If customers take no action, starting May 1, 2022 Google will begin automatically transitioning them to the recommended Google Workspace subscription. Once they are automatically transitioned they can use their new Google Workspace subscription and functionality at no-cost through July 1, 2022. After July 1, they will have access to generous discounts for 12 months.
When is this happening?
Below are the major milestones Google are working towards and are subject to change
- MSA customer notification: January 2022
- Legacy G Suite free edition support end date: July 1, 2022
- Auto transition date: For customers that take no action Google will begin automatically transitioning them on May 1, 2022
Who is impacted?
Existing customers on the Legacy G Suite free edition who have not yet upgraded to Google Workspace
Why change our portfolio?
In 2020, Google launched the new Google Workspace editions to provide more tailored offerings based on customer collaboration and implementation needs. Google continue to invest in Google Workspace to ensure Google can meet the needs of every organization—from smaller businesses that are looking for fast, often self-service, secure collaboration and productivity tools, to larger enterprises that require enterprise-grade administrative controls, and advanced security and compliance capabilities.
In 2021 alone, Google launched over 275+ new enhancements including smart canvas in Docs to supercharge collaboration, the launch of Spaces in Chat as a dedicated place for organizing people, topics, and projects, and over 30 improvements to Google Meet alone. Google have also added important security enhancements like Client-side encryption.
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Customer Challenges
- Minimizing disruption: Minimal training and change management as users are remote. Minimizing disruption to existing business processes
- Hybrid work: Providing users with flexible solutions that enable real-time and asynchronous collaboration in the hybrid work world
- Security: Securing users, devices, and data in hybrid and remote working models
- Cost consolidation: Reducing IT spend and consolidating costs from point solutions adopted throughout the organization
Available supporting resources
Transition one-pagers: Highlight the benefits of Google Workspace and additional value customers unlock when they upgrade to a higher edition
Google Workspace solution pillars
Google Workspace is the easiest way for organizations of all sizes to connect, create, and collaborate using the apps they already know and love.
- Flexible: Flexible cloud-native solutions that empower organizations to thrive in a hybrid work environment
- Helpful: The best of Google helpfulness and AI gives people control of their time so that they can maximize their impact
- Innovative: Human-centered experiences help deepen connections and give everyone the ability to contribute regardless of role, language, or location
- Trusted: Google Workspace designs, builds, and operates our products on a secure foundation, aimed at thwarting attacks and providing the protections needed to keep users and organizations safe
Low-cost email & collaboration compete key messages
- Innovation track record: Google Workspace continues to bring large scale innovation to our users and customers. In 2021, Google launched over 275 + new enhancements to the platform including smart canvas in Docs to supercharge collaboration, the launch of Spaces in Chat as a dedicated place for organizing people, topics, and projects, and over 30 improvements to Google Meet alone
- Enterprise-grade security and reliability: During the pandemic there has been an uptick in phishing and security incidents that have disrupted businesses of all types. Our browser-based approach combined with global scale helps protect against threats as soon as they emerge. For example, everyday 15B spam messages are prevented from reaching Gmail customers and 100M phishing attempts are blocked by Gmail. (Note: many low-cost providers do not include basic device management capabilities)
- Helpfulness and AI: Google Workspace products are infused with helpful features that help make users more productive. For example, smart reply helps users quickly reply to emails, live captions help attendees follow along in meetings, and grammar corrections and auto correct help users write quickly with confidence
- Search: Search helps to save users time when looking for files they can’t remember who they were sent by or the document name
- More than just email and calendar: Google Workspace includes other familiar tools beyond Gmail and Calendar—improve team collaboration with access to business versions of Google Meet, Chat, Drive, Docs, Sheets, and more in a single, easy to manage subscription
- Consolidation: Customers may be using multiple emailing solutions in addition to legacy free editions. This can be an opportunity to consolidate all solutions to a single solution
- Change management: Over 3B users already use Google Workspace apps, including the next generation workforce. Switching may require additional change management training, could disrupt day to day operations, and could lead to decreased employee satisfaction and engagement.
FAQs - Legacy free edition transition questions
Below are some common questions about transitioning from the G Suite legacy free edition.
Can the timelines be extended beyond July 1, 2022?
Google are not offering any exceptions for customers as Goole will no longer be supporting the Legacy G Suite free edition after July 1, 2022. Despite turning down new signups for the legacy free edition in 2012, Google have continued to support this edition with new innovations over the past 10 years. To help you make the transition to Google Workspace as smoothly as possible, Google are providing generous migration discounts for 12 months. Please reach out to your Google sales representative for assistance.
Can we just stay with the current free edition? We’re happy with what we have today and don’t need any of the features in the new SKUs.
Google is happy to hear that you and your teams have enjoyed using our tools, and Google hope to continue delivering new value to you and your users in the coming years. The Legacy G Suite free edition will no longer be available starting July 1, 2022 as Google continue to invest in Google Workspace. In 2021 alone, Google launched over 275 + new enhancements including smart canvas in Docs to supercharge collaboration, the launch of Spaces in Chat as a dedicated place for organizing people, topics, and projects, and over 30 improvements to Google Meet alone. Google have also added important security enhancements like Client-side encryption. By upgrading now to Google Workspace, you can get double the storage or more, as well as 24/7 support with a specialist to troubleshoot unforeseen issues, 99.9% uptime SLA for continued productivity, premium security and collaboration features, and all the great future Google Workspace innovations. Plus, Google are offering migration discounts to help make the transition even smoother.
What is the benefit of upgrading from our free edition to Google Workspace? What else do we get?
When you transition to Google Workspace you will benefit from double the storage or more, as well as 24/7 support with a specialist to troubleshoot unforeseen issues, 99.9% uptime SLA for continued productivity, premium security and collaboration features (see transition one pagers for specific features), and all the great future Google Workspace innovations. In 2021 alone, Google launched over 275+ new enhancements including smart canvas in Docs to supercharge collaboration, the launch of Spaces in Chat as a dedicated place for organizing people, topics, and projects, and over 30 improvements to Google Meet alone. Google have also added important security enhancements like Client-side encryption.
My business is still recovering from the pandemic. Can we have more time on the free edition before we have to migrate?
Google will no longer be supporting the Legacy G Suite free edition after July 1, 2022. Despite turning down new signups for the legacy free edition in 2012, Google have continued to support the offering by adding new innovations over the past 10 years. To help make the transition to Google Workspace easier for you, Google are providing generous migration discounts for 12 months so that customers can enjoy access to your new security and collaboration functionality at a discounted price. Please reach out to your Google sales representative for assistance.
General
How does the transition affect my current G Suite legacy free subscription?
Your current G Suite legacy free subscription and related services will continue to function as they do today, until you choose one of these options:
- Upgrade to a paid Google Workspace subscription now (recommended)
- Transfer to a no-cost option without premium Google Workspace features.
- Wait for Google to upgrade you after June 1, 2022.
We recommend you upgrade now to a Google Workspace edition that meets your needs. If you take no action, we'll upgrade you automatically and seamlessly after June 1, 2022. To complete the upgrade and prevent your subscription from being suspended, you need to enter your billing information before August 1, 2022.
Can I keep my G Suite legacy free subscription?
No. All customers with a G Suite legacy free subscription need to either upgrade to a paid Google Workspace subscription to keep premium features of using Gmail with a custom domain (for example, your-name@example.com) and the ability to manage multiple users, or they need to choose the no-cost option.
Upgrading only takes a few short steps and it’s not disruptive to end users. To help ease the transition, we’re offering deep, region-based discounts on Google Workspace Business editions starting at 50% for the first twelve months after August 1, 2022. To view your discounts, please sign in to your Admin console. If you select a Google Workspace Business edition and the Flexible payment plan, billing won't start until at least August 1, 2022. Discounts and the billing grace period do not apply to Enterprise editions.
If you don't choose one of these options by June 1, 2022, we'll automatically upgrade your organization to a recommended Google Workspace subscription.
Can I transfer my data out of Google?
If you want to move your data, your administrator can export your organization’s data and cancel your legacy subscription. If you want to retrieve data from additional Google services, you can export your data (including Google Workspace and additional Google services) with Google Takeout at takeout.google.com. The administrator will need to have Google Takeout enabled.
Billing
What happens if my G Suite legacy free edition account is suspended?
The earliest account suspension will occur is August 1, 2022. In the first 60 days of account suspension, your admin will still be able to access the Admin console to export your data and upgrade. You won't be able to access your Google Workspace core services and data, including Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and Meet.
In account suspension, you won’t be able to receive or send email, including authenticating password resets via email. Without access to Gmail in the suspended state, we recommend you use a different email provider to send and receive email messages, including changing logins and authenticating new passwords.
You won't lose access to additional Google services, including YouTube, Google Photos, and Google Play, nor paid content, including YouTube and Play Store purchases. You'll also be able to sign in to your Google apps (such as YouTube) and third-party sites with your G Suite legacy edition email address.
If you want to retrieve data from additional Google services (such as Google Photos), you can export your data (including Google Workspace and additional Google services) with Google Takeout at takeout.google.com. Your administrator will need to have Google Takeout enabled.
What will I be charged for Google Workspace if you upgrade me after June 1, 2022?
Your subscription will be put on the Flexible Plan and you won't be charged until at least August 1, 2022. After that, you'll be charged every month for each user in your organization. Monthly charges depend on your new Google Workspace subscription.
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If the administrator left the company, can a user become an admin?
Yes. Current users can ask to become an administrator on the account by completing this form. Users will be required to prove domain registration ownership by creating a custom CNAME or TXT record. If the domain registration verification is successful and none of the existing administrators object, the user will be promoted to the super administrator role.
What happens to the additional Drive storage I purchased when I switch to Google Workspace?
You will not lose any previously purchased or promotional storage, and your data will not be affected when upgrading. Your new storage limits depend on which Google Workspace edition you upgrade to:
- Business Starter–You will automatically get 30 GB of storage per user as part of your upgrade. Any individually purchased storage subscription will automatically be applied to the user that purchased the storage, and their data will not be affected. Note that even though the storage is available, the amount of purchased storage might not be reflected accurately in photos.google.com or drive.google.com.
- Business Standard–You will automatically get 2 TB per user added to pooled storage.
- Business Plus–You will automatically get 5 TB per user added to pooled storage.
The Business Standard and Business Plus storage limits are larger than any promotional or purchased storage so you may no longer need the additional storage. You can cancel your additional purchased storage at pay.google.com/gp/w/home/subscriptionsandservices.
After I upgraded I lost my Discover feed. How can I get it back?
If you stopped getting your Discover feed after you updated to Google Workspace, your administrator needs to follow the instructions in Turn Search and Assistant on or off for users.
If your mobile device is managed by your organization, your administrator also needs to:
- In your Google Admin console (at admin.google.com)...
- Go to Devices.
- Requires having the Mobile Device Management administrator privilege.
- On the left, click Mobile & endpointsand thenSettingsand thenUniversal settings.
- Click Data Accessand thenGoogle Assistant.
- Check the box for Allow Google Assistant for iOS and Android.
Is there a no-cost option if I don’t want to upgrade?
A no-cost option will be available for all customers who do not want to use Gmail with their custom domain (for example, your-name@example.com), or the ability to manage multiple users. Customers who choose this option will retain access to the no-cost version of Google Workspace services such as Google Drive and Google Meet, and additional Google services such as Google Search, Google Maps, and YouTube. You will also retain access to paid content such as movies purchased in the Google Play Store.
You'll see a message about the waiting list in your Google Admin console in the coming weeks.
If you want the no cost option, you need to join this waiting list in the Google Admin console before June 1, 2022, so your account is not automatically upgraded to Google Workspace. Those on the waiting list will remain on the G Suite legacy free edition until the no-cost option is available. Once the no-cost option is available, we’ll be in touch with more details on what will happen to your account. You will have 60 days to evaluate the no-cost option or choose Google Workspace before any changes are made to your account.
If you change your mind after you join the waiting list for the no-cost option, you’ll still be able to upgrade to Google Workspace at any time.
What happens to other users that I manage in my domain?
As the administrator you will be making the choice for all users in your organization. If you choose the no-cost option for your domain, all your users will be moved to the no-cost option.
What if I already upgraded to Google Workspace, but may want the no-cost option?
If you already upgraded to Google Workspace, but decide to move forward with the no-cost option once it’s available, you can contact support to be added to the waiting list.
