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Google Drive has been a go-to cloud service for Google account users for years. According to 9to5Google, Google Drive has just gotten a new widget called the Suggested Files widget. This was released in the latest app update (version 2.21.417.3.90).
This new widget does more than show suggested files
Though this widget is pretty simple, it’s actually packed with functionality. First and foremost, the largest part of the widget is the list of five files. This is a list of your five most recently edited files from Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides. This will also show you files that you visit often in a short period of time PDFs. Tapping on the file will open its respective app.
Along with this functionality, there’s also the search feature. Above the files, there’s what looks like a search bar; in reality, it’s actually a search button. Tapping it will open up the Google Drive app and automatically lead you to the search function.
Last, but not least, there’s a shortcut to upload a file. Right next to the search button, there’s an upload icon. Tapping this will bring you right to the file picker. From there, you’ll be able to quickly upload a file and be done with it.
When you place the widget down, you will be immediately prompted to pick the account you want associated with it. What’s really neat is that you can have multiple widgets on your screen, each with its own account associated.
The Suggested Files Widget can change its looks
Just like other Google services, the Suggested Files widget is also subject to Material You. This means that the corners are very rounded and it has this large and bubbly look to it. This also means that its color will change based on your wallpaper.
It’s resizable and can shrink your entire screen or shrink to be as small as 3 x 1 (three squares vertical and one square horizontal). This means that it can either take its own page or work its way into your setup nicely.
Make sure your version is up to date
If you’re looking for the Suggested Files widget and it’s not there, then you will need to make sure your version is up to date. The easiest way of doing this is by checking the Google Play Store. Go there and search for Google Drive. If you tap on it and see a green “Update” button, tap it and that should make it work. The latest version of the app was released back on October 30th, but the widget was available even as early as October 21st.