Google releases new Slides app for iOS, updates Sheets and Docs with offline and direct Office file editing

Ever found yourself in a situation where you needed to jot down something urgent but didn’t have pen and paper accessible? Maybe you were commuting with no network and had to update a spreadsheet urgently. Perhaps you realized you needed to make some last-minute changes to your business presentation but only had your iPad with you. We’ve all been there, and now, there’s a solution.

Google’s launch of the Slides app for iPhone and iPad and subsequent updates to the Docs and Sheets apps aim to make working on any file possible, on any device, at any time. Now, whether it’s creating a grocery list, updating a spreadsheet, or making adjustments to your slide presentation, these tasks can be accomplished with ease.

Here’s what you can accomplish with the newly updated Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps now:
These applications allow you to work from any device—your iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, laptop, or desktop computer. Changes made on any device are saved automatically, allowing you to resume your work anywhere, anytime, as long as you can sign in.
The Docs, Sheets, and Slides applications now feature built-in offline editing. Simply make the files you want to edit available offline. Any changes made offline will get automatically synced when you reconnect, mirroring the functionality on your computer.
Moreover, while converting Office files to Docs, Sheets and Slides format is simple, the newly updated iOS apps now also allow you to edit Office files directly, similar to the features available in the Android apps and on the web.
In essence, irrespective of your location, the reliability of your WiFi, or the type of file you’re working with, Google’s new apps enable you to accomplish your tasks conveniently.

Source: Li-Wei Lee/Google Drive blog

Updated in 2025 to align with recent developments.