Updated design for meeting controls in Google Meet

What’s changing 

Google Meet is gradually improving and modernizing the in-call experience with the Material 3 Design System. Today we are announcing the first update, which is specific to the lower bar of in-call controls in Meet. The controls will feature refreshed colors and dynamic shapes to highlight when you’re muted or when the controls are active. Note that this is strictly a design update and that there are no changes to functionality. 
You’ll see these updates when: 
Using Google Meet on the web, picture-in-picture mode, and using Meet within other apps like Docs or Slides. Watching a live stream from your browser. Using meeting room hardware within conference rooms.

BeforeAfter

Additional details

We’ll be rolling out more updates over the course of the next year that will not only improve the look and feel of Meet, but help you discover and access meeting features quicker in a more intuitive way. Stay tuned to the Workspace Updates blog for more information.

Getting started

Admins: There is no admin impact or action required.End users: You’ll notice these improvements automatically. Visit the Help Center to learn more about meeting controls

Rollout pace

Users with personal Google accounts
Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on Jun 11, 2024

Google Workspace users
Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 2, 2024Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 22, 2024

Availability

Available to all Google Workspace customers and users with personal Google accounts

Resources

Adding audit logs for Gemini for Google Workspace activity

What’s changing 

In addition to the recent announcement of audit logs for API-based actions, we’re introducing the ability for admins to see new audit logs in Google Drive for activity triggered by Gemini for Google Workspace. 
For example, if Gemini for Google Workspace accesses data from a set of files in response to a user query, an ‘item content accessed’ event is generated for each of the accessed files in the Drive log events. 

Who’s impacted 

Admins 

Why it matters 

These new audit logs offer admins greater transparency into how Gemini for Google Workspace and Gemini apps leverage your content from Drive, providing granular visibility for security and compliance. 
Gemini leverages the content of your Drive to provide more personalized responses based on your prompts. These logs focus on instances where Gemini specifically accesses Drive files on behalf of users to fulfill their requests. 

Getting started 

Admins: This feature will be ON by default. No action is required as relevant events will appear in the logs automatically. Visit the Help Center to learn more about Drive audit logs and accessing Gemini for Google Workspace. Note: Your ability to run a search depends on your Google Workspace edition, your administrative privileges, and the data source. You can run a search on all users, regardless of their Google Workspace edition. End users: No end user impact. 

Rollout pace 

This feature is now available. 

Availability 

Available for Google Workspace: 
Gemini Business, Enterprise, Education, Education Premium 

Resources 

Google Workspace Admin Help: About the security investigation tool Google Workspace Admin Help: About the audit and investigation tool Google Workspace Admin Help: Drive log events

Stay on top of shared Drive files with automatic digest emails

What’s changing

We’re introducing a new feature that helps you track your shared Drive files through a new email digest. 
If you haven’t been active on Drive for 7 days and have multiple shared files that are unviewed, we’ll send you a reminder email that summarizes the files. This is particularly useful if you’re having a busy week or if you just got back to work after having time off. 
The digest email will include information about the unviewed files that were shared with you and a link to “See more activity” on the Drive Activity page. 

Getting started 

Admins: There is no admin control for this feature. End users: This feature will be ON by default and you will automatically receive emails if you haven’t been active on Drive for 7 days and have multiple shared files that are unviewed. To adjust your settings for the email digest, go to your digest email > scroll to the footer > click on “unsubscribe here”. You can also do this by going to drive.google.com > Settings > Notifications > “Get summaries about recent files shared with you via the Drive digest”. 

Rollout pace 

Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on June 10, 2024 

Availability 

Available to all Google Workspace customers 

Resources 

Google Workspace Updates Weekly Recap – June 7, 2024

2 New updates

Unless otherwise indicated, the features below are available to all Google Workspace customers, and are fully launched or in the process of rolling out. Rollouts should take no more than 15 business days to complete if launching to both Rapid and Scheduled Release at the same time. If not, each stage of rollout should take no more than 15 business days to complete.

Switch between edit, view and comment mode in Google Slides 
We’re making it easier for you to switch between different modes in Google Slides. For example, if you’d like to hide comments within a presentation or avoid accidental edits, you can switch to view mode. Choosing commenting mode hides all options associated with editing, but still allows you to read and add comments. To change your mode, navigate to the View > Mode > select a mode. | Rolling out to Rapid Release domains now; launch to Scheduled Release domains planned for June 20, 2024. | Available to Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Learn more about switching view mode on Google Slides
Scroll and zoom while presenting in Google Meet 
When you’re presenting in Google Meet, you can now scroll and zoom in or out on your content directly from Meet. This eliminates the need to switch between tabs, helping you focus more on delivering your presentation. | This feature is available now for all Google Workspace customers. | Learn more about presenting during a meeting.

Previous announcements

The announcements below were published on the Workspace Updates blog earlier this week. Please refer to the original blog posts for complete details.

Stay up to date on important changes in your Google Sheets 
In order to provide greater visibility into spreadsheet changes most relevant to your workflow and help enable more efficient team communication, we’re introducing conditional notifications. | Learn more about conditional notifications. 
Request to join spaces in Google Chat 
To make it even easier to more broadly share information, build communities and foster discussion across your organization, we’re introducing the ability for users to request to join a space upon receiving a link to that space. | Learn more about joining spaces. 
Rollout Update: framing support for Series One Desk 27 and Board 65 devices and remote controlled devices 
We recently announced several updates related to framing options on Google Hardware devices and have provided update rollout information. | Learn more about the rollout update.

Completed rollouts

The features below completed their rollouts to Rapid Release domains, Scheduled Release domains, or both. Please refer to the original blog posts for additional details.

Rapid Release Domains: 
Scheduled Release Domains: 
Rapid and Scheduled Release Domains: 

For a recap of announcements in the past six months, check out What’s new in Google Workspace (recent releases).