Google Gives Workspace Apps a Fresh Icon Redesign Ahead of I/O

Did you just notice? Google is giving Workspace apps a fresh coat of paint. The redesigned icons, leaked a few weeks ago, are now rolling out more widely. The new look of these app icons leans heavily on gradients, shifting from lighter to darker tones, similar to the updated Google logo from last year.

Google quietly refreshes Workspace icons with cleaner, simpler look

A key change is how colors are being used. Some apps no longer rely on the familiar four-color palette. Apps like Chat, Meet, and Calendar now use simpler color schemes, which could make them easier to tell apart, or harder, depending on who you ask. Docs, Sheets, and Slides mostly stick to their roots, though there are small tweaks (via 9to5Google).

There are also structural changes. Google Sheets and Google Slides now use a landscape orientation, which better reflects how people actually view content inside those apps. It’s a subtle shift, but one that makes practical sense and feels more aligned with real usage patterns.

Some apps are seeing bigger redesigns. Google Drive now has softer edges and a more rounded triangular form, while Google Keep drops its background entirely, leaving just the light bulb symbol. Gmail, on the other hand, stays mostly familiar with only minor visual tweaks.

The rollout is still uneven, with new icons showing up in some places but not everywhere yet. That suggests a phased release. With Google I/O just around the corner, it’s likely these changes are part of a broader design push. Whether we love or hate them, they’re here to stay.