ProtonMail, the popular encrypted email service, has significantly updated its look and feel for the first time since the company’s public beta launch 7 years ago. It’s also rolled out some new features that are worth checking out.
The changes, which were announced in a blog post on Tuesday, are described by Proton as the “single biggest redesign” since the company began nearly a decade ago. The Geneva-based company has been known to roll out new features from time to time, some recent examples including anti-phishing defences and an encrypted calendar feature in 2019.
A lot of this recent makeover is about aesthetics and user choice, however. Whereas the previous layout was a study in neutral tones, the new default theme offers a more “modern look,” which mostly amounts to darker colours and greater contrasts — designed to be more eye-catching and engaging.
If you don’t like that look, however, the update also offers users the new ability to choose between six different inbox layouts. Whereas you previously didn’t really have a choice in how Proton looked, you can now choose between themes like “Snow, “Carbon,” and some others. If you want to keep the old version of Proton, you can also do that (just check “Legacy” as your).
Also new, are features that make the user interface more intuitive. Quick filters, which allow users to more effectively organise their emails, and new keyboard shortcuts for quicker use, are on tap. Also available is a new app selector that allows users to toggle quickly back and forth between different Proton services (the company also offers a VPN service, cloud storage drive, and its calendar, all of which can be accessed via the selector).
“We have redesigned ProtonMail to be easy to use, but it still ensures you are in control of your information at all times,” the company said. “The new ProtonMail is a crucial step toward our vision of building an internet where privacy is the default.”
All in all, it’s a convenient little makeover for a solid and easy-to-use encrypted email service — something we all need in today’s hellscape of data breaches and privacy scandals. You can check out more details about ProtonMail’s update here.