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Get more done with these Google updates on iOS

Two widgets, one for Google Drive and the other for Google Translate, are in dark mode for iOS and shown against a blue and white background.

We’re adding new features to Google apps on iPhones and iPads to help you get more done — whether you’re at work, at school or on the go.

New widgets will give you easier access to your favorite Google apps, while updated Chat and Gmail notifications can help you stay on top of important pings. Read on for more.

Translate over 100 languages from your Home Screen

The new Google Translate widget puts the app’s most popular features within easy reach — like taking a photo to translate text, using conversation mode to chat in two languages and translating copied text with a single tap. Plus, with the widget on your Home Screen, you can easily brush up on your language skills.

The Google Translate widget animates between light and dark mode on iOS. It has a text bar to translate from Spanish to French, with options for “Camera,” “Conversation” and “Transcribe” underneath.

Get more work done on your iPad

If you’re using an iPad to get things done, the new XL widget for Google Drive will give you easier access to your important files.

Designed specifically for the iPad and rolling out next week, the XL widget will show more files right on the Home Screen. It will also have more shortcuts to help you quickly get to your Priority files and Shared drives — so that big presentation for work or final paper for school is right where you need it.

The Google Drive XL widget animates between light and dark mode on iOS. It has a “Search in Drive” text bar, along with various Docs, Sheets and Slides.

And XL isn’t the only option. With different Drive widget sizes available, you can easily personalize your iPad Home Screen — adding more or less Drive features depending on what’s most useful to you.

Medium, Large and Extra Large Google Drive widgets in light mode on iOS. Each widget shows a “Search in Drive” text bar with different amounts of Docs, Sheets and Slides.

Never miss an important ping

Later this month, we’re updating the Gmail and Chat apps so that a sender’s profile photo will appear in your chat notification — making it easier to see who’s messaged you.

This update will also give you more control over which Chat and Gmail chat notifications break through Focus on your iPhone or iPad. This can be handy if you’re trying to cut down on screen time but don’t want to miss an important message.

Simply choose the contacts you want notifications from when Focus is on, and Gmail or Chat will do the rest — notifying you about those specific chat messages, even when other notifications are silenced.

An iPhone Home Screen showing Gmail and Chat notifications in Work Focus Mode. The iPhone’s background is ocean waves, and the chat notifications are from “Sunny Chou” and “Sawyer Vaughan” with a dog and cat as their profile photos.

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