Google Docs Release Notes

Ground Gemini by selecting linked sources in the side panel

We’re excited to announce source-grounded writing help in Google Docs. Gemini will automatically curate a list of sources linked in your document and you can choose to ask it to only pull details from those sources when providing writing assistance via the side panel. This will keep suggestions focused and grounded in trusted content. With source-grounded writing help you can:

• Create contextual and reliable output from Gemini
• Query available knowledge on a topic, getting accurate answers that are tailored to your needs
  Using this trusted and relevant content can help ensure you’re using exactly the context you need — no guesswork or tab switching required.
  Additionally, this launch can help save users time. All users have to do is link files in their document, which many users already do today, and then select "Document links" to ground on those files.
  Previously, users would have to remember and individually add files in the prompt field to ground Gemini in them. Adding files individually is still available for users that want to ground on files that are not linked in the document. However, this launch will make it quicker and easier for users that have already linked the relevant files in the doc to ground Gemini on that information, and can help ensure important sources are not left out.

Ground Gemini by selecting linked sources in the side panel

Who’s impacted

End users

Getting started

• Admins:
  There is no admin control for this feature.
• End users:
  This feature will be available by default and is available in the side panel of Docs. Visit the Help Center to learn more about how to collaborate with Gemini in Google Docs.

Rollout pace

• Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Currently available

Availability

Available for Google Workspace:

• Business Standard, and Plus
• Enterprise Standard, and Plus
• Gemini Business, Enterprise
• Google AI Pro for Education
• Google One AI Premium

Resources

• Google Help: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Docs

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What’s changing

We’re excited to announce that client-side encrypted (CSE) files including Google Docs, Sheets and Slides now support emoji reactions. Users can use emojis to react to comments and content, bringing an expressive collaboration feature to CSE files.
This update brings a core Google Workspace feature into our secure CSE framework, allowing users to provide quick feedback, express agreement, or acknowledge updates. Teams can now work together more efficiently and expressively, while still benefiting from the robust security of client-side encryption.
Emoji reactions are fully integrated in CSE documents. Users can add, resolve, delete, and re-open emoji reactions, and these reactions are also surfaced in a file’s version history. Reactions are preserved during export or when editing a Microsoft Office file in Workspace. They are also preserved when additional encryption is added to or removed from a file.

Emoji reactions to content and comments in a CSE Doc

Getting started

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
• End users: There is no end user setting for this feature. Visit the Help Center to learn more about emoji reactions.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on October 21, 2025
• Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 1, 2025

Availability
Available for Google Workspace

• Enterprise Plus
• Education Standard and Plus
• Frontline Plus

Resources

• Google Help: Use comments, action items, & emoji reactions
• Google Help: Collaborate on encrypted files in Docs, Sheets & Slides
• Google Help: Get started with encrypted files in Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides

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What’s changing

For those who prefer to listen to document content, we’re excited to introduce the ability to create audio versions of your documents using Gemini in Google Docs.

Whether you want to hear your content out loud, absorb information better while reading, or help catch errors in your writing, audio versions of your documents provide you with clear, natural-sounding voices that read your documents aloud. You also have the option to customize your audio experience with a variety of voices and playback speeds to match your personal preferences.

This new feature includes capabilities for both authors and readers to listen to documents. More specifically:

• Readers can access the Listen to this tab option, available in the Tools > Audio menu, to quickly listen to the contents of the current tab.
• Authors can add Audio buttons, available in the Insert > Audio buttons menu, which inserts a play button directly into documents so readers can easily listen to the current tab with a single click. Once added to the document, authors can change the label, color, and size of the button.

Who’s impacted

End users

Why you’d use it

This new audio feature in Docs helps you engage with your content in fresh ways and can improve accessibility of your documents. Additional details This feature is only available in English and on desktop at this time.

Getting started

• Admins:
  • To access Gemini in the side panel of Workspace apps, users need to have smart features and personalization turned on. Admins can turn on default personalization setting for their users in the Admin console.
• End users:
  • Visit the Help Center to learn more about generating audio with Gemini in Google Docs.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on August 18, 2025
• Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on August 25, 2025

Availability

Available to Google Workspace:

• Business Standard and Plus
• Enterprise Standard and Plus
• Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on
• Customers with the Gemini Business or Gemini Enterprise add-on*
• Google AI Pro and Ultra

*As of January 15, 2025, we’re no longer offering the Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise add-ons for sale. Please refer to this announcement for more details.

Resources

• Google Help: Generate audio with Gemini in Google Docs
• Google Help: Use the side panel to collaborate with Gemini
• Google Help: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Docs

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Building upon the ability to generate images using Gemini in Google Docs on web, we’re excited to announce you can now generate images in Docs on your Android mobile device. Once you select the image, you can then save it, copy it, or insert it into a document. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Gemini in Google Docs.

Rollout Pace

• Rapid and Scheduled release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 14 days for feature visibility) starting on August 8, 2025

Availability

• Available to Business Standard and Plus; Enterprise Standard and Plus; Google AI Pro and Ultra, customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on, and anyone who previously purchased a Gemini Business or Gemini Enterprise add-on

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Gemini in Docs on iOS

We’re excited to bring the power of Gemini in Docs to your iOS devices so that you can more effectively understand, summarize, and ask questions about documents on mobile. Gemini in Docs on iOS is available in 20+ languages.

Who’s impacted

End users

Why you’d use it

Gemini is included in Google Workspace business plans, allowing you to easily work on-the-go without switching apps or downloading a separate AI solution. Now you can use Gemini in Docs on iOS devices to:

• Get the gist of a long research report with an AI generated summary that you can read on your phone while commuting
• Ask Gemini questions about a specific detail buried in a budget document so that you can find the answers you need before a meeting
• Quickly create the first draft of a launch plan with a simple prompt after a team brainstorm while the details are fresh in your mind

Additional details

Certain features, such as Help me write, Help me create, and image generation, are not available on mobile at this time.

Getting started

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
• End users:
  • Access Gemini by tapping on the spark icon on the top app bar. You can then navigate through different actions such as, “summarize this document,” or “suggest improvements” options, or submit a prompt of your own.
  • This feature is only available on iOS tablets and phones running iOS 16+.
  • Visit the Help Center to learn more about collaborating with Gemini in Google Docs.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on July 16, 2025
• Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on August 18, 2025

Availability

Available to Google Workspace:

• Business Standard and Plus
• Enterprise Standard and Plus
• Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on
• Customers with the Gemini Business or Gemini Enterprise add-on*

*As of January 15, 2025, we’re no longer offering the Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise add-ons for sale. Please refer to this announcement for more details.

Resources

• Google Help: Supported languages for Gemini for Google Workspace
• Google Help: Use the side panel to collaborate with Gemini
• Google Help: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Docs

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We’re excited to bring the power of Gemini in Docs to your Android devices so that you can understand, summarize, and ask questions about documents on mobile. As a result, you can use Gemini to surface insights and key points on-the-go. Plus, Gemini in Docs on Android is available in 20+ languages.

Who’s impacted

End users

Why you’d use it

Gemini is included in Google Workspace business plans, allowing you to easily work on-the-go without switching apps or downloading a separate AI solution. Now you can use Gemini in Docs on Android devices to:

• Get the gist of a long research report with an AI generated summary that you can read on your phone while commuting
• Ask Gemini questions about a specific detail buried in a budget document so that you know the answer going into your meeting
• Quickly create the first draft of a launch plan with a simple prompt after a team brainstorm while the details are fresh in your mind

Additional details

Certain features, such as Help me write, Help me create, and image generation, are not available on mobile at this time.

Getting started

• Admins: There is no admin control for this feature.
• End users:
  • Access Gemini by tapping on the spark icon on the top app bar. You can then navigate through different actions such as, “summarize this document,” or “suggest improvements” options, or submit a prompt of your own.
  • This feature is only available on Android tablets and phones running Android 8+
  • Visit the Help Center to learn more about collaborating with Gemini in Google Docs.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on June 9, 2025
• Scheduled Release domains: Full rollout (1–3 days for feature visibility) starting on July 2, 2025

Availability

Available to Google Workspace:

• Business Standard and Plus
• Enterprise Standard and Plus
• Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on
  Anyone who previously purchased these add-ons will also receive this feature:
• Gemini Business*
• Gemini Enterprise*
  *As of January 15, 2025, we’re no longer offering the Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise add-ons for sale. Please refer to this announcement for more details.

Resources

• Google Help: Supported languages for Gemini for Google Workspace
• Google Help: Use the side panel to collaborate with Gemini
• Google Help: Collaborate with Gemini in Google Docs

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Suggestions in a client-side encrypted doc

You can now see suggestions when viewing a client-side encrypted Google Doc. Those with edit access will be able to interact with suggestions, including adding, editing, accepting, and rejecting suggestions. This update adds to existing functionality for client-side encrypted docs, which includes comments and action items. Further, this added functionality helps brings user experience parity to encrypted documents while ensuring your data is behind encryption keys you control, including the identity provider used to access those keys.

Getting started

• Admins: Client-side encryption can be enabled at the domain, OU, and Group levels (Admin console > Security > Access and data control > Client-side encryption). Visit our Help Center to learn more about client-side encryption.
• End users: If client-side encryption is enabled by your admin, use our Help Center to learn more about working with encrypted files in Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides.

Rollout pace

• Rapid and Scheduled Release domains: Extended rollout (potentially longer than 15 days for feature visibility) starting on June 4, 2025

Availability

Available to Google Workspace

• Enterprise Plus
• Education Standard and Plus
• Frontline Plus

Resources

• Google Workspace Admin Help: About client-side encryption
• Google Help: Get started with encrypted files in Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides

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Launching in beta, you can now view and edit client-side encrypted Microsoft Word files in Google Docs. Any changes made are saved in the original Word format. This update makes it easy for you to leverage Google Workspace with the tools and formats you already use while preserving confidentiality of your sensitive data with client-side encryption.

Eligible Google Workspace admins can use this form to request access to the beta. We’ll share more specific instructions once you’re accepted into the beta.

In Google Docs, navigate to File > Open.

Additional details

• Note that with this release:
  • You can only view and edit .docx Word file types. Additional Word file types are not supported.
  • The maximum file size is 20MB.
  • As we continue to improve Office editing in encrypted Google Docs, you may encounter incompatibilities for certain features. Some features may not be displayed and may not be editable, but will be preserved in the document and viewable in Microsoft Office.
  • Other features may be lost or altered in the latest version of the file when it is edited in Google Docs. You will see a notification within the document if editing will cause any features to be lost.

Getting started

• Admins: Client-side encryption can be enabled at the domain, OU, and Group levels (Admin console > Security > Access and data control > Client-side encryption). Visit our Help Center to learn more about client-side encryption.
• End users: If client-side encryption is enabled by your admin, use our Help Center to learn more about working with encrypted files in Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides.

Rollout pace

• The feature will be available immediately once you're accepted into the beta.

Availability

Available to Google Workspace

• Enterprise Plus
• Education Standard and Plus
• Frontline Plus

Resources

• Beta application
• Google Workspace Admin Help: About client-side encryption
• Google Help: Get started with encrypted files in Drive, Docs, Sheets & Slides
• Google Help: Work with Office files using Office editing

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6 New updates

Easily connect to BigQuery data using Saved Queries in Connected Sheets

We’re launching direct access to the BigQuery saved queries feature directly from Connected Sheets. Users can now quickly and easily create a new Connected Sheet by selecting a previously saved query under any project they have access to. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to all Google Workspace customers, Workspace Individual Subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Learn more about analyzing & refreshing BigQuery data in Google Sheets using Connected Sheets, getting started with BigQuery data in Google Sheets, and writing & editing a query.

Scan documents easier using Google Drive on Android devices

To improve upon the scanning experience in the Google Drive app on Android devices, we’re increasing the size and updating the style of the scan buttons. To scan something, open the Drive app on your Android device > scan a document > edit scan (if desired) > upload to Drive. | Rollout to Rapid Release domains is complete; Rolling out now to Scheduled Release domains, with expected completion by June 30, 2025. | Available to Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about scanning documents with Google Drive.

Chat apps can now create spaces with their own identity using the Google Chat API

Last year, we introduced a feature through the Google Workspace Developer Preview Program that enables Chat apps to create spaces and memberships - using application identity - via the Google Chat API. This update further enhances Chat apps for real-time collaboration and allows for even more sophisticated and autonomous Chat apps by eliminating the need to create spaces and memberships on behalf of a user. This week, we’re excited to announce that this is now generally available for Google Workspace developers. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to all Google Workspace customers. | Visit the Developer blog to see an example and learn more about what this means for developers. You can also visit our developer documentation to explore how to authenticate and authorize Chat apps, and learn how to create spaces and add space members using application identity.

Export Gemini responses to a Google Doc or Sheet from Gemini in the side panel of Google Drive

Users can collaborate with Gemini in Google Drive to perform various tasks, such as extracting data, drafting proposals, creating study guides and more. We’re excited to build upon this by giving users the ability to convert Gemini’s response directly into a Sheet or a Doc. After asking Gemini a question, click the ‘Export to Doc’ or ‘Export to Sheet’ button, and you’ll have an artifact that you can continue working on or share with others. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Available to Business Standard and Plus; Enterprise Standard and Plus; Google One AI Premium; Customers with the Gemini Education or Gemini Education Premium add-on, and anyone who previously purchased a Gemini Business or Gemini Enterprise add-on. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about collaborating with Gemini in Google Drive.

Create even more interactive YouTube assignments in Google Classroom

In 2024, we added AI-suggested questions that educators can easily attach to the video based on its content to save educators time. Today, we’re excited to announce that we’re expanding the collection of YouTube videos that have AI-suggested questions available. As a result, educators can create even more interactive YouTube assignments in Classroom more quickly and efficiently, with the help of Gemini. Before assigning the interactive video activity, educators will be able to edit the suggested questions ahead of attaching the YouTube video to the assignment. | Rollout to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains is complete. | Available for Google Workspace Education Plus and the Teaching and Learning add-on. | Visit the Help Center to learn more about interactive questions for YouTube videos in Google Classroom.

Your users can now express interest in upgrading their Google Workspace subscription

We’re introducing a simple way for Workspace end users to request an upgraded edition of Google Workspace from their admins. To send this request, Workspace end users will see a path to request an upgraded Workspace edition including additional Gemini features when they interact with Gemini, such as with the Gemini icon displayed across Workspace apps. This interaction will provide an end user a path to complete a request form for an upgraded Workspace edition. Super admins will receive this request by email, and from there they can choose to upgrade their Workspace subscription directly in the Admin console. | Admins can disable these requests at any time in the Admin console by going to Account > Account Settings > Gemini for Google Workspace, and deselecting the ‘User-requested upgrades’ setting — use this article in our Help Center for more information. | Please note this is only available for customers in the US and India with fewer than 300 licenses. | Rolling out now to Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains. | Learn more about Gemini for Workspace, including our recent Gemini for Workspace announcements.

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Overview

Earlier this year, we launched Google Workspace apps (formerly known as "extensions") in Gemini in open beta. When enabled, Gemini can reference and incorporate data from these apps to generate even more informed and relevant responses, bringing Gemini’s capabilities more seamlessly into your daily workflows, helping enhance productivity. Workspace apps are available for:

• Calendar
• Docs
• Drive
• Gmail
• Keep
• Tasks

Beginning today, we’re pleased to announce that extensions for these apps are now generally available.

Who’s impacted

Admins and end users

Why you’d use them

When enabled, Gemini can interact with other Google apps and services to provide more contextual and relevant responses to your prompts and take certain actions across apps. For example, you can:

• Gmail: ask what dates were proposed in the email about the team offsite.
• Drive: find the document about the website clean-up project and summarize the proposal in a few bullet points.
• Docs: reference a Doc that outlines your target audiences while performing customer research in parallel.
• Calendar: create an event based on specific details or based on the conversation with the Gemini app, find events for a specific day or date range, modify events in Calendar.
• Tasks: add reminders and tasks, including those based on your conversations with Gemini, or view and update a list of your tasks.
• Keep: create notes and lists, add items to an existing list, find content from your notes and lists, and reference your notes and lists in conversion with Gemini.

Additional details

• Context aware access support:

  • Like all Google apps, context-access aware policies can be applied to the Gemini app. Note that at the moment, CAA policies can only be applied to Gemini on the web, they cannot be applied on mobile.
  • If these policies are not met, users will not be allowed to access Gemini.
  • If a user meets the Gemini app specific CAA policies, they can interact with Gemini. If a prompt requires access to Workspace data, CAA policies will determine if a user has access to the requested data. For example, if a user asks Gemini "What are my unread emails?", they will see the requested content if they have access or they’ll receive an error message.

• If your prompt includes multiple actions that require separate apps or services, but one or more of the required services are not enabled, neither of the actions will be completed. For example, if you prompt Gemini to create an event on your calendar and a reminder for that event but the Tasks extension is not enabled, the event will not be added to your calendar and you will not get a reminder.

• Google Workspace extensions are not available to Google Workspace users accessing Gemini as an additional Google service.

• Google Workspace extensions are only available to users 13+.

• All prompts, responses, or content the Gemini app gets via apps (fka extensions), is not reviewed by anyone to improve AI models, not used to train AI models, and not shared with other users or institutions.

• Note that Google Workspace Education Fundamentals users do not have access to Drive or Docs in the Gemini app. They can access Gmail, Calendar, Keep, and Tasks.

Getting started

• Admins: Access to Workspace apps is controlled by the new “Allow access to Workspace apps after Beta (upcoming general availability)” setting. Access is ON by default unless you previously took action on the setting leading into general availability. Visit the Help Center for more information on turning Workspace apps in Gemini on or off.

• End users: If enabled by your admin, connecting Google Workspace allows users to summarize, get quick answers, and find information from Calendar, Keep and Tasks in addition to Gmail, Docs, and Drive directly in Gemini. Visit the Help Center to learn more about using Google Workspace extensions.

Rollout pace

• Rapid Release and Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on May 13, 2025

Availability

Available for Google Workspace:

• Business Starter, Standard, Plus
• Enterprise Starter, Standard, Plus
• Education Fundamentals, Standard, and Plus
• Frontline Starter and Standard
• Essentials, Enterprise Essentials, and Enterprise Essentials Plus
• Nonprofits

Available for Google Workspace customers with these add-ons:

• Gemini Business *
• Gemini Enterprise *
• Gemini Education
• Gemini Education Premium

*As of January 15, 2025, we’re no longer offering the Gemini Business and Gemini Enterprise add-ons for sale. Please refer to this announcement for more details.

Availability

• Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn Workspace extensions in Gemini on or off
• Google Workspace Admin Help: Turn Gemini on or off as a core service
• Google Workspace Admin Help: Generative AI in Google Workspace Privacy Hub
• Google Help: Use extensions in Gemini with a work or school Google Account
• Google Workspace Updates Blog: Google Workspace extensions for Gmail, Google Drive and Google Docs are now available in open beta for Gemini
• Google Workspace Updates Blog: Expanding Google Workspace extensions available in open beta for the Gemini app

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