Google just revealed a huge update to Gmail - here's everything new

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Google just revealed a huge update to Gmail - here's everything new

Gmail's new web interface

Google

There are a number of new things on Gmail's new web interface. We'll step through each of them below.

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Google's Gmail is getting its biggest refresh in years, the search giant announced in a blog post on Wednesday morning. You can try it all out by clicking "Try the new Gmail" under settings in your Gmail account.

That means a shiny new look, sure, but also some useful-sounding new features. And the updates are hitting Gmail on the web, as well as updates to Google's Gmail apps for smartphones and tablets. Some of those updates appear to be most useful for businesses, and some for consumers.

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We had an inkling that these updates were coming: Screenshots obtained earlier this month by The Verge and Android Authority hinted at today's news. Now, it's official, and we get our best look yet.

Here's a look at the new Gmail on web and mobile:

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A huge component of Google's redesign is Gmail's integration with other Google apps, like Calendar, Keep, and Tasks, which can now be accessed via a side panel in the web version.

A huge component of Google's redesign is Gmail's integration with other Google apps, like Calendar, Keep, and Tasks, which can now be accessed via a side panel in the web version.

When you click on an icon in the panel, it pulls out so that the screen is shared between Gmail and a preview of the selected app. No more switching tabs to access your Google Calendar.

The blog post says that the panel should also work with Gmail Add-ons, which are third-party business apps, like Trello, that are already available on Gmail.

We can also expect to see the panel show up in other apps in Google's G Suite in the coming months.

When you hover over one of your emails, options will appear to the left to archive, delete, mark as unread, or snooze. That last one is another new feature for the web version.

When you hover over one of your emails, options will appear to the left to archive, delete, mark as unread, or snooze. That last one is another new feature for the web version.
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Snooze lets you decide when you want to be reminded about the email. Select how long to snooze it, and it removes the message from your inbox until the timer is done.

Snooze lets you decide when you want to be reminded about the email. Select how long to snooze it, and it removes the message from your inbox until the timer is done.

This feature might look familiar to Gmail app users, since it's been available on the mobile version of Gmail for some time now.

The nudging feature is also a reminder mechanism, except it displays the reminder in text next to the email if you haven't responded to it in a few days.

The nudging feature is also a reminder mechanism, except it displays the reminder in text next to the email if you haven't responded to it in a few days.

This seems like it would be an ineffective (and annoying) feature if it notified you about every email that you hadn't responded to in a few days. The blog post does say that nudging is an AI-powered feature, so it's possible that Gmail considers the importance of the sender or the timeliness of the message before it puts up the alert.

Business Insider has reached out to confirm how this works exactly, but no word from Google yet.

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Attachments are accessible without going into the email, since they show up as clickable rounded icons under the subject. It makes it easier to find important files in your inbox.

Attachments are accessible without going into the email, since they show up as clickable rounded icons under the subject. It makes it easier to find important files in your inbox.

When you open an email, you'll see Smart Reply options — another feature that Gmail app users will be familiar with. The feature suggests one-tap responses by scanning your emails and guessing how you might want to respond.

When you open an email, you'll see Smart Reply options — another feature that Gmail app users will be familiar with. The feature suggests one-tap responses by scanning your emails and guessing how you might want to respond.
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When you respond to an email, or go to compose one, you'll soon see an option to activate confidential mode. This lets you create expiration dates, or revoke previously sent emails, for security purposes.

When you respond to an email, or go to compose one, you'll soon see an option to activate confidential mode. This lets you create expiration dates, or revoke previously sent emails, for security purposes.

If you send an email in confidential mode, the recipient is informed about the expiration date in the email itself. The message disappears when the pre-set time comes — no forwarding, downloading, or copying the contents after that.

If you send an email in confidential mode, the recipient is informed about the expiration date in the email itself. The message disappears when the pre-set time comes — no forwarding, downloading, or copying the contents after that.
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Gmail for smartphones is getting updates, too. For instance, a high-priority notifications setting ensures that you only get push alerts about the important messages. Otherwise, they'll stay waiting for you to open the app.

Gmail for smartphones is getting updates, too. For instance, a high-priority notifications setting ensures that you only get push alerts about the important messages. Otherwise, they'll stay waiting for you to open the app.

In order to further de-clutter your mobile experience, Google said it'll also be sharing unsubscribe suggestions via notifications that will show up in your inbox in the next few weeks. The suggestions will be "based on cues like how many emails you get from a sender and how many of them you actually read."

Google Tasks, the to-do list, is getting a redesign on both web and mobile. Users will be able to drag an email into the Tasks side panel to create a new To Do item, and assign due dates that show up in the Calendar.

Google Tasks, the to-do list, is getting a redesign on both web and mobile. Users will be able to drag an email into the Tasks side panel to create a new To Do item, and assign due dates that show up in the Calendar.

You can get the new Tasks from the Google Play Store or the Apple App Store right now.

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