Gmail for Android adds confirmatory vibration feedback when swiping

Abner Li | Feb 8 2021 - 2:41 pm PT

A big change is coming to the Gmail mobile apps later this year when tabs for Chat and Rooms join the existing Meet section. Until that comes to personal Google Accounts, a small change in Gmail for Android adds vibration feedback when swiping.

The most convenient way to triage in Gmail is by swiping away messages from the inbox view. These are five “Swipe actions” with users able to set a separate left and right behavior: Archive, Delete, mark as read/unread, Move to, and Snooze, with None also an option.

Gmail for Android’s first updated started rolling out in mid-January and version 2020.12.27.x introduced a vibration when performing a swipe. The haptic feedback occurs once your finger is halfway across the screen, and it’s very light/brief. In fact, you would not feel it if your device is resting on a table. You have to be holding the phone as you’re performing the action.

It’s particularly useful as a confirmation that you are not errantly swiping away emails, which is rare but does occur. There is no way to disable this behavior — unlike system vibrations, but the haptic feedback should be so minimal that most users will not be bothered and are only now noticing it.