Google has rolled out two major updates to Gmail for Android: the “Mark as Read” feature and the Material 3 Expressive design.
According to 9to5Google, the Material 3 design first appeared in June and is now starting to show up more widely in Gmail’s search bar. The update separates inboxes and emails into distinct containers and adds smoother swipe animations. The search view has also been refined, removing the hamburger button and profile switcher for a cleaner look. For now, though, not everyone has access to this new design.
Meanwhile, the “Mark as Read” option is now fully available to all Android users in the latest version of Gmail (2025.08.04.x). It first began rolling out in late June and now appears in notifications between Delete/Archive and Reply. This small but handy addition makes it easier to manage emails without opening the app.
