When Is It Better to Use Gmail Go Instead of the Gmail App?
Google just released a lightweight Gmail Go app on the Play Store , offering Android users two options for using Google’s mail service on their devices. But what’s the difference between the two Gmail apps, and which one should you use?
Google “Go” apps are lighter and more streamlined versions of regular Android apps. Gmail Go has all the basic email features of the Gmail app, plus customizable gesture controls, filtering of incoming messages, switching between multiple accounts, and a dark mode theme. However, there are a few small changes that make Gmail Go less expensive for slower hardware.
Longtime Gmail users will notice that Gmail Go does not have Google Meet integration, so there are no Google Meet banners or shortcuts for video calls in the app – at least for now.
Removing Google Meet features reduces the app install size and helps you focus on basic email functionality. However, you don’t need to use Gmail Go just to exclude Meet from Gmail; you can hide Google Meet in the main android app and on the desktop if you like .
Gmail Go also ditches the “layered” UI elements of the Gmail app and instead uses thin outlines to differentiate between the various buttons and features of the app. It also reduces animation and limits the frame rate. These changes save memory and make the app easier to run on older or weaker devices.
Gmail Go is an alternative to the main Gmail app that works great if your phone has problems launching the default Gmail app. Check this out if you’re still using an older Android phone, but there’s no reason to change if your phone already handles Gmail just fine – it won’t even install on some newer devices. (Plus, there are many other options if you’re looking for an alternative postal service .)