Google has updated Gmail to add support for a new feature that will let users edit Microsoft Office files without leaving the inbox.
Gmail users can now find a new edit icon – a little pen next to Save to Drive – which will allows them to “Edit with Google Docs”. Once the user clicks on the icon, Google will automatically convert Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint attachments into Google Docs, Sheets and Slides to allow for editing. Furthermore, the new feature also allows users to keep a track of the attachment from anywhere, even offline, and to revise history.
“We realize that as a Docs user, you still sometimes have to work with different file types,” read a post from the Google Drive team, “so we often launch updates to make it a little smoother for you.”
“With just one click on the new edit icon in Gmail attachments, you can automatically convert Office documents — giving you the additional benefits of a single document to keep track of, access from anywhere (even offline!), and revision history,” the post noted.
Google has also added conversion support for 15 new Office file formats on Google’s Docs, Slides and Sheets suite of apps. As per Google Apps update page, Docs now supports dot, dotx, dotx, dotm, and docm formats, Sheets supports xlt, xltx, xltm, xlsm files and Slides can now run pot, potx, potm, pptm, pps, ppsx, ppsm file formats. The search engine giant notes the update also brings improved support for charts, images and tables.
In addition, users can now edit Office files in their native formats directly using a dedicated Chrome web browser extension.
