Introduction
For many people, managing emails can be a challenge. Spending excessive time in your inbox can negatively impact work productivity. Therefore, it's essential to learn how to manage emails effectively. By applying email productivity hacks, you can minimize the time spent in your inbox.
Keyboard shortcuts are one of the many hacks provided by Gmail to enhance work productivity. Using these shortcuts, you can save time by quickly navigating and performing specific actions in Gmail without using the mouse touchpad. You can skip the multiple steps needed to perform an action by just pressing a few keys.
Why Use Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts?
Using Gmail keyboard shortcuts is optional but can significantly improve your email efficiency and productivity. Below we highlight some benefits that make them worth using:
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Increased Speed: With Gmail keyboard shortcuts, you can perform tasks much faster than using a mouse or a touchpad. This saves time and improves the overall email experience.
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Enhanced Productivity: Boost your email productivity and save time by quickly executing frequent tasks.
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Reduced Distractions: Minimize the reliance on the mouse or a touchpad and improve your focus.
How to Enable Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts?
Not all keyboard shortcuts are enabled in Gmail by default. To use them, you'll need to enable them from the settings. Here's how to do it:
- Click on the gear icon and select "See all settings."
- In the General tab, scroll down to the
Keyboard shortcutssection and turn the feature on.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click "Save Changes."
How to Customize Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts?
Gmail allows you to edit and customize keyboard shortcuts based on your preferences. However, to begin, you need to enable keyboard shortcut customization in the settings. Follow the steps below to do so:
- Go to Settings.
- Navigate to the Advanced tab.
- Enable Custom keyboard shortcuts.
- Lastly, click "Save Changes".
After enabling this feature, you'll see a new "Keyboard Shortcuts" tab on the Settings page. Keep in mind that you cannot create new keyboard shortcuts for Gmail; you can only modify the existing ones.
Essential Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts
There are more than 100 keyboard shortcuts in Gmail but don't worry, you don't have to memorize them all. Luckily, Gmail also provides a shortcut for viewing all keyboard shortcuts(no pun intended)! You can find the complete list of shortcuts in Gmail by pressing Shift + ? or referring to this link.
Below are keyboard shortcuts worth learning if you want to use Gmail like a pro. They can greatly improve your email productivity.
Navigation Shortcuts
With navigation shortcut keys, you can move around Gmail faster without using a mouse or a touchpad. Here are some important Gmail keyboard shortcuts for navigation.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| g + i | Go to Inbox |
| g + d | Go to Drafts |
| g + s | Go to Starred conversations |
| g + b | Go to Snoozed conversations |
| g + t | Go to Sent messages |
| g + a | Go to All Mail |
| g + l | Go to Label |
| g + k | Go to Tasks |
| / | Search mail (move the cursor to the search bar) |
| g + n | Go to the next page |
| g + p | Go to the previous page |
| u | Back to threadlist |
| k / j | Move to a newer or older conversation (works both in the inbox and inside an open email thread |
| p / n | Read previous or new message |
Email Management Shortcuts
The below shortcuts are essential to know if you want to manage your emails efficiently.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| c | Compose a new email |
| d | Compose an email in new tab |
| r | Reply to an email |
| a | Reply all |
| f | Forward an email |
| # | Delete an email |
| e | Archive an email |
| m | Mute conversation |
| Shift + i | Mark as read |
| Shift + u | Mark as unread |
| . | Open "more actions" menu |
| s | Toggle star/Rotate among superstars |
| Ctrl + Enter | Send |
| z | Undo last action |
| ! | Mark as spam |
| + or = | Mark as important |
| - | Mark as not important |
Formatting & Editing Shortcuts
These shortcuts help you edit and format text simply without accessing the menu.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + b | Bold |
| Ctrl + i | Italics |
| Ctrl + u | Underline |
| Ctrl + z | Undo |
| Ctrl + y | Redo |
| Ctrl + Shift + 7 | Numbered list |
| Ctrl + Shift + 8 | Bulleted list |
| Alt + Shift + 5 | Strikethrough |
| Ctrl + \ | Remove formatting |
| Shift + Enter | New line |
| Ctrl + k | Insert a link |
Email Organization Shortcuts
You can efficiently organize emails within your inbox using the shortcuts below.
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| l | Open "label as" menu |
| v | Open "move to" menu |
| Shift + n | Update conversation |
Download the cheat sheet of these Gmail shortcuts for quick reference.
Conclusion
Gmail keyboard shortcuts are a quicker and easier way to perform actions in Gmail. They are worth learning if you use Gmail frequently and want to reduce the time spent. They make navigation a breeze and let you perform actions in just a few key presses.
To increase your email productivity, incorporate these shortcuts into your email routine and start practicing them today. Once you get the hang of these, your email experience will be enhanced manifold.
