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Google Updates Recap: August 2025

by Doctor Gee

After a brief break in updates from Google, we’re back with some added granularity in sharing controls for Google Drive and Google Forms, new host controls in Google Meet, and more quality-of-life features.

Table of contents

Gmail

Manage email subscriptions from a single location in Gmail

A new “Manage subscriptions” view is being added to allow you to easily manage all your subscriptions and unsubscribe from any you’d wish to remove.

To find this view, click the navigation bar in the top-left corner of your inbox and select “Manage subscriptions.” Your active subscriptions are sorted by the most frequent senders alongside the number of emails they’ve sent you in the past few weeks. If there’s a sender you no longer wish to receive emails from, you can easily unsubscribe in one click, and Gmail will send an unsubscribe request to the sender on your behalf. 

More information:

Feature Availability: This feature is currently rolling out.

In Gmail, a new set of options will appear when composing an email to quickly link your Google Calendar appointment schedule.

From the “Set up a time to meet” menu, you’ll be able to select from one of your appointment schedules or create a new one. You can click another appointment schedule to insert multiple into the same email.

Feature Availability: This feature is currently rolling out.

Google Drive & Docs Editors

More Control for File Owners and Shared Drive Managers

In sharing settings for Drive files in both My Drive and Shared Drives, file owners and shared drive managers will now be able to apply printing, copying, and download restrictions on individual files. 

File owners will be able to apply these restrictions on:

  • Editors
  • Commenters & Viewers

Shared drive managers will be able to apply these restrictions on:

  • Content managers & Contributors
  • Commenters & Viewers

Feature Availability: This feature is currently rolling out and is anticipated to be available by August 5, 2025.

Google Forms

Adding granular control options for who can respond to existing Google Forms

Earlier this year, Google released a new feature for increased granularity over who can respond to Google Forms. Now, you can opt-in to upgrade your existing Google Forms to have this new functionality. Previously, only new Forms would have these options.

For more information, visit: Upgrade your Google Form to have better access control – Google Docs Editors Help.

Feature Availability: This feature is now available.

Google Meet

New host management control for who can ask to join a meeting

In a Google Meet’s host management, or a calendar invite with a Google Meet attached, you now have an additional control.

When “Trusted” or “Restricted” is selected, you can uncheck the new “Anyone with the meeting link can ask to join” box.

This new setting allows additional control over whether individuals who were not invited, but have the link, can ask to join the meeting.

Note: With this option disabled, it will disallow individuals who are not signed in and individuals who were not invited to ask to join the meeting. Use caution when using this option in meetings where invitees might try to join from a different account than expected or join without an account.

For more information:

Feature Availability: This feature is now available.

Join a meeting using “companion mode” on Android and iOS tablets

Companion mode is now available on Android and iOS tablets, including foldable devices. This can be particularly useful in meeting spaces where room for a laptop is limited, or as an easy, discreet way to participate during large in-person meetings, such as all hands or town halls. 

Specifically, you can use companion mode to: 

  • Check-in to the room to be identified by name. 
  • Share an emoji reaction without interrupting the speaker. 
  • Raise your hand to indicate that you’d like to speak. 
  • Turn on captions to view subtitles as everyone speaks during a meeting. 
  • Exchange chat messages with other meeting participants. 
  • View and zoom in on presented content to easily follow along with the presenter on your own device. 
  • Use Meet in the split screen view, helping you multitask.

For more information about using Companion Mode, visit:

Feature Availability: 

  • Android devices:
    • Minimum Google Meet app version: 308.0
    • Minimum Gmail app version: 2025.05.25
    • This feature is now available on Android devices.
  • iOS devices:
    • Minimum Google Meet app version: 310.0
    • Minimum Gmail app version: 6.0.250601
    • This feature is now available on iOS devices.

Live stream viewers can now send chat messages, plus additional host controls

For livestreams in Google Meet, the host can now allow livestream viewers to see and send chat messages. Note that sending chat messages requires being able to see them as well.

Additionally, this control only applies to livestreaming for Google Meet, and not when livestreaming a Google Meet to YouTube.

For more information about livestreaming in Google Meet, please visit: Live stream a video meeting for hosts – Google Meet Help.

Feature Availability: 

  • Livestreams are only available for licensed Google Workspace accounts.
  • This feature is now available.

Google Vids

Create a Google Vid from Google Slides

In Google Vids, you can now import a Google Slides slidedeck directly into a Vid. This allows you to take slides and create a video format from them and add additional content as desired.

To get started:

  • When creating a new Vid, access this feature by selecting the Import Slides option. 
  • For existing Vids, you can access this feature by going to the File menu → Import slides. 

For more information about using Slides in Vids, visit: Use Google Slides with Google Vids – Google Docs Editors Help.

Feature Availability: This feature is now available.

Categories Gmail, Google Drive & Docs Editors, Google Feature Updates and Changes, Google Forms, Google Meet, Google Slides, Google Vids, Google Workspace News

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