Your business
Google Workspace: Enable free administrator accounts
Some accounts in your Google Workspace never need Gmail or Calendar, such as the administrator accounts WILDCARD uses to look after it. Google’s free Cloud Identity Free licence covers accounts like these, so they cost you nothing.
Turning it on takes about 5 minutes. Please do it before your kickoff call.
Before you start
- Sign in as a super admin of your Google Workspace.
- Use a computer, not a phone.
Turn on Cloud Identity Free
- Open the Google Admin console and go to Billing, then Get more services.
- Find Cloud Identity Free and click Get started.
- When Google asks about automatic licensing, leave Switch off Auto-Assign ticked. This is the important part: it stops new accounts from taking a paid Workspace licence.
- Finish the steps Google shows. Your bill does not change.
Check it worked
- In the Admin console, go to Billing, then Subscriptions. You see Cloud Identity Free in the list.
- Go to Billing, then License settings, and open your Google Workspace subscription. Automatic licensing shows Off.
What changes for you
- When you add a new person who needs email, give them a Workspace licence yourself, or ask us. With automatic licensing off, a new account only gets the free licence, so it has no Gmail until a licence is assigned.
- Nothing changes for the people you already have. Their licences stay as they are.