Google announced today that it’s updating some of its apps to work better on tablets.
Google introduced Android 12L earlier this year to make tablets easier to use, and at I/O, the company announced plans to update more than 20 Google apps on tablets to optimize them for larger screens. Today, Google said it’s adding several new features for Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides and Keep to get started on this promise.
The most notable feature announced today is the ability to drag text or images between two Workspace apps when you have them open side-by-side. Google notes that you can now drag text or images from apps, such as Chrome or Sheets, and drop that content right into an existing document or spreadsheet cell. In Google Drive, you’ll be able to quickly upload files by dragging and dropping them into the app. You can also add links to Drive files by dragging the file into an open app like Keep.
Google also announced that you can now open two Drive windows side-by-side to get better insight into your files. To do this, you need to select the three-dot menu on any Drive file and tap on the “Open in new window” option. Google notes that this helps you get the information you need without having to hit the back button multiple times.
Image Credits: Google
Lastly, Google is adding shortcuts for people who use a tablet with a keyboard attached. You can now use simple keyboard shortcuts, such as select, cut, copy, paste, undo and redo, to quickly navigate around Drive, Docs and Slides, without needing to slow down and take your hands off the keys.
“These updates will roll out to Android’s large screens with Google Workspace and personal Google Accounts over the next few weeks,” said Scott Blanksteen, Android ‘s senior director of product management, in a blog post. “And stay tuned for more updates as we continue to add new features for Google apps on Android’s larger screens.”