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Google Drive on the web got a bit of an update yesterday. The app functionality is all the same, but the toolbar has been tweaked and the headers slimmed down a bit. These changes can be seen in all of the Google Drive apps, including Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Drawings. It’s a visual refresh that Drive has needed for a while. The update is designed to put the focus back where it belongs, on your work.
Starting today, things are about to get cleaner–and more colorful–in Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drawings, Forms and Apps Script. First, you’ll notice each editor’s product icon displayed in the header, which doubles as a quick link back to all your files in Drive. Next, you’ll see that the header is more streamlined and compact, helping you to focus on what matters most–your content.
Google Drive is simple and convenient, if not as powerful as competitors like Microsoft Office. This Drive update on the web follows an update to the Google Drive app a few weeks ago. The Drive app was updated to the Holo Light UI design that Google is moving all of it’s apps to. The most visible change to Drive on the web is the colorful icon in the upper left corner of the screen. That icon will take you directly back to the Google Drive menu. This was a function that was already available in Drive but you had to mouse over the icon in order to see it. Now the functionality much more obvious. The Drive toolbars have been trimmed down a bit too. They were pretty large before yesterday. With these smaller toolbars, you can now make Drive an almost full-screen app.
The Google Drive app update that rolled out almost two weeks ago brought similar visual changes. Google added 3 options to the bottom of the screen in the app, giving users easier access to the Upload, Create, and Scan actions. The app update also included some editing upgrades.
Google has been on a roll, updating apps with behind the scenes bug fixes and visual changes. We’re hoping that this is in preparation for the upcoming Android 4.4 Kit Kat announcement. Either way, we’re happy to see it. These visual changes make for clean and clutter-free apps that are a pleasure to use. The Card UI visual update marches on.