Google has added a new feature that allows users to quickly find commonly used tools, without having to navigate through menus and toolbars. Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides are now able to access the ” enhanced Tool Finder “. It appears as a search box, identified by a magnifying-glass icon and “Menus”, at the top left of the usual toolbar.
The design of the search bar is a pill shape, which follows the Material Design 3 revamp. The search bar will automatically suggest commonly used options that are different depending on the Google Workspace application you’re using. For example, it’ll offer suggestions like “Page setup” for Docs, “Insert columns/rows” for Sheets and “Edit theme”, in Slides. Users can also search for specific tools using their names or descriptions. Searching for “who viewed this document last” will display the Activity dashboard.
You’ll also find the “find and replace” tool in the new toolfinder, pinned beneath any search results. The search bar can be tapped to resurface previous searches and keyboard shortcuts appear alongside the relevant tools in the search results. Users are encouraged to memorize these for the tools that they use most frequently.
Prior to this update you could find various features and apps in Google Workspace by going into the Help menu and choosing Search. The update makes it easier to locate those search options and automatically populates the field with suggested suggestions. The new tool finder may not appear immediately as the update is being rolled out in stages. However, Google’s release schedule indicates that it should be available on Workspace accounts and personal Google account by May 25th.
