Google’s in the process of visually updating its apps (and Android itself) with its shiny new Material 3 Expressive design language. These changes have been rolling out piecemeal. Back in June, Google Drive got a new Material 3 Expressive-styled video player. Now, in an APK teardown of the latest version of Google Drive, Android Authority managed to enable a new look in other corners of the app.
These Material 3 Expressive overhauls haven’t been particularly dramatic so far, primarily tweaking existing layouts and touch targets to better direct your attention to important bits of the UI. This upcoming Google Drive refresh is along those lines. According to screenshots published by Android Authority, Drive will soon get a spiffed-up overflow menu, accessible by tapping the three-dot icon in any document.
Old, new, old, new. Source: AssembleDebug via Android Authority
The new menu has colorful, pill-shaped buttons. For folders, these buttons are Share, Add to starred, and Summarize this folder. Instead of Summarize this folder, individual files have a Make available offline option. Android Authority also points out that the old version’s Manage access button is gone in the redesigned version, with that functionality now tucked behind the share menu.
Android Authority also spotted a more prominent Summarize this file button in Drive’s PDF viewer.
These changes should be coming soon
Noted Android tinkerer AssembleDebug was able to get these changes up and running in version 2.25.260.0.all.alldpi of the Google Drive app; they’re not user-facing in any released version of Drive yet. But given Google’s been updating tons of its apps with Material 3 Expressive elements in recent weeks, you should expect to see these updates in your own Drive app soon.
