Google’s new gradient icons for Gmail, Calendar, Drive, and other apps are radical redesigns

Source: 9to5Google

So far, five Google icons have undergone gradient updates. 9to5Google can now report on a complete gradient redesign for Gmail and other Google Workspace apps.

According to sources familiar with the matter, all Google Workspace apps are getting a big overhaul. Two overarching themes are at play:

• The gradient effect found in the Google ‘G’, Gemini, Home, Photos, and Maps is present throughout to reflect the presence of AI‑powered features.
• Google is addressing criticism of the previous icon set by making each icon more distinct in color and shape. The mandate of including all four company colors in every icon is gone, and the page‑container background has been removed for most apps to allow larger, more unique icons.

Google Drive

Drive no longer uses red; it now features the classic green, yellow, and blue that match the three editor apps. The exterior is a very rounded triangle that almost feels bulbous, with a sharp point at the center.

Google Docs, Sheets, Slides

Each editor app continues to use a single predominant color.

• Docs – retains the vertical piece‑of‑paper shape.
• Sheets and Slides – switch to a landscape orientation, cleverly reflecting the actual apps.

Google Meet and Chat

• Meet – still a video‑camera silhouette, but yellow is now the predominant color.
• Chat – receives a pill‑shaped message bubble with a friendly smile; green likely nods to the legacy Hangouts branding.

Gmail

The new Gmail icon keeps the familiar “M” envelope shape, now a bit more rounded. Red dominates, with only subtle hints of yellow, green, and blue. It is the only new icon that still incorporates all four Google colors, making it highly recognizable.

Google Calendar

Calendar returns to an older design language with a skeuomorphic flip‑style reference. The four‑color exterior container is gone, and classic blue reappears as the primary hue.

Google Tasks

A checkmark remains central, but the surrounding container is less pronounced. Blue is the primary color, mirroring Calendar’s palette.

Google Keep

The page background has been removed to spotlight the light‑bulb motif, which now features more detail.

Google Voice

Voice retains its original shape but with smoother, more rounded edges. The light‑green hue aligns it with Google Chat, emphasizing its focus on calling and business use.

Google Forms and Sites

• Forms – drops the paper motif for multiple‑choice bubbles, keeping purple as the main color.
• Sites – shifts from a dark blue to a lighter shade, with a horizontal orientation that reflects desktop web usage.