Google starts rolling out 'Search Chips' in Drive app

Google first released the beta of search chips in November last year. If you are using the stable version of Google Drive, then you can try the new search filters right away.

Google Drive is getting new filters that will make it easier for you to search for specific files. Google is releasing a new feature called “Search Chips” for its cloud storage service. This feature was first rolled out to Gmail users back in 2020. It will now be made available on Google Drive, and will be accessible to all Workspace users, including G Suite Basic and Business users.

Google first released the beta of search chips in November last year. If you are using the stable version, then you can try it right away. The search giant says users often use a few keywords to try and locate the file when they are searching for something in Drive. But they fail to find a specific file. For example, some people search for “marketing plan” or “sales report,” which offer results that are too broad.

Now, after entering a query, users can use search chips to surface for more relevant results based on location, file type, date modified, people, tasks, and shared label. “It is easier for users to find relevant files faster and eliminates the need to perform multiple searches or sort through irrelevant results. Search chips are now generally available for all users,” the company said in a blog post.

Additionally, users will also see spelling suggestions along with search chips on Google Drive. One will also get the option to clear search chips on their own, or together with the query. The latest update will also add additional date options for the “Last modified” chip.

Similarly, on Gmail too, one can search for anyone’s name and further narrow the results by selecting search chips like attachment type (Text document, Spreadsheet, PDF) or a specific timeframe. You can also filter out certain results, like calendar invites.

Google has already started rolling out this feature, so it should be visible to users. The company says that this is a gradual rollout and that it will take up to 15 days to reach everyone. This feature will be automatically available to users in the app.