Google Groups to Drop Custom Roles for Member Controls Starting September 15

Google will begin phasing out custom role permissions in Google Groups starting September 15, 2025. Admins and group owners will lose the ability to assign custom roles for managing or viewing group members, a move Google says will simplify settings across Workspace.

Right now, Google Groups lets users assign granular permissions like Who can manage members and Who can view members to both default and custom roles. Some companies use this flexibility to grant specific users broader or limited access based on internal needs. That flexibility is going away.

After September 15, users won’t be able to assign new custom roles to manage or view members. Groups set to allow the Entire organization to manage members will also lose that option. Then, on January 5, 2026, Google will fully disable those settings. Groups with existing custom roles or organization-wide management permissions will revert to default roles.

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Google recommends that admins move affected users into standard roles, including owner, manager, or member, depending on their level of activity. For example, users currently in custom roles could be upgraded to managers or owners. Or admins can widen the Who can manage members setting to include all members.

Group owners will see in-app banners starting July 2025. Admins will receive direct emails with a list of impacted groups. Both are expected to act before the cutoff dates to avoid access confusion.

Google says this update aims to streamline group management, but some admins may find the loss of flexibility frustrating. Workspace documentation already reflects the change.

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