What you need to know
- Google has made the Play Store's new layout and design on the desktop web available to a wider set of users.
- The redesign replaces the left-hand sidebar with the modern-looking top navigation.
- Google started rolling out the update in the U.S. a few days ago, and it's now live globally.
While Google has made several improvements to the Play Store on mobile multiple times in the past, the desktop version hasn't seen some love for many years. The search giant finally addressed that shortcoming by teasing a massive update to the Play Store's web version last November, and it's now available worldwide.
First and foremost, the new layout makes extensive use of negative space, giving each app listing plenty of room to stand out. The redesign also swaps out the left-hand sidebar for the top navigation that highlights tabs for games, apps, books, movies, and kids.
The top-right corner of the window displays your profile photo, as well as an overflow menu for help resources and a search button.
You'll also notice rounded corners everywhere, as opposed to the old squared-off edges. This applies to app and game icons, screenshots, book covers, and device filters beneath the navigation bar.
You can sift through every change in the new layout in the gallery below.
However, not every tab and section in the new layout was given equal attention. For example, the links to your library and wishlist in the Books tab still use the old design. The books tab in the Library section was also left out in the cold.
The new design and layout appeared to have gone live initially in the United States a few days ago before spreading to users across the world, including in Southeast Asia. This means the Play Store's desktop version should now look more in line with its mobile version on many of the best Android phones.
While it took Google almost forever to breathe new life into the Play Store's desktop version, the latest overhaul is a welcome change that brings it more in line with many of its other services.
