Google starts rolling out redesigned Workspace app icons

Google has begun rolling out a major redesign of its Workspace application icons, introducing a new visual identity for its suite of productivity tools. The updated icons, which started appearing for users this week, feature prominent gradients and a move away from the company's previous uniform branding rules.

The new designs are currently visible in the web app launcher, accessible from the top-right corner of most Google websites and the Chrome browser's new tab page. This initial rollout includes icons for Gmail, Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Calendar, Chat, Meet, Keep, and other Workspace apps. The icons have not yet been widely updated within the apps themselves or on mobile platforms.

This redesign represents a significant shift from Google's approach over the last five years. The previous icon set was widely criticized for being difficult to distinguish, as it largely confined app symbols within a uniform, four-color outline. The new icons break from that template, eliminating the requirement to use all of Google's signature colors. Most apps now feature gradients that fade from lighter to darker shades, and many have lost the bordered containers that previously...