Google is rolling out its new webmail interface to all users. Here’s how to activate it today.
That’s it. Google has just opened the floodgates and started the large-scale deployment of the new Gmail interface. For the new version of its email, Google wanted to simplify access to several of its tools from Gmail, undoubtedly the most used of all.
The result is a new interface reminiscent of the Web version of Microsoft Outlook with, grouped together in a sidebar grafted to the left of the screen, quick access to Google Chat, Google Meet, Google Spaces and of course Gmail.
To deploy the new Gmail interface, Google is proceeding gradually. Users who can already take advantage of it should, in principle, have seen an alert appear inviting them to test the new Gmail, at the bottom right of their inbox.
If this alert pop-up does not remain displayed at each connection, all is not lost. You can still test the new version of Gmail by manually enabling it from Settings. Here’s how.
1. Open Gmail Quick Settings
To access the settings for activating the new Gmail interface, click on the cogwheel button at the top right of your inbox.
2. Activate the new Gmail
In the Quick Setup pane that opens, click the Try the new Gmail view menu.
Then click the Refresh button in the pop-up that appears to refresh your inbox. You should then see the new messaging interface.
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3. Use the new version of Gmail
The new Gmail interface is supposed to facilitate navigation between the various communication tools of Google. On Gmail, the Mail tab displayed in the left column is selected by default to give you access to your inbox.
By clicking on Chats, Spaces, and Video Conferencing, you will be able to access Google Chat conversations, Google Space chat rooms, and Google Meet video conferencing respectively.
For each of these tools, you can choose to create a New discussion in Google Chat, a New Space in Google Space or a New meeting in Google Meet. The Videoconferencing tab reserved for Google Meet also allows you to Join a meeting generated by another employee using a code.
4. Switch back to the old interface
If you don’t like the new interface, you can go back. To do this, click on the cogwheel icon at the top right of Gmail to open the Quick Setup and choose to Return to original Gmail view.
Please note, however, that this rollback is only possible temporarily. Google plans to deploy and activate the new Gmail interface by default from next April, before imposing it without possible backtracking by the end of June 2022.