Summary

  • Google Drive has updated the floating action button (FAB) to be larger.
  • This change isn’t available to all, and it’s unclear whether it’s intentional.
  • A larger FAB could make it easier for users to upload files and folders.

If you use an Android device or are reliant on Google products and services, then there’s a pretty good chance that you use Google Drive to store your files in the cloud. So if you opened up the Google Drive app on your phone or tablet, and noticed something different, you’re not alone.

The Google Drive logo on a smartphone against a yellow and orange background


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The folks at 9to5Google were the first to spot a new change in the app, with a floating action button (FAB) that is now a little larger than what we’re used to. When it comes to functionality, nothing has changed here, but those that frequent the app may be a little surprised with what they see, since it is so drastic.

A big change

When it comes to the floating action bar, there are three different options that can be used with FAB, small FAB, and large FAB. In this particular scenario, it appears that Google Drive is now making use of the large FAB for the + sign that can be used to upload files and folders in the Drive app.

You can see some of the examples in the images above, with the large FAB making an appearance in our Google Drive app, both in light and dark modes. This is quite different from the button that was available before, but should make it easier to use for those that are trying to upload content to their Drive.

Of course, normal use isn’t really affected here, so those that see the change can use the app like normal. It’s unclear whether this change is something that’s going to be new going forward or if it’s just some kind of bug affecting certain devices and users. While it is being reported, this isn’t a change that’s available for all users at this moment.

It’s probably not a big deal, since Google makes these kinds of changes across its apps all the time. More recently, Google added support for differential uploads to Drive, making uploads faster. But if you use Google Drive and are seeing this FAB change, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.