Gmail email service has received an updated interface, which is available to all Google Workspace customers except for Workspace Essentials subscribers. The update should make it easier to switch between Gmail and communication apps like Meet and Chat, improving general productivity. The company is calling the new interface “Integrated View.”
What Is New?
Now the new design has begun to spread among the first users of Gmail, including those with personal (not corporate) Google accounts. This is especially interesting since the new interface was initially announced to be for corporate users of Google Workspace only. While some people still want to import mbox to Outlook and migrate forever, others are getting used to the new design and functionality. What will change for users:
- it will be possible to view all Google applications that are included in the Gmail toolbar;
- it will be possible to open the menu of the selected program in a folding panel;
- pop-up notifications about new messages received in chat and chat groups will begin to appear;
- there will be no need to switch to the application to see what is happening in it.
As the developers promise, the updated Gmail interface will help “easily navigate the flow of letters.” This interface also combines Mail, Chat, Chat groups, and Meetings. The new menu allows you to easily switch between applications in a single tab or browser window, and notification icons will not let you miss important messages. In addition, a unified search for applications will be launched in the future.
The updated integrated view is currently available to a limited number of users and organizations. A full-scale deployment is scheduled to start on February 28th. However, Google has already released a support page that describes how it works. Starting from April, the new design option will be enabled by default, but the option to select the old one will remain in Settings. By the end of the second quarter of 2022, the updated integrated design will become the standard for Gmail and there will be no option to return to the old one.
How to Install the Update?
In order to install the update, you need to take the following steps:
- Find “Settings” in the upper right corner of the screen and click on the icon;
- Find the “Quick Settings” section and press on “Try a new look”;
- In the new window, after completing the previous steps, click on “Restart”.
To turn off the new design, you must repeat the same steps, but in the “Quick Settings” section, select “Switch to the original look.” The new design of Gmail also introduces tooltips, making it easy to stay on top of what needs the user’s immediate attention.
