Google Chat is getting a new look to match Docs, Sheets, and Gmail

As you can see in the below GIF, you’ll notice some small tweaks to the entire interface, including rounded buttons (and a rounded search bar), along with some blue accents throughout. There have also been some minor changes to the main message view, compose setup, new topic button, and the thread panel within direct messages and spaces.

Earlier this week, Google also announced a new Chat feature that lets Space Managers create announcement-only channels, sort of like what you can do in Slack. This seems like a handy way to keep all the members of a team on the same page, as having a dedicated announcements space means you won’t have to go digging through a bunch of conversations just to find an important update.

That said, the design update doesn’t bring any unpredictable changes, but when you notice that Google Chat looks slightly different as the redesign rolls out within the next few weeks, at least you’ll know why.