Gmail gets new easy account switching gesture on Android

Before rolling out new gestures with the Android 10 update, Google has been subtly updating its apps with gestural navigation. Now, the tech giant has updated Gmail for Android with an easy account switching gesture that is making users with multiple Google accounts very happy. It also updated the Google Drive app earlier this week, and added a similar feature. The same gesture feature was also rolled out to Google Maps, recently.

Instead of opening the menu and selecting another account, users with multiple accounts can now simply slide up or slide down on the account profile icon in the top corner to switch between accounts. This new feature helps make the always present user avatar that identifies what account you’re using even more useful. 

The switch-to-switch gesture first appeared in Google Maps. It then made its way to Google Drive, and the Google Contacts app. While Drive has a sliding cards animation on switching accounts, Gmail does not have that kind of animation.

It is worth noting that the very useful fast-switching feature has been available on iOS for quite sometime now. 

The 2019.08.18 build of Gmail for Android also brings some signs of an upcoming dark mode. Google will be introducing a system-wide dark mode with Android 10. Hence, Gmail interface for Android is expected to get a dark interface soon too. However, right now, the widget and splash screen now match system dark mode, but the main interface remains white.

9To5Google has spotted, “If the system-level Dark Theme is enabled on Android 10 (Night mode on Pie), the widget switches to a dark gray background. Meanwhile, the folder name and compose email button adopts a very light shade of red.”

Gmail for Android switch gesture is now rolling out via the Play Store. If it is yet to appear for you then you can also download the new version from APK Mirror.

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Prakhar Khanna

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