Google Workspace Changes

Shutdown date for legacy Google Drive desktop sync client delayed to May 12, 2018

Google has delayed the complete shutdown of the legacy Google Drive desktop sync client for Mac and PC (Google Drive for Mac/PC) from March 12, 2018, to May 12, 2018. Enterprise organizations are encouraged to transition to Drive File Stream, while non-G Suite users are recommended to use Backup and Sync.

Search within a specific folder in Google Drive.

Users can now search for content within a specific folder in Google Drive by selecting the folder from the Location menu in the search bar or by right-clicking on a folder. This functionality is available for folders within My Drive or Team Drives; folders shared with the user must first be added to My Drive to be searchable.

Google introduces regular release notes for Drive File Stream and Backup and Sync.

Google is now publishing regular release notes for Drive File Stream and Backup and Sync on the Help Center. This allows users to keep track of additions and improvements made to each new version of these products, while major changes will continue to be announced on the G Suite Updates Blog.

Removal of the Google Photos tab from Google Drive navigation

Google Drive is simplifying its navigation by removing the Google Photos tab from the left-hand navigation menu. Users can continue to access their photos and videos within Drive by creating a Google Photos folder in My Drive, or by accessing Google Photos directly via the web, Android, or iOS apps.

New Admin console setting to control who can move content out of Team Drives.

Google is introducing a new sharing setting in the Admin console that allows G Suite administrators to control who can remove content from their domain's Team Drives to prevent data from leaving the organization. This setting restricts moving content from a domain's Team Drive or a user's My Drive to an external domain, with three available options: 'Anyone', 'No one', or 'Only users in this domain'.

Data Loss Prevention now available in Team Drives.

DLP analyzes the files in your organization’s Team Drives for sensitive content. You can set up policy-based actions that will be triggered when any sensitive content is detected. G Suite admins will be able to control what content members of the team can share externally using easily configured rules and easily enforced policies.

DLP is now available in Team Drives.

Data Loss Prevention (DLP) is now available for content stored in Team Drives, giving G Suite Enterprise edition customers more control over how data is shared. Admins can set up policy-based actions that will be triggered when sensitive content is detected.

Updating the Google Drive plug-in for Microsoft® Office to include Outlook support.

From within Outlook for Windows, you can now: Insert files using Drive, Save local files to Drive seamlessly, Update sharing permissions

Increased admin control over Google Drive file sharing options.

Google has introduced new Access Checker settings in the Admin console, allowing administrators to define the sharing options users see when sharing Drive files via Gmail, comments in Docs, Sheets, or Slides, protected ranges in Sheets, or Calendar invites. Depending on whether external public sharing is permitted, admins can now restrict these options to 'Recipients only', 'Recipients only or their domain', or 'Recipients only, their domain, or public'.

Improved file and folder organization in Google Drive via new toolbar options and drag-and-drop functionality.

Google Drive is making it easier to organize files and folders. Users will now see 'Add to My Drive' or 'Move to' options in the toolbar when viewing search results, Shared with me, Recent, or Starred views. Additionally, users can now drag and drop items from search results into folders and organize files directly from the preview screen.

Google Drive iOS app adds support for several new languages.

The Google Drive iOS app has been updated to support additional languages, including Hindi, Indian English, Canadian French, and Chinese (Hong Kong), improving accessibility for a wider range of global users.

Google Drive iOS app introduces Peek and pop support via 3D Touch.

The latest version of the Google Drive iOS app adds Peek and pop functionality for iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users. This feature allows users to utilize 3D Touch to preview a file or folder and perform common actions before fully opening or sharing the item.

Google Drive introduces an enhanced search experience with improved filters and platform-specific integrations.

Google Drive is rolling out a new search experience to help users find files more efficiently across Android, iOS, and the web. Key improvements include the ability to narrow searches by file type, instant access to advanced search options, and iOS-specific features like 3D Touch and search bar integration. Additionally, users can now search for shared files by the owner's name or email and utilize advanced filters such as modification date and specific keywords.

Updated version (v1.1.132.0) of the Google Drive plug-in for Microsoft Office

Google has released version v1.1.132.0 of the Google Drive plug-in for Microsoft Office. This update introduces the ability for customers to send feedback from the settings menu and a new per-machine based enterprise installer for internal software distribution. Additionally, it fixes an 'unknown error' that occurred when saving sharing changes and resolves Japanese language UI issues.

Smarter sorting experience for the 'Recent' view in Google Drive on the web.

Google Drive is introducing a smarter sorting experience for the 'Recent' view on the web. The update replaces the previous sorting dropdown options ('Last modified,' 'Last modified by me,' and 'Last opened by me') with a dynamically-generated view based on the user's actions. Items will continue to be segmented into time-based sections, and the UI will now indicate whether an item was opened, modified, or uploaded by the user, prioritizing items the user interacted with over those acted upon by collaborators.