Google Beefs Up Docs, Sheets, and Slides With Nifty New Search Function

Google just introduced a new search tab for Docs, Sheets, and Slides that could radically transform how we interact with its web apps. 

The enhanced tool finder will rest at the top of each app and is meant to make it easier for users to find tools and features typically nestled deep within menus. The big sell here is that you can search for these tools using natural language. Google gives the example of typing “who last viewed this document” into the new search bar to pull up the Activity dashboard. The company says these “refined tool-finding capabilities” will make it easier to “quickly locate relevant features or functionality using your own words.” 

The new tool finder will also suggest common actions as you work with the document. For instance, when opening up a new document, spreadsheet, or presentation, the search tab will suggest to enable meeting notes, insert a new row of a table, or edit a theme in Slides, depending on what is appropriate. As you work, these suggestions could change to spell checks and other commonly-used tools. Clicking the tool finder will also bring up previously used features to further reduce menu diving. 

Prior to this launch, you had to head into the help menu and then the search menu to take a stab at locating a tool or feature. You'll still be able to do that, but it'll also pull up the new tool finder. 

These changes begin rolling out today to just about everyone within the Google ecosystem, from Google Workspace customers to legacy G Suite Basic users and anyone with a personal account. The company says it will take around 15 days for every user to receive the update.