Google has just given Gmail a major change that changes the layout and brings many new features to your inbox. The change is probably one of the biggest changes Gmail has made in the last 18 years. If you choose not to go back to the original design, you’re probably looking at the new Gmail interface while browsing your emails.
The most notable changes include new color themes, an updated search feature, an updated menu, navigation tools, and a new way to interact with Google Meet, Chat and other apps within the Gmail interface.
in Articles (Opens in a new tab)Gmail product manager Nina Kamath says the redesign is a push toward “unified Gmail” so it’s easy to navigate and navigate many of Google’s apps.
Google has been pouring in many of these changes lately, and while some of the changes lie under the hood and are becoming hard to track, they have tried all the new features that the tech giant has recently brought to Gmail.
As an avid user of Gmail and the Google Apps suite – for both personal and business use, I switched to the new Gmail interface as soon as it came out. Some of the changes look integrated and are a clear improvement while others are just annoying. Here are the things that are worth trying and will increase your productivity.
Gmail: New Features I Love
New layout
The new Gmail redesign takes some time to get used to. Much like its logo, the edges are softer and Google tries to let you switch between apps seamlessly (something they struggled for in the past).
The new Gmail user interface pushes the Mail, Meet, Spaces, and Chat buttons to the left panel. You can switch between apps and you won’t be bothered by chat bubbles popping up. This is something I’ve preferred earlier because my notifications are now a bit missing, but overall it might be a good move to keep distractions out. There is a Quick Reply option on chat messages as well.
You can also hover over the app icon on the left panel which will bring up a quick list of chats or emails.
The best part about the redesign is that you can customize everything. So with Quick Settings I could have only Gmail, or on some days I had a lot more meetings I could put Gmail and Meet in my tabs. Labels can also be customized (like starred, postponed, important) – which is very convenient as the default Google labels are just a little confusing to me, not to mention their AI.
You can also check out our quick guide at How to customize the side panels on your Gmail.
There is a clean and fresh look like Google 3 . Material Design (Opens in a new tab) Brings. It looks great, even in dark mode. Classic red and white have given way to softer blues on the front. Colors are more pleasing in redesign.
I have set different profile colors for my Google space for my personal account and my work account. This allows me to easily select which file to use and I love that Google has made it easy to switch between profiles in the right corner.
Better search options
Google search chips are now available on Gmail, which means there are many different filters to choose from to get to the mail you’re looking for.
This accompanies a machine learning-enhanced search that Google recently rolled out for Gmail. in Blog post (Opens in a new tab)Google says that Gmail has “more accurate and situational search suggestions with better customization as a result of our new machine learning models”.
Search suggestions were pre-sorted according to the sender’s last name – now Google will match the name and email to contact more seamlessly and prompt to “reorder the suggestions to most likely match contact queries with first names or email addresses”. This should come in handy if you used to search for contacts by their first name, as these results will now appear at the top.
I experimented with the new search with some intricate detail, and when I searched for the person’s first name, it showed their email in more contextual and chronological order than Gmail did before. There are also custom contact suggestions now within Gmail and Google will likely know who your manager or colleague you interact with the most. My automatic suggestions definitely got me thinking about it, and searching is much easier now.
Gmail will almost ensure that you email the right person, and the AI-based improvements are similar to the smart typing or Smart Reply features in Gmail that Google invented a few years ago. (On this note, you can also learn how to disable Gmail’s smart features to prevent tracking.)
Gmail: New Features I Don’t Like
There’s a lot more to like than not to like with Gmail right now. But not everything is as pristine as the new look of the Gmail interface. Google’s efforts to bring all of its apps together appears to be a long-term goal – one that may take some time to get right. This push makes Gmail look a lot like Microsoft Outlook, and while that might not be a bad thing – I wish we had more flexibility in which apps can be supported within Gmail.
As of now, Gmail widgets – Meet or Chat can be added or removed in the interface. Google could have extended this to some other Workspace apps like Calendar for easier access. Some Google apps are a bit similar and also tend to overlap each other. I feel that chat can do most of the functionality of Spaces, without the need for an additional tab.
In addition, Google has created a complete list of conversations from Spaces, Meet or Chat that are open on one full screen. I wish Gmail would take a page from iPadOS 16 and have more features for multitasking or even split-screen displays of apps.
Searching within Gmail was less efficient – so I’m glad Google focused on improving this significantly.
Gmail for tablets
Most of the new Gmail changes are directed at improving the web experience of Gmail. But Google said it will roll out an improved experience for tablet users that includes better emojis and new accessibility features.
Gmail also introduced new tablet-focused features in Drive, Keep, Docs, Slide, and Sheets in July. The updates are very useful and include drag-and-drop images and files across apps, along with a multi-window experience for Drive. Hopefully, these will make their way to Gmail soon as well.
Navigating the new Gmail redesign can be a bit daunting. If you are not a fan, Google Explains how to undo the old look (Opens in a new tab).
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