Gmail for Android’s Material 3 Expressive update is starting to roll out very slowly

Ben Schoon | Jun 2 2025 - 10:45 am PT

After showing off the updated design last month, Google has very slowly started rolling out the Material 3 Expressive update for Gmail on Android, but you probably don’t have it just yet.

Google announced Material 3 Expressive in May as the new design language that will take over in Android, starting with the second Android 16 update later this year. But Android as a whole isn’t the only thing being updated. Google will also update a number of its apps with Material 3 Expressive, and it seems Gmail for Android is among the first in line.

In a preview video, Google briefly offered a peak at Material 3 Expressive in Gmail, and it’s a fairly modest update overall. Our Abner Li previously described the update saying:

In the case of Gmail, we see the revamped inbox view. Notably, your message list is displayed on a card with rounded top corners. When you swipe to archive (or other custom action), there’s a prominent animation. Meanwhile, The search field, hamburger button, and account switcher is on a separate background layer that has a more vibrant theme. The “Compose” FAB is also much bolder compared to before.

Now, that update appears to be starting to roll out to users. Over the past few days, some very limited public reports show that the update is starting to surface. One Nothing Phone owner on Reddit spotted the update on their device a few days ago and shared a recording of the swipe animation, while another user shared screenshots of the update on Twitter/X from what appears to be a OnePlus device. Meanwhile, Android Authority cites a user on Telegram who shared some screenshots of actual emails in the new design format.

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Gmail’s Material 3 Expressive update, again, is not the bigger one we’ll see, but it’s interesting to see it as one of the first to start rolling out. We’re not yet seeing these changes on our devices, but let know in the comments below if you’re seeing the update. It appears to be server-side.