Google simplifies image insertion in Docs, Slides, & Drawings, adds Google Photos drawer

Abner Li | Nov 6 2017 - 8:50 am PT

In a small, but impactful update, Google today announced that the Drive apps are receiving “improvements to the image insertion process.” Applicable to Docs, Slides, and Drawings on the web, there is now a redesigned menu and dedicated drawer for adding images to files.

Selecting “Image” under the “Insert” tab now opens a new submenu with the ability to Upload from computer, Search the web, Drive, Photos, and By URL. Previously, all these options were housed in a massive window as various tabs. The primary issue with this old interface is how users are not able to directly access their prefered insertion option.

But in this new design, everything is significantly more direct thanks to that menu. Uploading files from you computer will open the file manager and “By URL” opens a window to paste a link in.

Meanwhile, Searching the web, Drive, and Photos opens a righthand drawer that is “easier to navigate and more intuitive to use.” This feed is similar to the phone view and features the main photos tab, as well as one for albums. There is also a search icon in the top-right corner.

Users will be able to drag and drop images from this drawer right into a document, with similar panels for web search and Google Drive.

These changes are not yet live for me, with Google noting a rollout that potentially lasts “longer than 15 days.”