Google Drive updated with important playback and search improvements

Google Drive has just gained a couple of new features and improvements in just one week. Playback and search enhancements are part of Google Drive’s latest two updates, so expect some of them to pop up in your app very soon.

Among the most important changes added to the app, the improvements to Google Drive’s search experience consists of three key aspects:

• Simplifying how you access query filters by introducing filter categories that are accessible directly below the search bar and include filters for File Type, Owners and Last modified.
• Showing you relevant query filters as you type your query, enabling you to easily select a filter and saving you the time and effort of typing out the full search.
• Adding the option to further refine your search after reaching the search results page.

The bad news is these improvements are only rolling out to iOS devices, although Google did say that Android users will be getting these very soon too. More importantly, these changes are already available to Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, as well as users with personal Google accounts.

In addition to search improvements, Google Drive is also getting some new playback features. Basically, Google is adding the ability to generate and playback Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) video transcodes for all videos uploaded to Drive.

What this means is users will get higher or lower resolution playback based on the quality of their local network. Following this update, Google Drive users should notice improvements to the time it takes from clicking play to actually starting playback, and a reduction in re-buffering in normal playback and during playback at higher speeds.

This specific update is rolling out now to all Google Workspace customers, Google Workspace Individual subscribers, and users with personal Google accounts. It’s worth mentioning that these playback improvements only apply to new videos uploaded to Drive for the moment, but existing videos will be updated by the end of the year, Google says.