Google Workspace
For a long time, Google Drive was just a static place to store files until you needed them. But now, Google is changing that with a set of updates that give the platform a new look and deep Gemini AI integration.
The new interface improves support for third-party formats like PDFs, videos, and images, making Drive feel more like a document management environment, not just a storage space.
New material design interface
Google wants Drive to be more than just storage; they want it to be a place where you actually get work done. To do that, they are rolling out a visual redesign that brings the file viewing experience up to date.
Improved PDF viewer with navigation tools
Updated PDF view web experience (Source: Google)
The update fixes one of the biggest (probably) annoyances in Drive: handling PDFs. The new viewer replaces the old, bare-bones interface with a layout designed for people who actually have to read long documents.
- Sidebar on the left with a table of contents (when available)
- Thumbnail previews to jump to specific pages instantly
- Clearly visible, accessible essential controls (download, print, zoom, and page navigation)
New toolbars and app bars
Google has modernized the general file-viewer layout to match its other apps. There is a redesigned file menu and a clearer toolbar to speed up your workflow.
This new interface is rolling out automatically to all Google Workspace users and personal account holders. It is expected to fully replace the old UI by mid-December, and there is no option to switch back.
Search directly within video transcripts.
Besides documents, Google has improved how users handle video content. You can now search directly inside video transcripts to find specific moments. This means you don’t have to manually go through footage to find a quote, which is a huge help for reviewing meetings, lectures, or any long-form content stored on Drive.
Gemini AI folder insights
The changes aren’t just about how Drive looks. It’s getting smarter through Gemini AI integration. This shift moves away from manual file organization and lets AI help you understand what is inside your folders.
AI folder summaries
Google has added a new Insights from Gemini panel that sits at the top of your folders. It gives you a quick, intelligent summary of the documents inside.
This lets you understand the context of your files without opening them one by one. It’s designed to speed up information retrieval and save you from clicking through endless sub-folders just to find one specific piece of content.
Interactive AI sidebar
This new panel is a step up from the nudges we saw before, which only offered simple AI actions. "Insights" is more complete.
You can tap Explore with Gemini in the panel to open a sidebar. This gives you a full summary of the folder’s contents and lets you ask follow-up questions about the data. It basically turns the folder into an interactive knowledge base.
You can also rate the summaries with thumbs-up and thumbs-down icons to help the system improve.
Availability and privacy
The Insights from Gemini feature is rolling out now, though it is currently English-only. It is targeted at premium tiers, specifically Google One AI Premium, Google AI Pro for Education, and various Workspace Business and Enterprise plans.
If you are concerned about data usage, the feature is on by default. However, you can collapse it or turn it off entirely in the privacy settings by disabling smart features in Drive. Just keep in mind that this might limit other Gemini capabilities.
New Android document scanner
To go with the desktop updates, Google has also updated the document scanning tool in the Drive and Files apps on Android, using Material 3 design principles and AI to make scanning documents on our phones much smoother.
Material 3 scanner UI
The scanner has a redesigned interface based on Google’s Material 3 Expressive guidelines. The controls are now in better spots. There is a prominent Scan button at the bottom, and switching between the camera and gallery is easier.
New toggles for camera flash and quick exit buttons make the process faster, ensuring that capturing receipts or contracts is fluid rather than clunky.
Auto-cleaning and title suggestions
The scanner uses machine learning to automate the tedious tasks. A new Enhance button automatically adjusts white balance, removes shadows, and fixes contrast.
The system also offers title suggestions and automatic edge detection for cropping, which speeds up the process of digitizing your physical documents.
How Revolgy helps
While the visual changes are coming to everyone, the most powerful features — specifically the Gemini AI Insights — are gated behind specific licenses.
As a Premier Google Cloud Partner, we help you figure out the best license for you and your team while getting the most value out of your workspace. We help you train your employees so they can easily adopt new AI workflows from day one. Get in touch for a free consultation.
