Add more Google Apps to gmail side panel

Question

I mean to add more Google Apps to show when I click on the Waffle icon in the right side panel of Gmail. In particular, I want to add Groups. I know I can do two other things:

1. The "+" button only allows for adding Add-ons, not other Google apps.
2. Reordering what is already there by click-and-drag.

but none of this is what I am looking for.

Is this possible? How?

Answer 1

What you are calling "the waffle", Google called "the app launcher" in 2015 (ref. An additional row of apps and customization coming to the App Launcher, nowadays on the Google Accounts help center they included how to customize it in the article Use the Google bar

From the above link:

Customize your menu

You can customize the launcher to show your favorite apps at the top. To do this, drag and drop them within the menu.

Note: To customize your menu, make sure you're signed in to your Google Account.

Add more apps

If you'd like to add one you don't see in the list:

1. Sign in to your Google Account.
2. Select Google apps Apps.
3. At the bottom of the menu, select More.
4. Drag the Google apps you want to the top of the launcher.