing, or both, including granular settings down to the organizational unit (OU) level.


Data regions are critical for ensuring many customers can meet their own internal requirements, as well as other legal, regulatory, and data sovereignty requirements by controlling the geographical location of their data at rest. Expanding these controls to the Gemini app allows our customers to adopt Gemini broadly in their organization with confidence that their data is being processed and stored in the location they require. 

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Enterprise: Enterprise Plus (provides in-region processing and storage capabilities)
  • Education: Education Plus and Education Standard (provides in-region storage capabilities only)
  • Other Editions: Frontline Plus (provides in-region processing and storage capabilities)

Resources

Educators have shared that AI is especially helpful when it understands the context of their teaching environment, from tailoring resources toward student needs or building on their existing materials. To support this, Gemini will be able to collaborate with your Google Classroom, using context from your classes to inform its outputs or help complete tasks. For example, educators can get insights on student progress and understanding, create resources and differentiated materials based on Classroom context, or get help drafting posts and assignments.

Students 18 and older can similarly use the Classroom app to stay organized across classes – from getting a list of upcoming assignments, creating study plans, doing test practice based on Classroom content, and staying up-to-date on the latest announcements. Based on your prompts, Gemini will identify when context from Google Classroom will be relevant, and use it to inform its outputs. You can also explicitly tell Gemini to use information from your Google Classroom account by typing, “@Classroom” and clicking on the Classroom app when it pops up.



For example, educators can ask Gemini to:

  • Draft communications: Draft communications and posts based on your Google Classroom information.
  • Draft differentiated assignments and plans: Help draft and update assignments, and generate timelines and structured plans, based on information and content from your Google Classroom.
  • Understand student progress and take action: Summarize who has submitted assignments, how students have done on prior assignments, and identify where students might need additional teacher support.
  • Streamline administrative tasks: Update assignment titles, descriptions, and more across multiple classes in draft mode, make seating charts, and find old assignments.
For more prompts, best practices, and tips validated by trusted testers, take a look at our Classroom app onboarding guide for educators

Important notes

Gemini Apps can’t perform certain actions in the Google Classroom app, like:

  • Enter grades or provide private feedback directly
  • Delete, archive, or directly post assignments or announcements (it can post to draft)
  • Create rubrics
This feature will be available in English for users designated as over the age of 18 who are using a Google Workspace for Education or Business account in Classroom and Gemini. The Classroom app in Gemini does not currently support data regionalization and your usage data may be stored outside of your designated data region. Data region support for the Classroom app in Gemini is expected later this year.

Getting started

  • Admins: Access to the Classroom app in Gemini will be ON by default for all Education domains and can be disabled at the OU or group level. For all other domains, access will be OFF by default and can be enabled at the OU or group level. Access can be turned on or off with a new Classroom app setting in the Gemini section of the Admin console. Visit the Help Center to learn more about turning Google apps in Gemini on or off for your organization.

Admin console settings to control Classroom in Gemini app


  • End users: Your admin configuration will determine if you can use the Classroom app in Gemini. Access to the Classroom app in Gemini will be ON by default and can be disabled at the end user level in the connected apps section of the Gemini app settings. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using apps connected to Gemini.

End user settings to enable Classroom in Gemini app

Rollout pace

Availability

Resources

We’re introducing two new administrator controls for the Gemini app (gemini.google.com) that allow end users to manage their own chat activity. Admins can now configure whether users can use temporary chats and delete their conversation history.

  • Temporary chats allows users to have conversations that are not saved to their history.
  • Conversation deletion allows users to delete individual chats or their entire chat history.
These settings give organizations greater flexibility in managing data while empowering users to control their Gemini app experience.

Please note: If your organization uses Google Vault, Vault retention rules will always be honored if they are set up.

Getting started

  • Admins: These features will be ON by default and can be disabled at the domain, OU, or group level. Visit the Help Center to learn more.
  • End users: If enabled by your administrator, you can start a temporary chat or delete a chat directly within the Gemini app interface.

Rollout pace

Admin controls
End-user visibility

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace customers

Resources

Many of Chrome's latest AI features are rolling out to users in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and more

GIF showing Gemini in Chrome side panel


Gemini in Chrome empowers business and education users with AI tools that integrate seamlessly into their daily browsing workflows while maintaining strict data governance. It’s also available to users with personal Google accounts who can access the Gemini app.

Gemini in Chrome allows users to:

  • Get answers and insights: Summarize articles, clarify complex concepts, or find specific information based on the context of open tabs.
  • Generate content: Draft emails and social media posts, or create images directly in the browser.
  • Go live: Engage in two-way voice conversations with Gemini Live to brainstorm ideas or prepare for meetings.

Getting started

  • Admins: This feature is ON by default unless you’ve already disabled the Gemini app service setting or the Chrome Gemini setting. The feature can be turned on or off at the domain, OU, or group level. Refer to the Help Center or our previous announcement for information on the terms of service and privacy considerations for the feature.
  • End users: To access Gemini in Chrome, click the Gemini icon at the top of your browser. You must meet the criteria listed here. Learn more about using Gemini in Chrome here.

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Available to all Google Workspace plans, Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts on ChromeOS, MacOS and Windows devices

Resources

Chrome Enterprise & Education Help: Gemini in Chrome
Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn the Gemini app on or off
Google Workspace Admin Help: Review Gemini usage in your organization

Google Vault now supports retention rules and litigation holds for the Gemini app on web and mobile. Previously, administrators were able to use Vault to search Gemini app conversations and export those search results. With this update, administrators can now also create, update, and delete the following for the Gemini app:

  • Default retention rules: Set default retention rules for the Gemini app for a finite or indefinite retention period.
  • Custom retention rules: Create custom retention rules for the Gemini app by organizational unit (OU) or the entire domain for a finite or indefinite retention period.
  • Litigation holds: Place holds on the Gemini app data for a specific OU or a list of users.
Google Vault is an eDiscovery and information governance tool for Google Workspace that enables customers to retain, hold, search, and export users’ Google Workspace data. With this update, customers can expand their regulatory and legal eDiscovery management to include retention and holds for the Gemini app, making it easier to comply with data obligations from a central tool.

Additional details

  • Application scope: This update applies specifically to the Gemini app (on web and mobile) and is not applicable to Gemini in Google Workspace features integrated into other apps (such as "Help me write" in Gmail or Docs), as those specific interactions are not retained in the same manner.
  • Policy precedence: Vault retention rules and holds will always take precedence over Admin console settings, user deletion settings, or user activity settings.
    • Example: If a user deletes a conversation or turns off their activity setting, but an active Vault hold requires retention, the data is hidden from the user but remains fully retained and visible to Vault administrators.
  • API support: Support for Vault API users will be available in the coming weeks.

Getting started

Rollout pace

Availability

  • Business: Business Plus
  • Other Editions: Frontline Standard and Plus; Enterprise Essentials Plus
  • Enterprise: Enterprise Standard and Plus
  • Education: Education Fundamentals, Standard and Plus
  • Other Add-ons: Vault

Resources