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Watch out for Google's new-look sign-in page: It's not a phishing scam

Google says it's about to update its sign-in page because of Material Design.
Written by Liam Tung, Contributing Writer

Video: Google goes after robocall scammers demanding business fees in its name.

Google's billion-plus account holders should next week see a slightly altered login page that moves some text from flush left to centered.

The new sign-in page isn't wildly different from the existing one but it's enough of a change for Google to want to alert users to the new look.

There's a slight tweak to the Google logo, an outlined blue box around the input field for email or phone number, and the text above the input field has been centered.

Small changes like these could cause concern among some users who think they're looking at a phishing page. So it's a good idea to be aware that a new look is coming. It has advised G Suite admins to provide users with advance notice of the changes.

Google has provided a before-and-after image, see below, so users know what to expect when the new sign-in page rolls out shortly.

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The update brings its sign-in page in line with the Material Design system it has applied to many of its apps since 2014, according to Google.

"Starting on June 14, 2018, you may notice that when you sign in to your G Suite account, the screen looks slightly different," Google notes.

"Some of the changes will include tweaks to the Google logo, an outline around the text field, and center alignment of all items on the screen. See below for before and after images."

The last major change to the sign-in page happened last year, when Google aimed to bring consistency to the page across phones, tablets and the desktop, and generally clean up the page.

However, it's difficult to see how the new sign-in page is any more or less Material Design than the existing one, but that's the reason Google's cites for the logo tweak and centered text.

oldnewgooglesis.png

The old Google sign-in page, left, is only subtly different from the new one, right.

Image: Google

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