The new Gmail is rolling out for everyone, but it’s not obligatory (yet).
Google originally launched the Gmail redesign in January for a limited number of users. The company says it has used user feedback to make improvements, and the final version will now show for all Gmail users who have turned on chat.
Google didn’t make any drastic changes to the interface, and the new design is pretty customizable via the Quick Settings button on the top right. The biggest changes are better integration of Chat, Spaces, and Meet into Gmail, as well as slightly nicer and more colorful buttons (see, for example, the larger “Compose” button near the end of the video below).
If you don’t like the new design, you can revert back to the old one by clicking the Quick Settings button and choosing “Go back to the original Gmail view,” though this will show an ominous pop-up asking you why you’re returning to the old design. It’s likely that reverting will become impossible in the future, so if you really don’t like the new changes, enjoy the old design while it lasts.
There are changes underneath the surface as well, with “search chips,” which is another name for better, more precise search filters, and Google using its AI to serve you better search suggestions. The company says it will start delivering an improved experience for tablet users, better emojis, and new accessibility features “later this year.”
