Google Drive updated with natural-language search queries

Google Drive users with a vast document library will be able to find what they’re looking for much more easily from today. Google has just integrated its cutting edge search technology into the platform, so finding specific files and types of documents should be easier and faster than ever before.

Google says that this search technology is based on Natural Language Processing (NLP), so users can search for documents by typing how they’d speak, such as “find my budget spreadsheet from last December”. Drive’s NLP algorithm also learns from how you search to improve its results over time. Drive’s search feature now also boasts spelling auto-correct capabilities, so you can type in a search quickly without having to worry too much about what your fingers are doing.

Along with search, Google has integrated a few much sought after features into Drive with this update as well. Documents can now be split into multiple columns, by selecting “Columns” under the “Format” drop down menu. Drive will also now save copies when opening, converting, and editing non-Google files in Docs, Sheets, and Slides. These can be viewed or downloaded in their original format under the Revision History feature.

The Google Drive update is already live for some customers, but the company says that it will gradually be rolling out to users all around the world over the new few days.