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Your Google workspace settings give you centralized control over every aspect of how your team works — from how your organization is presented to how long your data is retained. Whether you are setting up a new workspace for the first time or fine-tuning an existing environment, the Settings panel is your single destination for making configuration changes that affect the entire organization.

Accessing Settings

To open the Settings panel, click your avatar in the top-right corner of any page and select Settings from the dropdown menu. From there, you will see a left-hand navigation list organized into the sections described on this page. Changes you make in Settings take effect immediately unless otherwise noted.
Only workspace Admins can access and modify the sections described on this page. If you do not see the Settings option, contact your workspace administrator to request elevated access.

General Settings

The General section lets you control how your workspace is identified and how it behaves for all members.
SettingDescription
Workspace NameThe display name shown across the app and in email notifications
Workspace SlugThe unique URL identifier, e.g. app.google.com/your-slug
TimezoneDefault timezone used for scheduled jobs, reports, and timestamps
LanguageInterface language applied to all workspace members by default
LogoUpload a square PNG or SVG (min 256×256 px) to brand the workspace
After editing any field, click Save Changes to apply your updates. Slug changes take effect immediately and any old URLs will redirect for 30 days.

Security Settings

Keeping your workspace secure starts with strong authentication and session policies. The Security section gives you the tools to enforce these standards across your team.

Password Policies

Set a minimum password length (8–32 characters), require at least one uppercase letter, number, or special character, and optionally enforce password rotation on a 30-, 60-, or 90-day cycle. These rules apply to all members who authenticate with email and password.

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

1

Open Security Settings

Navigate to Settings → Security and locate the Two-Factor Authentication card.
2

Choose an Enforcement Level

Select Optional to let members enable 2FA on their own, or Required to block access for any member who has not yet enrolled.
3

Select Allowed Methods

Choose which 2FA methods are permitted: Authenticator App (TOTP), SMS, or both. Enterprise plans can also enable Hardware Security Keys (WebAuthn).
4

Save and Notify Members

Click Save. If you set 2FA to Required, Google will automatically email all affected members with setup instructions and a 48-hour grace period.

Session Timeout

Set an inactivity timeout between 15 minutes and 30 days. After the specified period of inactivity, members will be signed out and required to re-authenticate. For sensitive environments, a timeout of 1–4 hours is recommended.

IP Allowlist

Restrict workspace access to a set of trusted IP addresses or CIDR ranges. Enter each range on a new line. When enabled, any login attempt from an unlisted IP will be denied with a 403 Forbidden response.
Before enabling the IP allowlist, make sure your current IP address is included in the list. Locking yourself out will require contacting Google Support to regain access.

API Settings

The API section lets you create and manage the keys your applications use to communicate with Google programmatically.
  • Create a new API key — click New Key, give it a descriptive name, select the required scopes, and copy the key immediately (it is only shown once).
  • View usage — each key displays a real-time counter of requests made in the current billing period, along with a breakdown by endpoint.
  • Set rate limit policies — on Pro and Enterprise plans you can configure custom per-key rate limits to prevent a single integration from consuming your entire quota.
  • Rotate or revoke keys — click the three-dot menu next to any key to rotate it (generates a new secret while keeping the same name and scopes) or revoke it entirely.
Use separate API keys for each application or integration. This makes it easy to audit usage, rotate credentials independently, and revoke access for one service without affecting others.

Billing & Plan

The Billing section shows your current subscription plan and gives you full control over upgrades, downgrades, and payment history.
  • Current Plan — displays your active plan tier (Free, Pro, or Enterprise), the renewal date, and the number of seats included.
  • Upgrade or Downgrade — click Change Plan to move to a different tier. Upgrades take effect immediately and are prorated to your current billing cycle. Downgrades take effect at the next renewal date.
  • Payment Method — add or replace a credit card, or request ACH/invoicing by contacting support.
  • Invoices — download PDF invoices for any past billing period from the Invoice History table.
Enterprise pricing is based on custom seat counts, data volumes, and SLA requirements. Contact your account executive or email sales@google.com to discuss an Enterprise plan.

Data Retention

Google retains your data according to the policy configured in Settings → Data Retention. By default, all records and audit logs are retained indefinitely on Pro and Enterprise plans; Free plan workspaces retain data for 90 days after inactivity.
  • Set a custom retention period — choose 30, 60, 90, 180, or 365 days for specific data types (records, logs, file attachments). After the retention window, data is automatically and permanently deleted.
  • Request data deletion — to delete all workspace data before the retention period ends, click Request Deletion and confirm with your admin password. Deletion is queued and completed within 72 hours.
  • Export before deletion — before initiating any deletion, use Settings → Data Export to download a full archive of your workspace in JSON or CSV format.
Deleting your workspace is permanent and irreversible. All projects, records, integrations, API keys, and member accounts associated with the workspace will be permanently removed. Google cannot recover deleted workspace data. Always export a backup before proceeding.