Google Contacts' Expressive redesign may have an annoying drawback

Google Phone and Contacts apps have already received a Material 3 Expressive treatment for their main UI elements. And now, Google appears to be cleaning up finer areas, adding the Expressive design to another small section of the Contacts app.

Google is now testing a reformed interface for sharing contact files in VCF format. We’ve spotted this test as part of the version 4.69.26.834551863 of Google Contacts.

With this change, Google can now be seen experimenting with Material 3 Expressive elements specifically for the contact share interface. After the change, when you choose to share a specific contact, a new interface will appear. You would still be asked to select the information to be shared in the .vcf file, but the UI would use more well-defined containers for each detail, in line with the Expressive design guidelines. Checking a box would also change the background color behind each of these containers to indicate its selection.

In addition to this new UI, the change adds a review screen where you can perform a final check before sending the file. This added step, though useful for ensuring you’ve included only the necessary details, may also delay the process.

In addition, Google is also testing a new interface for importing contacts from any received VCF files. This also gets a Material 3 Expressive treatment, with more prominent buttons and dialog box containers.

The new import option first shows you the number of contacts included in the received file. It is then followed by another dialog where you can choose whether to add those contacts to any of the available Google accounts or directly to the device. And like the export option discussed above, this preview of the number of contacts also adds an extra step. Whether that’s useful or not is for you to decide.