Google is Redesigning its App Icons to Fix a Big Problem (2 minute read)
Google is redesigning its Workspace app icons to make them more visually distinct after years of criticism that they all look identical.
What: Google is preparing a major redesign of Workspace app icons (Meet, Calendar, Docs, Sheets, etc.) featuring gradient and glow effects, distinct shapes and sizes, and colors beyond the standard Google brand palette, as part of the Material 3 Expressive design language in Android 16 QPR1.
Why it matters: The current Workspace icons are notoriously difficult to distinguish at a glance because they all use similar shapes and Google's limited brand color palette, forcing users to read app names rather than relying on visual recognition.
Decoder
- Material 3 Expressive: Google's latest design language that emphasizes more visual personality and expression compared to previous Material Design iterations
- QPR: Quarterly Platform Release, Google's mid-cycle Android updates between major versions
- Workspace: Google's suite of productivity apps including Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Docs, Sheets, and Slides
Original article
Google is redesigning its Workspace app icons — including Meet, Calendar, Docs, and Sheets — to address a longstanding complaint that they all look too similar.