G Suite Updates Blog

Enforce a password policy on Android work profiles with Google Mobile Management

May 22, 2018

G Suite admins can use Google Mobile Management to give their users secure access to work apps and data on their mobile devices. One way admins guarantee this security is by mandating that managed devices are protected with a password, and that that password meets certain requirements (e.g. number of characters, password strength, etc.).

Many employees use their phones for both work and personal purposes, so we make it possible to separate the two on most Android devices by setting up work profiles. With this launch, admins will be able to mandate a password policy on just the apps within these work profiles, protecting corporate data while leaving users free to safeguard their personal apps however they see fit.

How it works
In the Admin console (under Device management > Password Settings), an admin can require their users to set a password on any managed device and specify certain requirements for that password. This password policy will apply to all managed devices in that admin’s domain.

If an admin wants to apply that password policy to work profiles only, they can navigate to Device management > Android Settings > Work Profile in the Admin console and check the box next to “Apply password settings only for the Work Profile.” This will apply the password policy to work profiles only on devices running Android 7.0 or higher. On all other managed devices in the domain, the password policy will be applied to the entire device.

For more information, visit the Help Center.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins and end users

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Apply settings for Android mobile devices

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Expanding Braille support in Google Sheets

May 22, 2018

As part of our ongoing effort to make our products more accessible, we’re expanding support for Sheets on Windows computers via the latest versions of the JAWS and NVDA screen readers.

Earlier this year we launched Braille support in Google Sheets, and recently announced expanded support for Windows computers. Users with a Braille display will be able to read and edit cell contents, as well as navigate between cells in a sheet. This expanded Braille support will roll out to all users over the next two weeks. With these updates, Braille support on Sheets will be available on the following platforms:

Chrome OS
On Chrome OS, you can use ChromeVox with Chrome.

Windows
On Windows, you can use JAWS or NVDA with Chrome, Firefox, or Internet Explorer. Please upgrade to a recent version of JAWS 2018 (2018.1803.24 or newer) or NVDA (NVDA 2018.1 or newer).

Mac
On Mac, you can use VoiceOver with Safari or Chrome, on Mac OS X Yosemite.

Note: This will only work with recent versions of these browsers and screen readers. To use the feature, make sure your screen reader software is up to date.

For more details on Braille support in Sheets, including detailed software requirements, see our Help Center article on how to use a Braille display to read and enter text.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Accessibility for Docs Editors
Help Center: Use a Braille display to read and enter text

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

White color brushes and Bluetooth conferencing with the latest Jamboard release

May 17, 2018

As we continue to add new features to the overall Jamboard experience, the latest Jamboard release helps people more clearly and effectively get their message out.

White color brushes

Users can now draw brush strokes, use handwriting/shape recognition, and autodraw tools in an all new white color.

Bluetooth conferencing devices compatibility

Users can now connect and use Bluetooth Conferencing (speaker and microphone combined) devices to the Jamboard. A full list of supported devices can be found in the Help Center.

For a full list of new features and improvements from this month’s release, check out the What’s New in Jamboard page in the Help Center.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite Basic, Business, Enterprise, and Education customers

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center
Help Center: What’s supported with Jamboard?

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Making Admin Quarantine easier, quicker, and safer

May 16, 2018

Admin Quarantine helps your organization prevent spam, minimize data loss, and protect confidential information. G Suite admins can set up and manage quarantine policies to divert emails that pose a risk before they’re sent or delivered. They can then review those emails and take appropriate action to protect their organization and its data.

In response to your feedback, we’re making it easier to see why emails have been quarantined directly in the Admin Quarantine interface. This information will make it quicker to review emails and easier to identify the right action. Admins will be able to see:

The specific rule that was triggered to cause the email to enter Admin Quarantine
The matched content (when applicable).

Users with the “Access Admin Quarantine” or “Access restricted quarantines" admin privileges will have access to this new information in the Admin Quarantine.

For more information, please visit the Help Center.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Set up and manage email quarantines

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Check out the most recent G Suite launches

May 16, 2018

Last year, we introduced a new resource for admins: What’s new in G Suite? Don’t forget to visit the page regularly for a list of the most recent launches across G Suite.

Feedback? Let us know.

Twelve third-party applications added to the G Suite pre-integrated SAML apps catalog

May 15, 2018

With Single Sign-On (SSO), users can access all of their enterprise cloud applications—including the Admin console for admins—after signing in just once. Google supports the two most popular enterprise SSO standards, OpenID Connect and SAML, and there are many applications with pre-integrated SSO support in our third-party apps catalog already.

Building on other recent launches (February 27th, March 12th, March 29th), we’re adding SAML integration for 12 additional applications:

Black Duck
Brightcove
Chartio
Duo
Hootsuite
Jenkins
Jostle
Mango Apps
SumTotal
TextMagic
Veracode
Zinc

Use our help center to see a full list of pre-integrated applications and instructions for installing them.

Note that apart from the pre-integrated SAML applications, G Suite also supports installing “Custom SAML Applications,” which means that admins can install any third-party application that supports SAML. The advantage of a pre-integrated app is that the installation is much easier. You can learn more about installing Custom SAML Applications in this Help Center article.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Using SAML to set up federated SSO

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Gmail will now remind you to respond

May 14, 2018

When your inbox is flooded with emails, some will inevitably slip through the cracks. Luckily, the new Gmail can help. It will now “nudge” users to reply to emails they may have missed and to follow up on emails for which they haven’t received a response.

Nudging is on by default for users with the new Gmail enabled, but they can turn it off from their Gmail settings menu if they choose.

We hope this AI-powered feature helps you stay on top of your email and prioritize your work.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions with the new Gmail enabled

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: What's new in Gmail
Help Center: Reply to Gmail messages

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Export all your G Suite data in one step

May 11, 2018

Today, we’re introducing data export, a new feature to make it even easier to export and download a copy of your data securely from our G Suite services.

To initiate the process, in the Admin console, navigate to the Tools section of the right-side slideout menu and select “Data Export.”

Data from G Suite core services (for example, Gmail, Google Contacts, and Google Docs) will be exported for all users in your organization. Once your export is complete, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a link to your archived data in Google Cloud Storage. For security purposes, the archived data will only be available to super admins of your domain. From there, your organization will be able to download your data in several formats.

Because your security comes first in everything we do, our data export feature enforces strict security controls:

It can only be initiated by super admins who’ve been created more than 30 days prior to the request.
Admins must be authenticated using 2-step verification (2SV).
When a data export is initiated, other admins of the domain will be notified immediately. The export event will also be logged in the admin audit logs.

Additionally, to further reduce risk, data export will be turned off by default for domains with more than 1,000 users. Admins in these domains will need to contact Google Cloud support to temporarily enable this feature.

You can find the link to your archive at any time in the Data Export tool by clicking “Access archive.” The data will be available in Google Cloud Storage for 30 days before it’s permanently deleted.

Admins can also enable end users to download their own individual data via the existing “Download your data” tool.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Export your organization’s data

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Google Drive UI updates

May 9, 2018

We’re making some updates to the look and feel of Google Drive on the web. There’s no change in functionality, but some icons and buttons have moved, and there’s a range of visual tweaks to align with Google’s latest material design principles. We built this new interface to create a responsive and efficient experience for Drive users, and to feel cohesive with other G Suite products, such as the recently redesigned Gmail.

Specific changes include:

The logo in the top left has been changed to the Google Drive logo.
If you’ve added a custom company logo, it is now in the top right.
The Settings icon has been moved in line with the search bar.
The Help Center icon has been moved in line with the search bar.
The page background is now white, not gray.
The “New” button has been updated.
The font used for headers has been changed.

Here’s a comparison of several screens in the old and the new interface:

If needed, you can find screenshots of the new interface here.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to Rapid Release, with Scheduled Release coming in 2 weeks

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Define rules to handle Gmail confidential mode messages

May 9, 2018

In April, we introduced the new Gmail, including a feature called confidential mode, which helps you protect sensitive content in your emails by setting expiration dates or revoking access to previously sent messages. This feature is now launching to consumer Gmail users only. As previously announced, it will launch to G Suite users at a later time. As a G Suite admin, you can define rules to handle confidential mode messages sent from consumer users to G Suite users in your domain.

Create a compliance rule to block incoming messages and more
For detailed instructions on how to set up rules for content compliance in your domain, please see this Help Center article. Gmail confidential mode will be listed as an attribute under “Metadata match.”

Stay tuned to the G Suite Updates blog for more information when confidential mode launches to G Suite users.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Set up rules for content compliance

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Dial into Hangouts Meet from four additional markets

May 9, 2018

In October 2017, we announced the rollout of international Hangouts Meet dial-in phone numbers for G Suite Enterprise domains. This option helps your team to stay connected, wherever they are. We’ve added this functionality for four additional countries (with more to come!):

Colombia (CO)
Croatia (HR)
Lithuania (LT)
Portugal (PT)

For a complete list of currently supported countries, visit this Help Center article.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to G Suite Enterprise edition only

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Dial in from a phone
Help Center: Join a video meeting

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Work offline in the new Gmail

May 8, 2018

We can guarantee you’ll want to work on the go, but we can’t guarantee you’ll have Wi-Fi. Fortunately, native offline capabilities in the new Gmail make it possible to work without interruption—even when you don’t have an internet connection. Starting now, people using the new Gmail in a Chrome browser (v61 or higher) can search, write, delete, and archive up to 90 days of messages, even when they’re offline.

Enable Gmail offline for your domain

To get started, enable Gmail offline for your domain in the Admin console (the feature is disabled by default).

If you want offline content deleted for your users when they sign out of their Google accounts, check the Force deletion of offline data on log out of Google account box. This will prevent your users from keeping content on their local devices when they log out.

Turn on Gmail offline for your account

Once you’ve enabled Gmail offline for your domain, individuals who are using the new Gmail can turn it on from the Offline tab in their settings (the feature is disabled by default).

They can also choose whether to keep offline data on their computers or have it removed when they log out.

Uninstall the Gmail Offline Chrome app

We previously announced that we’re moving Chrome apps, like Gmail Offline, to the web. The Gmail Offline Chrome app will stop working in the future, so we recommend that users uninstall it and begin using the native offline feature as soon as possible.

Enable the new Gmail

These new native offline capabilities are only available to customers participating in the new Gmail Early Adopter Program (EAP). To opt in to the EAP and enable the new Gmail for your domain, follow the instructions in the Help Center.

For more information on Gmail offline, please visit the Help Center.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions with the new Gmail enabled

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins and end users

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Work offline in Gmail
Help Center: What’s new in Gmail

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Important additional information about the legacy Google Drive desktop sync client shutdown on May 12

May 7, 2018

As previously announced, the old Drive desktop sync client for Mac and PC—a feature officially known as “Google Drive for Mac/PC”—will start to shut down on May 12th, 2018. After May 12th, the sync client may not work for your organization.

Here are some important things to know:

1. If you haven’t already, upgrade to a newer sync solution.

This shutdown is happening because we have better sync solutions available for Drive users. G Suite organizations still using Drive for Mac/PC should transition to Drive File Stream. For non-G Suite users, we recommend Backup and Sync. For more information on choosing the right sync solution for your users, check out this Help Center guide.

2. The turn-down will be gradual.

We will start the shutdown process on May 12th, but it will be gradual and may take several weeks to impact all organizations. After May 12th, however, updates to files may stop syncing between your users’ computers and Drive, so we recommend upgrading by that date.

3. Once the client shuts down for you, the Google Drive folder will stop syncing.

When the legacy Google Drive desktop sync client shuts down, it will stop syncing the Google Drive folder to Google Drive. The local Drive folder (containing users’ files) will not be deleted from the machine, but changes made inside this folder will no longer sync to Drive. We don’t recommend editing files inside of this folder after May 12th, as it could lead to users misplacing their edited files (not realizing that this folder isn’t syncing to Drive). To avoid confusion, you may want to delete the legacy Google Drive folder. By default, this folder is located at:

Windows: “C:\Users\%USER%\Google Drive”
macOS: “/Users/$USER/Google Drive”

Use caution when deleting this folder, as it may contain content that has not yet been saved or synced.
In addition, after the legacy desktop client shuts down for you, the app will display this dialog when it starts up:

This message will be shown to end users still using the legacy sync client after it is shut down.

4. After May 12th, Drive File Stream will display a dialog and rename the old Google Drive folder to clarify that the old folder is not syncing.

If a user signs in to Drive File Stream and it detects that the old Google Drive folder (from the same account) is still present on the machine, it will append “(Not Syncing)” to the old Google Drive folder, and display the following dialog:

After renaming the old Google Drive folder, Drive File Stream will display this dialog.

If you don’t want your users to see this dialog, you may remove the old Google Drive folder before May 12th.

After May 12th, if you choose to automate the removal of “~/Google Drive/”, you should remove “~/Google Drive (Not Syncing)/” as well. Note that for users who use Drive File Stream in another language, this folder name will be localized.

It’s important to note that while this folder name change is intended to discourage users from editing files inside the old Google Drive folder, it does not prevent users from making changes in it. We strongly encourage administrators to educate their end users to use Drive File Stream, and not the old Google Drive folder.

More Information
Blog post (Sept 2017): Drive File Stream launching to all G Suite customers
Blog post (Jan 2018): Legacy Google Drive desktop sync client now shutting down on May 12th, 2018
Help Center: Deploy Drive File Stream
Help Center: Choose a sync solution

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Google Mobile Management now supports managed configurations for Android apps

May 4, 2018

Update (May 22, 2018): Due to technical issues, this feature has been rolled back. We'll update this post when it has re-launched.

Some apps designed for enterprises include built-in settings called “managed configurations” that IT admins can set up remotely. For example, many VPN apps offer automatic setup, meaning people don’t have to take lengthy and confusing steps to begin using VPN . These managed configurations save admins valuable time and allow them to easily deploy otherwise complex settings arrangements. With this launch, we’re making it possible to set up managed configurations for Android apps using advanced mobile device management from Google Mobile Management.

To set up managed configurations by organizational unit (OU) or group, visit Device Management > App Management > Manage Applications for Android Devices > Whitelisted Android Apps in the Admin console and select the “App Distribution and Configuration” for the app you’re looking to configure. For step-by-step instructions, visit the Help Center.

To check if an app supports managed configurations, visit the managed Google Play store and click on the app you’re interested in. If the app supports managed configurations, it’ll be noted under the “Approve” or “Buy” button.

We hope this will make it easier for G Suite admins to deploy the Android apps their users need most, with the built-in settings that work best for their organization.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to G Suite Business, Enterprise, and Enterprise for Education and Cloud Identity Premium editions only

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Manage apps on mobile devices
Help Center: Managed app configuration

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Automatically provision users with six additional apps

May 2, 2018

When auto-provisioning is enabled for a supported third-party application, any users created, modified, or deleted in G Suite are automatically added, edited, or deleted in the third-party application as well. This feature is highly popular with admins, as it removes the overhead of managing users across multiple third-party SaaS applications.

We’ve heard continued positive feedback from admins, so we’re adding auto-provisioning support for six new applications:

DeskPro
Federated Directory
Front App
ScreenSteps
ThousandEyes
Trello

Customers subscribed to G Suite Education, G Suite Business, and G Suite Enterprise editions can enable user auto-provisioning in all supported applications. Customers on G Suite Basic, G Suite Government, and G Suite Nonprofit can configure auto-provisioning for up to three applications from the supported list. For more information on how to set up auto-provisioning, check out the Help Center.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:

G Suite Education, Business, and Enterprise customers can enable auto-provisioning for all supported applications
G Suite Basic, Government, and Nonprofit customers can enable auto-provisioning for up to three applications

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Automated user provisioning
Help Center: Using SAML to set up federated SSO

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Check out the most recent G Suite launches

May 2, 2018

Last year, we introduced a new resource for admins: What’s new in G Suite? Don’t forget to visit the page regularly for a list of the most recent launches across G Suite.

Feedback? Let us know.

What's New in G Suite - April 2018

May 1, 2018

Check out the latest "What's New in G Suite" launch recap (pdf) for a roundup of all G Suite launches from April 2018.

Archive and translated versions (coming soon for April issue)

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

See a site’s owner and request edit access in the new Google Sites

May 1, 2018

To control the flow of information across their organizations, G Suite admins often need increased visibility into the new Google Sites being created by their users. For instance, they may notice outdated information on a site and need to contact the owner to ensure that it's updated. Or they may see duplicative content on two sites and need to resolve the redundancies with those sites' owners. To help admins do this, we’re adding a feature in the new Google Sites that will make it easier for an admin to get additional information about individual sites.

See the owner of a site and request edit access

When browsing a site in their domain, admins with appropriate permissions will see a “Site details” button in the footer of the site. When they click this footer, they’ll see:

The site owner’s email address
The date the site was last published
An option to “Request edit access”

Required admin permissions

Super admins and any other admins with the “View details of new Google Sites” privilege will be able to see the site details link in a site’s footer.

Note that this feature does not automatically give G Suite admins the ability to edit Google Sites. They’ll still need to contact the site’s owner and request permission to directly edit.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center for end users: Invite others to edit your site
Help Center for admins: Administrator privilege definitions

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

More improvements to user management in the Admin console

April 26, 2018

We’re updating the User lists interface in the Admin console to make it easier to see, find, and manage users. These user list improvements build on the improvements to the user details experience we recently announced.

Find users with improved search and new filters

The new user list view lets you view users in all or some organizational units (OUs), search for and filter users, and take actions on specific users. You can:

Find users with filters: You can now filter by admin role, job title, department, user status, and more.
Download or export filtered lists: Once you filter, you can download a list of users with those filters applied.
Improved search: Find users quickly using powerful new search features, including the ability to search within specific OUs and by user attributes.
Customize your view: Customize the columns displayed in the table to see all the info you need in a single view.

Learn more about filtering and searching here.

Take quick actions on users directly from the list

Change individual user info: Hover over a user to take quick actions including reset password, rename user, suspend, delete, or restore user account, change organizational unit, and more.
Update multiple users with bulk actions: Quickly edit info for multiple users with bulk actions such as add to group, email users, delete accounts, and more.

Easily manage organizational units

There’s a new section dedicated to simpler management of organizational units. Here, you can easily create, move, and manage organizational units.

Learn more about managing user accounts in the Help Center.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins only

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Add users
Help Center: Manage user accounts
Help Center: Apply policies to different users

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Event details now supported by Calendar Interop

April 26, 2018

Last summer, we announced improvements to Google Calendar Interop for Microsoft Exchange. We simplified the setup process, introduced detailed logs in Admin console, and made free/busy lookups available on mobile as well as web.

To continue enhancing the coexistence of these two systems, we’re rolling out the support for event details in availability lookups. Now, G Suite admins can opt in to sharing event details when users use Calendar's Find a Time or Outlook's Scheduling Assistant. Event details include:

Event title
Event location
Guest’s response status

We have also improved our authentication mechanism recently, paving the way to a simplified Calendar Interop setup in the future. To be able to use the event details feature, you will likely have to regenerate Exchange credentials using the credential generation tool and update your availability address space as explained in steps 3 through 5 here.

For more information on how to enable these new interop features, check out this Help Center article.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins and all end users

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: How Calendar Interop works

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Display your organization’s brand in the Google bar

April 26, 2018

We’re updating the Google bar to feature your brand. Along with some small changes to the bar’s look and feel, we’ll soon show your domain’s logo next to a user’s picture (or initials or avatar) at the top of many G Suite services, like Calendar and Drive.

You can add an image for your organization in the Admin console at Company profile > Personalization; until you’ve done so, we’ll show the G Suite logo instead.

Note that this will roll out across G Suite services slowly, so you may not see it in all of your apps for some time.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
Admins and end users

Action:
Admin action suggested/FYI

More Information
Help Center: Add your logo

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Coming May 7th, 2018: A more secure sign-in flow on Chrome

April 25, 2018

If your organization uses SAML to sign users in to G Suite services*, those users will soon see an additional step in the process when using Chrome as their web browser. Starting on May 7th, 2018, after signing in on a SAML provider’s website, they’ll be brought to a new screen on accounts.google.com to confirm their identity. This screen will provide an additional layer of security and help prevent users from unknowingly signing in to an account created and controlled by an attacker.

To minimize disruption for the user, this feature will only be shown once per account per device. We’re working on ways to make the feature even more context-aware in the future, meaning your users should see the screen less and less over time.

Protecting against phishing attacks
This new screen is intended to prevent would-be attackers from tricking a user (e.g. via a phishing campaign) into clicking a link that would instantly and silently sign them in to a Google Account the attacker controls. Today, this can be done via SAML single sign-on (SSO), because it doesn’t require a user interaction to complete a sign-in. To protect Chrome users, we’ve added this extra protection.

Creating a consistent identity
This new security feature is part of a larger project to create a consistent identity across Google web services (like Gmail) and native Chrome browser services (like Chrome Sync). This consistency will make it easier for signed-in G Suite users to take advantage of native Chrome browser features, but it requires additional protection during authentication. This new screen adds that protection and reduces the probability that attackers successfully abuse SAML SSO to sign users in to malicious accounts.

Disabling the new screen
If you wish to disable the new screen for your organization, you can use the X-GoogApps-AllowedDomains HTTP header to identify specific domains whose users can access Google services. Users in those domains won’t see this additional screen, as we assume those accounts are trusted by your users. This header can be set in Chrome via the AllowedDomainsForApps group policy.

*This won't impact individuals who sign in to G Suite services directly and those who use G Suite or Cloud Identity as their identity provider. The screen is also not shown on devices running Chrome OS.

Launch Details
Release track:
Launching to both Rapid Release and Scheduled Release on May 7th, 2018

Editions:
Available to all G Suite editions

Rollout pace:
Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility)

Impact:
All end users

Action:
Change management suggested/FYI

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

With new security and intelligent features, the new Gmail means business

April 25, 2018

(Cross-posted from The Keyword)

Since the beginning, our aim with G Suite has been to help companies transform the way they work with our suite of cloud-based collaboration and productivity apps.

Today we’re announcing major updates to help the more than 4 million paying businesses that use G Suite work safer, smarter and more efficiently. This includes an all-new Gmail, with a brand new look on the web, advanced security features, new applications of Google’s artificial intelligence and even more integrations with other G Suite apps. We’re also introducing a new way to manage work on the go with Tasks.

Keep sensitive data secure with new Gmail security features

Keeping your data secure is our top priority, which is why last month, we introduced new phishing protections to help address Business Email Compromise (BEC) threats—or when someone impersonates an executive to get sensitive information. With these new protections, Gmail has helped block 99.9 percent of BEC attempts by warning users or automatically moving messages to spam for them.

Today, we’re introducing a new approach to information protection: Gmail confidential mode. With confidential mode, it’s possible to protect sensitive content in your emails by creating expiration dates or revoking previously sent messages. Because you can require additional authentication via text message to view an email, it’s also possible to protect data even if a recipient’s email account has been hijacked while the message is active.

New confidential mode in Gmail lets you set expiration dates for sensitive information.

Built-in Information Rights Management (IRM) controls also allow you to remove the option to forward, copy, download or print messages. This helps reduce the risk of confidential information being accidentally shared with the wrong people. Confidential mode will begin to roll out to consumer Gmail users and a limited number of G Suite customers in the coming weeks (broader rollout following).

We’ve also redesigned our security warnings within Gmail so that they are simpler to understand and give a clear call to action to employees. These bigger, bolder warnings will help you be even more informed when it comes to potentially risky email.

Bigger, bolder security warnings help you keep your company’s confidential information safe.

And it’s always worth a reminder: we do not scan Gmail for the purposes of targeting ads, and there are no ads shown in Gmail for G Suite customers.

Stay on top of email effortlessly using artificial intelligence in Gmail

New AI-powered features in Gmail, like Nudging, Smart Reply and high-priority notifications, can now help you spend more time on work that matters.

Most of us get more emails than we can deal with at one time, and sometimes things slip through the cracks. With Nudging, Gmail will proactively remind you to follow up or respond to messages, making sure you don’t drop the ball.

Now Gmail will intelligently (and subtly) “nudge” you when you need to prioritize actions in your inbox.

Last year, we introduced Smart Reply to our Gmail mobile apps. Smart Reply processes hundreds of millions of messages daily and already drives more than 10 percent of email replies on mobile. Today we’re bringing Smart Reply to Gmail on the web to help you respond to messages faster.

We’re also introducing new features on mobile to help you minimize interruptions and clutter. High-priority notifications is a new setting that only notifies you of important messages, keeping interruptions to a minimum. Gmail can also recommend when to unsubscribe from mailing lists. Using intelligence, unsubscribe suggestions appear based on cues like how many emails you get from a sender and how many of them you actually read. You’ll start to see these notifications show up in your inbox over the coming weeks.

New notifications on mobile help you stay focused on what’s important (and eliminate clutter, too).

Over the past few months, Salesforce has tested the new Gmail to collaborate on global projects. “As the global leader in CRM, the ability to quickly and securely communicate with our stakeholders around the world is critical,” says Jo-ann Olsovsky, executive vice president and chief information officer of Salesforce. “Gmail’s new easy-to-use interface and built-in intelligence enable our employees to collaborate faster and smarter, spending less time managing their inboxes and more time driving our customers’ success.”

Accomplish more from your inbox with easy-to-use tools

We redesigned the Gmail web application to help you take action even quicker. Now you can see and click attachments in your inbox before ever opening a thread. You can also hover over messages (you don’t have to click into them) to do things like RSVP to a meeting invite, archive an email thread or snooze an email until the time is right.

Gmail’s new design helps you take action quicker.

As a part of the redesign, we’re also tightly integrating Gmail with other G Suite apps you use every day. Now you can quickly reference, create or edit Calendar invites, capture ideas in Keep or manage to-dos in Tasks all from a side panel in your inbox.

The side panel also makes it easy to access Gmail Add-ons, like third-party business apps you might use. This way you don’t have to switch between tabs or apps to get work done. You’ll start to see the new side panel integration in other G Suite apps in the coming months—like inside of your Calendar, Docs, Sheets and Slides apps.

Use the new side panel in Gmail to access all of your favorite G Suite apps, like Google Calendar

New native offline capabilities in Gmail on the web can help you work without interruption when you can’t find Wi-Fi. Search, write, respond, delete, or archive up to 90 days of messages, just as you would working online, but offline. Teams can start using offline capabilities in coming weeks.

Like we mentioned, we’re introducing an all-new Tasks on web, as well as new mobile apps to help you handle work on the go. You can use Tasks to create tasks and subtasks, and even add due dates with notifications to help you stay on track.

Track projects and meet deadlines with Tasks’ refreshed design on the web and brand new mobile apps.

And because Tasks closely integrates with G Suite, you can simply drag and drop an email from Gmail into Tasks to create a to-do. Tasks with due dates can also appear in your Calendar. You can download the new Tasks mobile apps from the Google Play Store or iOS App Store today.

The all-new Gmail experience is available for businesses to start using today in the G Suite Early Adopter Program (EAP) and can be turned on in the Admin console. Read more detail on how to turn on the experience in this post. Heads up: you’ll start to see offline support, confidential mode (limited release), Nudging, high-priority notifications and unsubscribe suggestions appear in the coming weeks. Keep up with the latest news on these features in the G Suite Updates blog.

Personal Gmail users can opt-in to the new experience, too (Go to Settings in the top right and select “Try the new Gmail.”).

Finally, if you need help getting started with the new Gmail, check out this Help Center article or this cheat sheet on our Learning Center.

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Additional details on the new Gmail Early Adopter Program

April 25, 2018

We recently announced an Early Adopter Program (EAP) for the new Gmail. Below you’ll find additional details on the EAP, including how to opt in, the related Admin console settings, and the implications of certain features. If you haven’t yet checked out our post on the G Suite blog, we encourage you to do so before reading the information below.

Opting in to the new Gmail EAP

There’s no need to sign up for the new Gmail EAP; you can simply turn it on in the Admin console. You can enable the new Gmail EAP for your entire domain or for specific organizational units (OUs) only. Please note that it may take up to a day for the setting to appear in your Admin console.

Admin console settings to enable and disable the new Gmail EAP

Trying the new Gmail

After you’ve enabled the new Gmail EAP for your organization, your users will have the option to turn it on individually in their Gmail settings.

Option in Gmail settings to try the new Gmail

If they choose to, your users can continue to use the classic version of Gmail instead of the new UI. When we launch the new Gmail to general availability, you’ll have the option to force your users into the new UI. Note that if a user tries the new Gmail and wants to switch back to the classic version, he or she can do so from the Gmail settings menu.

Option in Gmail settings to go back to classic Gmail

Native offline support in Gmail

We previously announced that we’re moving Chrome apps, like Gmail Offline, to the web. As part of this effort, we’ll introduce native offline support to EAP end users in the coming weeks. We’ll follow up with an announcement on the G Suite Updates blog when the feature becomes available.

Native offline support will only be available to domains and users who’ve opted in to the new Gmail. At launch, it will be off by default for those domains, and admins will need to turn it on before it becomes available to their users.

Please monitor the G Suite Updates blog for more information.

Contact cards

We recently launched new cards that surface user profile information when people need it most, right inside G Suite apps. These cards will appear in the new Gmail, so we recommend uploading relevant information about your users to make the cards as useful as possible. For step-by-step instructions on how to populate these details, please visit the Help Center.

An example of a card that surfaces profile information

Gmail Labs

The new Gmail will include a number of enterprise-friendly features that exist only as Gmail Labs in the classic UI. For example, you’ll see canned responses, multiple inboxes, preview pane, and more as permanent features in the new Gmail. Users will be able to access these features from the Advanced tab in their settings.

Preview pane in the new Gmail

Turn on the new Gmail EAP today. For more information, check out the resources below.

More Information
G Suite Blog: With new security and intelligent features, the new Gmail means business
Help Center: What's new in Gmail
Learning Center: New Gmail Cheat Sheet
Learning Center: New Gmail FAQ

Launch release calendar
Launch detail categories
Get these product update alerts by email
Subscribe to the RSS feed of these updates

Updates

Enforce a password policy on Android work profiles with Google Mobile Management

Expanding Braille support in Google Sheets

White color brushes and Bluetooth conferencing with the latest Jamboard release

Making Admin Quarantine easier, quicker, and safer

Check out the most recent G Suite launches

Twelve third-party applications added to the G Suite pre-integrated SAML apps catalog

Gmail will now remind you to respond

Export all your G Suite data in one step

Google Drive UI updates

Define rules to handle Gmail confidential mode messages

Dial into Hangouts Meet from four additional markets

Work offline in the new Gmail

Important additional information about the legacy Google Drive desktop sync client shutdown on May 12

Google Mobile Management now supports managed configurations for Android apps

Automatically provision users with six additional apps

Check out the most recent G Suite launches

What's New in G Suite - April 2018

See a site’s owner and request edit access in the new Google Sites

More improvements to user management in the Admin console

Event details now supported by Calendar Interop

Display your organization’s brand in the Google bar

Coming May 7th, 2018: A more secure sign-in flow on Chrome

With new security and intelligent features, the new Gmail means business

Additional details on the new Gmail Early Adopter Program

Labels

Archive

Feed

Subscribe by email

Localized G Suite Updates

Useful Links

Join the official community for G Suite administrators

Learn about more G Suite launches

Company-wide

Products

Developers