Gmail on Android finally gets improved search features
When Google brought search filters to the web version of Gmail last year, we expected them to bring the feature to the mobile version as well. It took them a while to do it but finally, we’re getting the improved search filter options on the Android app. This means that when you’re running a search or looking for specific items after you’ve already searched, you’ll be able to filter the results by from, sent to, date, and even by attachments.
If you’re familiar with the search filters on the web version of Gmail then this version on Android should be easy enough to understand and use. Under the search box, which has also been converted into a pill-shaped box, you’ll see four options “independently or post-search”. This means when you tap the search box they will appear and even after you search, they will still be there so you can easily filter your emails and the results.
You will be able to look for emails from a particular sender or recipient or search for it by date or by attachment status if you don’t have a particular search term that you’re looking for. The attachment filter includes text documents, spreadsheets, and PDFs. The buttons will show drop-down lists so it can be easier for you to filter them. Of course the results can also still pull up results based on the keywords if you have particular terms you’re looking for.
There doesn’t seem to be a way for admins to disable or enable this feature so it should show up in your Gmail app once you’ve updated to the latest version. It should be available for Google Workspace customers as well as the G Suite Basic and Business users. The rollout has started already but it ay last longer than 15 days. It’s expected to become available for all supported users by the end of October.
While the most robust Gmail experience is still the web version, adding features like this to the mobile version will make it easier to work on your smartphones as well. Hopefully they will bring even more of the advanced lookup capabilities from gmail.com as well.
