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Google Updates Recap for February – March, 2023

by Doctor Gee

We’re excited to provide you with our February to March of 2023 Google Feature Updates post. This post includes new functions in Google Sheets, reactions in Google Meet, a refreshed interface for Drive and the Docs Editors, new smart canvas features, and more. 

Table of contents

  • Google Calendar
  • Google Chat
  • Google Contacts
  • Google Docs
  • Google Drive
  • Google Meet
  • Google Sheets

    Google Calendar

    Check availability across multiple calendars when using appointment schedules on Google Calendar

    Appointment schedules, the successor to appointment slots, can now display other calendars when setting up your schedule and can use that information to show you are unavailable based on the selected calendars.

    A screenshot of an appointment schedule being set up and displaying additional calendars.being checked against for availability.

    For more information about using appointment schedules, visit: Setting up appointment schedules and Customizing your appointment availability.

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available for all appointment schedule users.

    Opt-in period starting soon for converting Reminders to Tasks

    In an effort to consolidate two separate but similar features, Reminders and Assistant Reminders (those created by Google Assistant) in Google Calendar will begin an opt-in period to convert any Reminders to Tasks. This opt-in period is anticipated to become available beginning Apr 12, 2023. The banner will appear when viewing a Reminder in Google Calendar.

    A side-by-side comparison screenshot illustrating the prompt to migrate Reminders to Tasks on Google Calendar for the web (left) and for mobile (right).

    Starting May 22, 2023, this process will automatically occur for any individuals who had not already completed the migration.

    To learn more about the migration, visit: Learn about the switch from Reminders to Google Tasks. Note that information regarding exporting Reminders will not apply.

    Save time with suggested work locations in Google Calendar

    Google Calendar can now suggest working locations based on recent custom-set working locations. These suggestions would appear when you are adding or modifying a working location.

    For more information about setting your working hours and locations, visit: Set your working hours & location – Computer – Google Calendar Help.

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available for all users.

    Google Chat

    Introducing simpler conversation creation in Google Chat

    Previously when creating a Group conversation, you would first select the option to “Start group conversation” and then enter the name(s) of the individuals you wanted to chat with.

    This flow has been simplified and enhanced by removing the “Start group conversation” option and allowing you to select all of the recipient(s) in a row after selecting the “People, space, or app” search bar for creating one-on-one or group conversations. This change does not affect the creation of Spaces.

    Feature Availability: This feature is available now for all users.

    All newly created Spaces now use in-line threading

    In November, 2022, in-line threading became available as an option when creating a new Space in Google Chat. Beginning Mar 13, 2023, in-line threading became the default option used for creating all new Spaces and the option for creating by conversation topic was no longer available. Existing Spaces created using organization by conversation topic will continue to function as they have. Later this year, Spaces organized by conversation topic will be converted to the in-line style of threading. An update will be provided as soon as we know more.

    To see our most  previous blog post mentioning in-line threading in Spaces, visit the link above. Additionally, visit these links for more information about using Spaces and how to organize a space, and managing a Space with in-line threading.

    Feature Availability: In-line threading has already begun to be applied to all newly created Spaces and the option to organize by conversation topic is no longer available.

    Google Contacts

    Improving the Google Contact management experience

    Previously, if you wanted to add or edit a Google Contact, the only way to do so was through contacts.google.com. Now, using the Contacts sidebar, you can easily create and edit contacts, allowing you to streamline the process of managing your contacts.

    An animated image illustrating use of the sidebar in Gmail to manage Google Contacts.

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available for all users.

    Google Docs

    New option to view non-printing characters in Google Docs

    Non-printing characters are the technical representation of the every-day characters such as spaces, line-breaks, right-to-left indicators, page and section breaks, and more. When printing these characters, they will display as the spacing that we intended, but it can be necessary to troubleshoot why a document may not be spacing lines the way you intended.

    A screenshot illustrating several non-printing characters being displayed in a Google Doc. 

    This highly requested feature now allows you to do this with an option found in the menu bar under View → Show non-printing characters.

    For more information, visit: View document outlines, summaries, rulers, & non-printing characters – Android – Google Docs Editors Help.

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available to all users on the web version of Google Docs.

    New Stopwatch chip now available for Google Docs

    A Stopwatch chip has been added to Google Docs to allow you to run a stopwatch that can be started, stopped, and reset. This can be useful for instances of practicing a read through of a script against the timer.

    For more information about using Stopwatch chips and other Smart chips, visit: Insert smart chips & building blocks in your Google Doc.

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available.

    Google Drive

    New setting for shared drive content managers to share folders now available

    As mentioned in our previous features recap post, and communicated to shared drive managers as an upcoming change, a new setting is now available to allow content managers to share folders outside of the shared drive. 

    By default, this setting is enabled for all shared drives, but can be disabled by managers.

    Feature Availability: This feature is available now for all shared drive managers.

    Refreshed interface for Google Drive, Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides

    Google Drive and the Docs Editors have received a fresh coat of paint that gives the services a refreshed and modern look that adopts Google’s Material Design 3. With this new look, some improvements have also been made to help streamline some actions you may take in Drive such as:

    • Key actions surfaced inline on files, for quick access and increased productivity. 
    • Ability to select multiple items at a time and undertake batch operations for frequent tasks.
    • New search chips (including type, owner, and last modified) to help you find files faster.

    The Docs Editors (Docs, Sheets, and Slides) have also been given this refreshed look with improvements on their own including: 

    • A simplified user interface at the top of your docs, sheets, and slides, helping you find frequently used actions faster 
    • Additional user experience improvements in commenting, background, rulers, and gridlines. 
    • Note that while there are no changes in functionality, some features have been relocated to reduce clutter within the new interface. Notably, you can find the latest status info for the doc, such as last edit and version history, via a single entry point: the clock icon in the top right corner.

    Feature Availability: These improvements are now visible to all users.

    Google Meet

    New in-meeting reactions for Google Meet

    A new type of non-verbal communication, in-meeting reactions, are now available in Google Meet. This feature, previously mentioned in our Welcome to 2023: Feature Updates, Storage Changes, and more! blog post, allows you to provide a reaction from a preselected set of emojis to express yourself without the need to do so verbally (via unmuting) or physically. Currently, you can react with the following emojis:

    • Heart ?
    • Thumbs Up ?
    • Party-popper ?
    • Clapping ?
    • Crying-Laughing ?
    • Gasp ?
    • Crying ?
    • Thinking ?
    • Thumbs Down ?

    Screenshot of the reactions, and skin-tone selector, that can be selected through the “Send a reaction” menu.

    Additionally, you will be able to use your selected skin-tone for the hand-related reactions (displayed to the right of the reactions). The skin-tone selected is the same that is synced with other Google services where emoji reactions are available, such as Google Chat and Google Docs.

    You can react just once or in rapid succession – whichever accurately expresses how you feel. An icon will also appear in the top corner of your video showing your reaction. When multiple individuals react with the same emoji, a short animation and sound will appear on the left side of the meeting for some reactions.

    Options whether to show others reactions, their animations, and/or their sounds can now be toggled in a new section under Google Meet settings.

    The available options for in-meeting reactions located under the “Reactions” section in Google Meet settings.

    For more information about using Reactions in Google Meet, visit: Use Reactions in Google Meet.

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available to all users and is available for Google Meet on mobile devices.

    View speaker notes while presenting Google Slides in Google Meet

    Speaker notes allow a presenter to include or provide information, speaking points, and/or additional context through a text field that is not disruptive to a presentation but is still attached to it. However, these notes may need to be visible to the presenter to be helpful and it can be cumbersome or distracting to need to switch tabs or windows to access the notes.

    Now, in addition to being able to present a Google Slides presentation directly in Google Meet, an option is available to display a “speaker notes” section that appears next to the presentation. This section is only visible to the presenter, but the presenter can share the presentation with the chat of the Google Meet by using the “Share in Meet chat” button while already presenting.

    A screenshot of a Google Slides presentation in a Google Meet with the Speaker notes panel displayed.

    For more information about controlling a Google Slides presentation in Google Meet, visit: Control Slides presentations in Google Meet – Google Docs Editors Help.

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available to all users on the web version of Google Slides.

    Easily share access to presented content with all attendees

    Two new improvements are now available that enhance the experience of file sharing in a Google Meet. 

    First, when presenting a Google Drive file in a Google Meet, you will be able to share access to the content through a floating action menu, or via a suggestion in the Meet Chat. Meeting attendees will receive a notification when a file has been shared with them and a link will automatically be posted to the Meet Chat.

    Second, when posting a Google Drive link in Meet Chat, a dialog will be displayed allowing you to adjust access permissions and share the file. If the Meet was created from a calendar event, the file will also be attached to the event.

    A screenshot in Google Meet with a share dialog to give file access to meeting attendees and an option to attach the file to the calendar event associated with the meeting.

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available for all users.

    Include captions with a Google Meet video recording

    As the host of a Google Meet, if you use captions in Google Meet, you will now be able to include them when recording that Google Meet. This provides an alternative way to make a recording more useful and accessible for viewers. 

    The option for whether to include captions in the recording and what language to use for the captions is shown in the Recording activity area.

    A screenshot of the Recording activity menu in Google Meet with an arrow pointing to what language you’d like to select for including captions in the recording.

    For more information regarding recording a Google Meet, visit: Record a video meeting – Google Meet Help.

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available.

    Google Sheets

    11 new functions available for Google Sheets

    Google Sheets has had 11 new functions added which provides a variety of new ways to process and manipulate data in a spreadsheet. These new functions, links to their respective Google help pages, and brief descriptions, include:

    • EPOCHTODATE – Converts a Unix epoch timestamp in seconds, milliseconds, or microseconds to a datetime in UTC. 
    • MARGINOFERROR – Calculates the amount of random sampling error given a range of values and a confidence level. 
    • TOROW and TOCOL – Transforms an array or range of cells into a single row/column. 
    • CHOOSEROWS and CHOOSECOLS – Creates a new array from the selected rows/columns in the existing range. 
    • WRAPROWS and WRAPCOLS – Wraps the provided row or column of cells by rows/columns after a specified number of elements to form a new array. 
    • VSTACK and HSTACK – Appends ranges vertically/horizontally and in sequence to return a larger array. 
    • LET – Assigns name with the value_expression results and returns the result of the formula_expression. The formula_expression can use the names defined in the scope of the LET function. The value_expressions are evaluated only once in the LET function even if the following value_expressions or the formula_expression use them multiple times. 

    Feature Availability: This feature is now available to all users.

    Introducing new smart canvas features for Google Sheets

    The course of smart canvas continues with three new features in Google Sheets focused on chips and the @ menu options. 

    First, Place chips allow you to insert a Google Maps place chip, which can be directly opened in Google Maps and can show a preview of the location or be used to find directions.

    An animated image of a Place chip being inserted into a cell in a Google Sheet, then selecting that chip to reveal a map of the location.

    Next, Finance chips allow you to insert a chip for a Google Finance entity, such as a stock, mutual fund, or currency. By clicking on “View details” in the chip, you will be brought to the full page for that entity.

    An animated image of a Finance chip being inserted into a cell in a Google Sheet, then selecting that chip to preview the financial information.

    Finally, additional @ shortcuts have been added for inserting various types of dates, such as @today, @yesterday, @tomorrow, and more generally, @date.


    An animated image of using @today to insert the current date into a cell in a Google Sheet.

    For more information about using Smart chips in Google Sheets, visit: Insert smart chips in your Google Sheets – Google Docs Editors Help.

    Feature Availability: These features are available now for all users.

    Categories Google Calendar, Google Chat, Google Contacts, Google Docs, Google Drive, Google Feature Updates and Changes, Google Meet, Google Sheets, Google Slides, Google Tasks and Google Keep, Google Workspace News

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