As a Google Workspace admin, managing users is one of the most essential tasks to ensure your organization runs smoothly. Whether you're adding new employees, removing outdated accounts, or restoring users who've been accidentally deleted, having a clear understanding of these processes can help maintain the security and efficiency of your workspace.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to add, delete, and restore users in Google Workspace. You'll also find best practices to avoid common mistakes and ensure your organization stays secure.
Adding users to Google Workspace is the first step in managing access to all the tools your organization uses. You can add individual users or bulk upload multiple users at once, depending on your needs.
Here's a step-by-step guide to adding a new user through the Google Admin console.
To start, log in to your Google Admin console at admin.google.com.
On the Admin console home page, click on Users.
Click the Add a user button at the top of the user list.
Fill in the required fields such as the new user's name, email address, and organizational unit.
You can also add a secondary email address if needed (e.g., recovery email).
Set a password for the new user and determine if they should change it upon their first login.
This step is essential for ensuring the user has access to the necessary tools within Google Workspace. You can assign Google services like Gmail, Drive, Calendar, and others based on their role in the company.
If you have automatic license assignment turned on, the correct licenses will be applied based on your organization's default settings.
If you manage licenses manually, ensure you select the appropriate services for the user.
You can assign the user to an organizational unit (OU) based on their department, team, or function. This ensures the correct access and permissions are granted for the user's role.
If you're adding multiple users at once, you can upload a CSV file. This is particularly useful for onboarding new hires or migrating users in bulk.
Google provides a template for the CSV file, which makes the process more straightforward.
After completing all the necessary steps, click Add New User. The user will receive an email containing their login details, and they'll be able to sign in to their Google Workspace account.
It’s that simple! Now, let’s take a closer look at customizing user roles and permissions, so you can control what each user has access to in your system.
Modifying a user’s account in Google Workspace allows you to update essential information such as their role, organizational unit, email address, or assigned services.
These adjustments can help align user permissions with changing job responsibilities, organizational restructuring, or licensing needs. Here’s how to modify a user.
Log in to the Google Admin console at admin.google.com.
On the Admin console home page, click Users to access the full list of users in your organization.
Use the search bar or filter by organizational unit to locate the user whose account you want to modify.
Click on the user’s name to open their profile page.
From the user’s profile, you can modify several settings:
After making the necessary updates, click Save to apply the changes. Be sure to review each modification to ensure accuracy, especially with regard to licensing and permissions, as they can impact the user’s workflow.
Modifying certain aspects of a user’s account — such as their organizational unit or role — may impact the visibility and availability of data within Google Workspace. If necessary, consult with your team to ensure any changes made align with your organization’s policies and data management practices.
Modifying user accounts in Google Workspace is a flexible way to adapt the platform to meet your organization's evolving needs. Whether it’s reassigning services or changing roles, keeping your user data up to date ensures smooth operations for your team.
Scroll on for tips on how to delete users.
Deleting a user in Google Workspace removes their account and access to your organization’s services. It’s important to remember that once a user is deleted, their data (emails, files, and calendar events) will also be deleted unless you take specific actions to preserve it.
Before you delete a user, make sure to backup or transfer any important data if necessary. Here's how to delete a user.
Log in to the Google Admin console at admin.google.com.
From the Admin console home page, click Users.
Find the user you want to delete from the user list.
You can use the search bar or filter the list by organizational unit to locate them.
Hover over the user's name and click the More (three-dot) menu.
Select Delete User from the menu.
A confirmation screen will appear. If you’re certain, click Delete to proceed.
If you want to preserve data associated with the user (e.g., emails, documents), you can transfer ownership of their files to another user before deletion. Google provides a detailed guide on how to transfer data from one user to another.
Deleting a user is permanent, and all their data will be removed after 20 days. During this time, the account can be restored if needed. Beyond 20 days, all the user’s data is unrecoverable.
Deleting users is a critical task and essential to manage correctly to avoid accidental data loss. But what if you accidentally delete the wrong one? This next section will explain how to restore deleted users.
Accidentally deleting a user can happen, but fortunately, Google Workspace provides an option to restore deleted accounts within 20 days. Restoring a user reactivates their access to Google services and their data, which can be critical if the deletion was made in error. Here's how you can restore a deleted user:
Log in to your Google Admin console at admin.google.com.
On the Admin console home page, click Users.
Above the user list, click Add a filter and select Recently deleted from the drop-down.
This will show all users who have been deleted in the past 20 days.
Hover over the user’s name and click Recover.
A confirmation screen will appear, showing the user's name and confirming that you are restoring their account.
It may take up to 24 hours for the restored user to regain access to their services. This delay can depend on the specific services assigned to the user and whether licenses need to be manually reassigned.
Restoring users within the first 20 days of deletion ensures you don't lose any important data and helps maintain continuity within your workspace. If you need to manage large-scale deletions or restorations, consider using bulk actions to save time.
With these processes in place, you now have a comprehensive understanding of how to add, delete, and restore users in Google Workspace.
Managing users in Google Workspace is straightforward with the tools available, whether you're adding, modifying, or restoring accounts. With gPanel® by Promevo, you can take control to the next level, offering bulk operations, enhanced visibility, and deeper insights into your user data. Streamline user management, improve efficiency, and ensure your organization runs smoothly.
Contact Promevo to see how we can help you manage your Google Workspace more effectively, from setup to ongoing maintenance.
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