Skip to main content

Gmail for Android updated with interface tweaks, ability to save attachments directly to Google Drive

Ahead of its tradition “update Wednesday” regiment, Google has pushed out a minor update to the Gmail app on Android today. The update bumps the app to version 4.8 and includes some various interface tweaks, most notably in the slide-out navigation menu (via +Gmail)

One of the changes includes profile images next to individual profiles on the slide-out navigation menu, and should you have more than one account, there’s also now a checkmark to better indicate which account you’re currently using. The Settings and “Send Feedback” options have also been crammed into the slide-out panel, whereas they previously were located in the action overflow button in the upper right corner.

Getting to the slide-out pane in general has been made a lot easier as well, as you now can access it from anywhere within the app, including while reading messages. The pull to fresh animation has also been refreshed to include all of Google’s standard colors, too. The final interface tweak appears to be new animations when you hit “inbox zero” that say “You’re all done! Please enjoy your day.”

Also included in this update is the ability to save attachments directly to Google Drive. In previous versions of the app, you forced to save attachments directly to your device, which can take up a huge chunk of your phone’s internal storage. Another new feature is that whenever an email is marked as spam, Gmail will offer an explanation as to why it did so. Finally, Google has also made many improvements to general usability and performance for languages that read right-to-left.

The update is rolling out now, although as with most Google updates, it is a staged rollout so it could take a few days to hit your device.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

You’re reading 9to5Google — experts who break news about Google and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Google on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel