Google is preparing a major change in Google Meetits videoconferencing tool Google Workspace. A simple setting related to video recordings will change the default value, with a direct impact on what your colleagues, clients or students will be able to do with the recorded meetings.
From April 30, 2026, downloading and copying recordings Google Meet will be enabled by default for many paying customers. This seemingly detail, however, affects the security of your data and the use of Ask Gemini ; It’s better to understand what’s happening before the switch.
Google Meet: what exactly will downloading recordings change?
Today, when a meeting is recorded and then stored in Google Driveusers with a reader or commentator role cannot download it or make a copy of it, unless explicitly authorized by the owner. This default lock limits the uncontrolled circulation of sensitive videos.
Tomorrow, a new option “Let users download and copy Meet recordings” in the administration console Google will be checked by default. For all recordings created after April 30, 2026, anyone with reader or commentator access will therefore be able to download the video or create a copy of it, unless the administrator or owner blocks it.
This change only affects new files, so your old recordings remain unchanged. The deployment will begin on April 30 and will take approximately two weeks to reach all affected areas of Google Workspace.
Google Meet meetings: what risks and benefits for your data?
For users, the gain in comfort is obvious: catching up on a missed meeting, retrieving an extract for a presentation, sharing a course or workshop more easily will be done without waiting for the owner of the file to grant additional rights.
On the other hand, the risk of leaking increases significantly, especially for HR, legal, medical or school meetings. Once downloaded to a local station, the video can be copied to external media or sent by email, with serious compliance issues. GDPR for French companies, administrations and establishments.
The link with Gemini is just as strategic. The “Ask Gemini” feature in Drive is used to automatically generate meeting summaries and key points. However, as Phonandroid reminds us, “deactivating the option will also prevent the use of the “Ask Gemini” function during the meeting, as is currently the case”. Blocking the download therefore also means depriving your teams of these analysis assistants.
Google Meet: how to prepare your organization before April 30, 2026?
Customers are affected BusinessStandard, Business Plus, Enterprise Essentials, Enterprise Starter, Enterprise Standard, Enterprise Plusas well as educational editions Education Plus And Teaching and Learning Upgrade. Free Google accounts are not affected at this time.
Administrators should check the new setting now in the Admin Console, section Google Meet then “Meet video settings”. By unchecking “Let users download and copy Meet recordings” at the domain level or certain organizational units, you will maintain a more closed model when the update arrives.