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Following our initial announcement and recent rollout update, skills in Google Workspace — reusable, custom instructions that guide Gemini to apply your team’s rules, templates, and reference files — are now rolling out across Google Workspace Studio and Workspace apps. Here’s how to get started:
- Create, test, and share skills in Google Workspace Studio and Google Docs: Build skills from scratch, start from new turnkey templates, or edit Markdown-native (SKILL.md) files directly in Google Workspace Studio, and test how they generate email drafts, documents, or presentations before turning them on. You can also draft and collaborate on skills in Google Docs, and share copies of your skills from Workspace Studio so teammates can customize and enable them for their own workflows.
- Create and edit skills in context across Workspace apps: You can prompt Gemini directly in Gmail, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Drive, and Google Chat to create, refine, and test skills without leaving the app you’re working in.
- Use skills automatically or with an @, and connect them to Studio flows: Once you turn on a skill, Gemini in Gmail, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Drive, and Google Chat can automatically recognize when that skill is relevant and apply it to your prompt, or you can invoke one or more skills explicitly at any time with an @mention (including combining multiple skills in a single request). Skills can also trigger Workspace Studio flows configured with a “Start manually” or “On a schedule” starter step.
These capabilities unlock powerful ways to standardize everyday work across your team. For example:
- A marketing or sales team can maintain approved brand voice, tone, and structure across email drafts in Gmail, proposals in Docs, and pitch decks in Slides.
- A finance or legal specialist can standardize recurring contract, proposal, or invoice reviews against reference guidelines stored in Google Drive.
- A project lead can generate recurring status updates grounded in living meeting notes, Chat conversations, and Drive files without re-typing formatting instructions each week.
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| Create, test, and invoke skills across Google Workspace Studio and Workspace apps |
A few things to know for end users:
- Supported surfaces, mobile access, and language: Creating, editing, testing, and sharing skills are available on the web. Invoking skills is supported on the web in Workspace Studio, Gmail, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Drive, and Google Chat, as well as in the Google Chat mobile app on Android and iOS. Skills in Workspace are not yet available in Google Sheets or Google Meet, and currently support English prompts and instructions only.
- How skill sharing and Drive file permissions work in Workspace Studio: Sharing a skill from Workspace Studio gives recipients an independent copy that they can review, customize, and turn on in their own skills library (subsequent edits you make to your skill won’t overwrite copies others have already saved). If your skill references Google Drive files, you’ll also need to share access to those files with recipients.
- Skills in Workspace are separate from skills and Gems in the Gemini app: Skills created in Workspace do not sync automatically with skills or Gems in the Gemini app, and the upcoming automated migration of remaining Gems in 2027 will convert Gems to draft skills exclusively in the Gemini app — not in Workspace Studio or Workspace apps. Because both environments use the open SKILL.md format, you can manually copy instructions between the Gemini app and Workspace if you want to use a skill in both places.
- Impact on automated Workspace Studio flows and transitioning off “Ask a Gem”: As previously announced, you can no longer add new Ask a Gem steps to flows in Workspace Studio. Visit the Help Center to learn more about replacing Gems with skills in Workspace Studio flows.
Getting started
- Admins:
- Skills in Workspace Studio and Gemini in Workspace are ON by default for eligible Google Workspace editions and can be disabled at the domain, organizational unit (OU), or group level in the Admin console. Visit the Help Center to learn more about allowing people to use skills in Studio and Gemini in Workspace.
- External sharing of skills from Workspace Studio follows your organization’s Studio sharing controls in the Admin console. Visit the Help Center to learn more about allowing people to share skills externally.
- New with general availability, admins can monitor and audit skill activity in the Admin console using Workspace Studio log events.
- Review the Help Center guide on preparing your organization for the transition from Gems to skills.
- End users:
- Skills in Workspace are available by default (unless disabled by your admin). Create and manage skills in Google Workspace Studio, using Skill Builder in Google Docs, or by prompting Gemini directly in Gmail, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Drive, and Google Chat.
- Visit the Help Center to learn more about how skills work in Google Workspace Studio, using skills in Gmail, Docs, Slides, Drive, and Chat, and how the transition from Gems to skills impacts Workspace Studio flows.
Rollout pace
- Rapid Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 9, 2026
- Scheduled Release domains: Gradual rollout (up to 15 days for feature visibility) starting on November 30, 2026
Availability
- Business: Business Starter, Standard, and Plus
- Enterprise: Enterprise Starter, Standard, and Plus
- Education Add-ons: Google AI Pro for Education
- Other Add-ons: AI Expanded Access
Note that skills in Google Workspace are available only to users age 18 and older.
Resources
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Allow people to use skills in Studio and Gemini in Workspace
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Allow people to share skills externally
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Workspace Studio log events
- Google Workspace Admin Help: About the transition from Gems to skills
- Google Workspace Admin Help: Prepare for the transition to skills
- Workspace Studio Help: Learn how skills work in Google Workspace Studio
- Workspace Studio Help: How the Gems transition to skills impacts Workspace Studio flows
- Google Help: Using skills in Gmail, Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Drive, and Google Chat
- Google Workspace Updates Blog: Introducing skills in the Gemini app and Workspace, plus what’s next for Gems
- Google Workspace Updates Blog: An update on the launch of skills in the Gemini app and Workspace
- Google Workspace Blog: Teach Gemini your team’s know-hows with skills in Google Workspace
- AI skills 101: Customizing AI from Google for your role
- Education Guide: Gemini Gems and Skills Transition
Fuente: Google Workspace Updates
