Google is finally fixing its most annoying design mistake
Google is revamping the design of its Workspace app icons, moving away from the minimalist, hard-to-distinguish block-style icons introduced in 2020. The new icons feature gradients, glow effects, and rounded shapes, making them more visually distinct and user-friendly. This change marks a shift back toward more expressive and functional design after years of criticized minimalism.
- ▪In 2020, Google redesigned core apps like Gmail, Calendar, and Drive with minimalist, four-color outline icons that were difficult to distinguish.
- ▪The new icon design reintroduces gradients, glow effects, and rounded shapes to improve usability and visual differentiation.
- ▪Apps such as Meet, Chat, Calendar, and Drive are adopting single-color or simplified multi-color designs, while Docs, Sheets, and Slides are being rounded and updated with gradients.
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