Google Keep could soon make it easier to create better, complex notes

“Keep it simple” is an adage that applies to Google’s default notes app, Google Keep. It’s one of the rare offerings from the tech giant that remain free of unnecessary AI additions, yet it remains incredibly useful for a variety of use cases. Rather than cramming AI features into Keep, Google is making smaller changes that make it easier to add richer elements such as checklists and different forms of media to your notes.

Back in July, we spotted a minor tweak Google made to the toolbar inside notes stored in Keep. Now it seems to be part of a broader toolbar redesign, which now floats in a pill-shaped format. This feature is being tested internally, and we were able to enable it in version 5.26.361.01.90 beta of the Google Keep app, even though it’s not widely available yet.

The image on the left shows the recent changes Google was testing, while the other two show newer updates to the toolbar.

In addition to changing how the toolbar looks, Google is also editing how the options appear. The option to convert a regular note into a checklist also gets a dedicated button, along with a fundamental upgrade. While you can already convert text to lists, Google is also experimenting with the option to turn lists into regular text. Right now, you can only do that with the Undo button.

The new option also lets you uncheck all checked items in the list at once.

Meanwhile, the button to add an image to the note sits on the toolbar as part of the new design, rather than being buried under the plus (+) icon.

Just like the option to add images, the speech-to-text feature for typing with dictation has been moved to the pill-shaped toolbar, making the process cost you one step less. The voice typing feature works the same way: it simply transcribes what you say rather than using AI to make sense of it, as Gboard’s Rambler feature does.

Similarly, the option to add a drawing now also enjoys a dedicated position on the new toolbar.

While the changes suggest a major UI change for Google Keep, they seem far from finalized. The new toolbar also lacks existing options for formatting and note backgrounds, while other options for searching or deleting notes are currently not accessible, suggesting there is some work to do. Additionally, the toolbar does not automatically hide when you open the keyboard, further adding to our suspicion that it is currently incomplete.

Interestingly, Google previously dabbled with a floating toolbar on Keep’s home page but never finalized it. It later decided to move forward with another floating button on the homepage.