Google One has just received its visual redesign treatment that follows the recent new Material 3 Expressive design language. But this was not the same case as far as this Google One Material 3 Expressive redesign is concerned.
Users across the world were especially aware of the update being a cleaner look. The amicable illustrations that were once used to decorate the app were also removed.
What does Material 3 Expressive mean?
In order to comprehend this change, let us summarize. The next step is the development of the existing design system Material You.
Material 3 Expressive contains the vision of bringing a more fluid, livelier, and customized user experience to the rest of the Google system.
Expressive animations, a broader color palette, slight blurring effects, and high levels of personalization are some of its key features. The thought is to develop an interface that is more alive and personalized to be used by an individual.
What has changed in the Google One App?
With the redesign of the Google One app, users soon noticed a couple of major changes, as reported by 9to5Google:
Illustrations Removed: The jovial header illustrations that were a characteristic attribute of the Google One app have been eliminated completely.
Card Redesign: The Storage and Backup cards on the home screen have also been redesigned with rounded containers and thin outlines. This helps in making the layout cleaner and card-based.
Less Navigation Bar: The bottom bar on the navigation is shorter and leaner.
Grouped Settings: Settings and benefits are also usually placed together into separate cards to match the organization better.
Color Shift: The most notable change was the dynamic blue accent color common users had to use. It is because the accent color would change due to the Dynamic Color engine. Dynamic Color Google One Expressive redesign drop.
Bug or Design?
The disappearance of Dynamic Color in the Google One update in the app left people with some questions as to whether it was by design or a bug. So luckily, it seems that the missing color was actually a hiccup.
Reports were made shortly afterward that a later bug fix, in more recent releases of the application, reinstated accent theming in most users. Therefore, users should see the color back with the new update.
Wider Expressive Deployment on Apps
It is necessary to highlight that the visual refresh of Google One belongs to the broader trend. Google has been slowly implementing Material 3 Expressive cues in the suite of Android applications that it provides. Redesigns launched on other apps such as Google Phone, Google Keep, and Google Messages are already in existence.
Such updates usually entail rounded element containers, redesigned search bars or tabs, and overall transition to the cleaner look. Such gradual development will enable Google to receive comments and iterate its design language.
Timeline Rollout Context
The introduction of Material 3 Expressive to Google One and the rest of the apps should be seen soon. Leaks suggest that the entire Android 16 Material 3 Expressive experience is expected to start rolling out to Pixel devices towards the beginning of September 2025.
Thus, the visual modifications applied to such specific apps as Google One are probably the foretaste of the visual transformation that Google has developed.
UX Implications
The temporary removal of Accent/Dynamic Color in Google One demonstrates how tenuous the equilibrium between a simple and utilitarian user interface. The fact that the Google One redesign, based on Material You, lost these elements because it did not include any dynamic color. This implies that it lost some of the personal feel that Material You is supposed to bring.
The positive elements of the general Expressive redesign will be entirely transferred to and start delivering their benefits. This will occur only when the color inconsistencies level is met on all platforms and a variety of versions.
How to Check or Fix it
Even when your Google One app is still has your app sporting a largely grey interface with no dynamic colour, you can get it to change to a full-on colourful one as follows:
Google One App Version: Check that you have been updated to the latest version of the Google One app (look out for 1.272.x or higher in the Google Play Store).
Update in case of an improved version: In case there is an improved version available, then update the app.
Become a Beta Tester (Optional): Ultimately, it might be worth it to join the Google One beta program, since in these betas, it will commonly get updates and fixes sooner.
Clear Cache and Data (Last Resort): And of course, you can always clear the cache and data of the Google One app, which is your last resort (just make sure you have your login details, as you will have wiped out all your data).
Reinstall (Final Step): Try everything and at last, uninstall the Google One app and reinstall it.
Conclusion & Outlook
As they always do, this initial Google One Material 3 Expressive redesign reminds us that sometimes the path that the design takes includes a few bumps on its way. Nevertheless, the rapidity of the release of a remedy implies that Google is determined to provide the customized and expressive experience that Material 3 offers.
With the complete Expressive theme still being deployed on the Google ecosystem, users can anticipate a much more consistent and visually appealing, sleek, and finally customized Android experience. The best way is to update the apps to check the current development of the design language at Google.
FAQs
What is Google One Material 3 Expressive redesign?
It is a graphic refresh of the Google One app, to fit with the newest Google design language, Material 3 Expressive, with its cleaner, rounded, and functionality-focused layout.
Why were there consequences when a user might have first thought that the app had lost its Dynamic Color theme?
Dynamic Color not being included at the launch of the Expressive redesign was probably a bug in app version 1.271.
Is the bug repaired?
Yes, Google has since issued follow-up updates (version 1.272.x onwards) that re-enabled Dynamic Color theming to many of the users.
At what point will the complete Material 3 Expressive design be in effect on all Google apps?
Its implementation is taking place incrementally. Although the Expressive theme was announced back in May 2025, it is set to come with Android 16.
What is the process to obtain the expressive redesign or the fix?
Make sure that your Google One app is running the latest version through the Google Play Store. You can also participate in the beta program to get updates earlier.
What are the advantages of Expressive design?
Material 3 Expressive works to create more individualized, fluid, and visually appealing interfaces using expressive animations, fuller color palettes.
