With the proliferation of online retailers, it might be challenging for consumers to monitor their numerous pending packages. You may utilise the emails every vendor gives you or download one of the numerous accessible shipment tracking applications. Google launched a new package tracking function for Gmail just before Black Friday of last year. This feature effectively condenses information from merchants and delivery partners into easily digestible parcel tracking data. As of recently, we have a mechanism to manually activate this function.

Google has, for some time now, included a box just below the subject line of emails that summarises the product and seller information from the email, as well as a fast link to track a product. This data window has been improved in recent times. It has three-stage progress bar displaying the current state of your order, convenient connections to package tracking and order details, and a changeable theme based on Material You (placed, shipped, and delivered). The name of the goods and its expected delivery date are printed in green on the top of the card. The latter is also visible in our inbox list view, directly under the subject line of each email.

From left to right: an outdated tracking card; a fresh one with a progress bar; a new one waiting in your mailbox; a new one without a progress bar

Strangely, in our tests the progress indicator didn’t appear for all pending online orders. So yet, all we’ve seen is a shrunken-down replica of the original design. The card might sometimes say that an order was expected even if it had already been sent out and received. This may be due to the fact that not all messages include enough data to show the progress bar, or it may be the result of a design change that Google hasn’t announced yet.

There will soon be a notification in the app informing you of the new user interface’s availability. However, if you aren’t already viewing it, you may quickly activate it by following these steps:

1. You may check your email on your Android device by launching Gmail.
2. To access the menu, swipe in from the left or tap the hamburger menu.
3. Below the main menu, click the Settings button.
4. Pick from your inbox and click there.
5. If you go down to the “General” area, you may turn on package tracking.

Gmail’s online interface will soon receive a comparable implementation, but in the meanwhile, Android and iOS users may take advantage of this enhancement right immediately. This update not only improves Gmail for the ordinary user, but it also guarantees that future additions will adhere to Google’s Material You design principles.