It'll soon be easier to find tools in Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides - The Verge

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A prominent new search bar allows users to locate tools and features using their own words.

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge

Google is adding a new feature to some of its Workspace apps that will help users quickly locate commonly used tools without needing to sift through various menus and toolbars. The "enhanced tool finder" is starting to roll out across Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides today, appearing as a search bar — identified by a magnifying glass icon and a "Menus" label — at the top-left of the app's usual toolbar.

The search bar features a pill-shaped design that's in keeping with the recent Material Design 3 overhaul. It'll automatically offer up commonly used suggestions that vary depending on which Google Workspace app you're using, such as "Page setup" in Docs, "Insert rows/columns" in Sheets, and "Edit theme" in Slides. Alternatively, users can look up specific tools by name or slap in a description. For example, searching for "who last viewed this document," will bring up the Activity dashboard.

You don't need to remember the specific name of the tool you need, a description of the feature should suffice.

Image: Google