Gmail gets a new look: Don’t like it? Here’s how you can switch back

The new look integrates Google’s Chat, Meet, Spaces, and Gmail in a single window, with a side menu bar to easily switch between the different apps.

Google’s popular email service, Gmail, has got a new look based on the company’s Material Design 3 platform. The update to users’ Gmail accounts is being rolled out in phases worldwide. The new look integrates Google’s Chat, Meet, Spaces, and Gmail in a single window, with a side menu bar to easily switch between the different apps. This design is supposed to make it easier for users to multitask.

The new panels are visible in your Gmail Inbox if you had turned on the “Chat” function earlier. Many Gmail users continued to use the older Google Hangouts. Such users will probably see a pop-up warning them that Google Chat will soon replace Hangouts. Also, users who organise their inboxes using Labels, will now see a section of the same name just below the standard Gmail folders. This Labels section makes it easier to access content from a single panel.

The Chat feature also gets an update. Now instead of just seeing unread chats in bold, one can also see a snippet of the conversation, making it easier to decide if one wants to open it on priority or not. The big update with the new Gmail look is the search functionality. The search bar offers more intuitive suggestions from the mailbox and using filters, it’s supposedly easier to search for emails.

How to turn off the new look?

While the new look is meant to improve productivity in Gmail, not everyone is comfortable with the change. Here’s how you can switch back to the classic Gmail look and feel. Click the settings gearwheel in Gmail and go to Customise. In the drop down menu, click “Go back to the original view”. The Quick Settings menu also has options to customise the sidebar panel and the density of content to display on the main window. As before, there are settings to customise the font style as well. While the option to revert to the classic view is easily accessible right now, it appears to be a temporary measure as the update continues to roll out to more users globally.

-          financialexpress