100 Superb Gmail Tips and Tricks for Email Productivity

If you’re a Gmail user, you know that it’s a powerful email tool, even if you’re just using it for basic functions. However, there are so many options and hacks that you can take advantage of to take your email to the next level that it can be worth your while to learn a little bit more about what Gmail is really capable of doing. Read on to learn about 100 ways to hack Gmail for the better.

Shortcuts

Take these shortcuts to work in Gmail faster.

  

Keyboard Shortcuts: These shortcuts will help you avoid having to use your mouse in Gmail.
  

Use Quick Links: Quick Links can bookmark anything in Gmail to set up quick access.
  

See shortcuts: Type "?" to get a shortcut popup.
  

Set up custom shortcuts: You can set up custom keyboard shortcuts through Gmail’s settings.
  

Use EOM: Type "EOM" or (EOM) in the subject line of a subject-only message, and Gmail won’t ask you if you want to add text to the body.
  

Shift-click: You can select multiple messages using Shift-click.
 

Moving & Identity
 

Move over to Gmail and manage your identity using these hacks.
 

Change your Gmail email ID: This hack will help you find a solution for changing your Gmail ID.
  

Change your From and Reply to address: Tweak these settings to show the address you want.
  

Import your email: You can import mail and contacts from other email providers, and even have messages forwarded.
 

Automation
 

These hacks will help make Gmail work for you.
 

Set up repetitive emails: Set up AutoHotKey HotStrings to take care of repetitive email quickly.
 

Check your POP3 More Often: With this hack, you’ll be able to have Gmail check your POP3 accounts often.
 

Set Gmail as your default: Go into your settings to use Gmail for Mail To links.
 

Save notes in your drafts: Keep notes handy by saving them in your drafts.
 

Look at the title of your web browser: You can see the number of the new emails you have by looking at the title of your web browser.
 

Tools
 

These tools can ramp up your Gmail experience.
 

Resizeable Textarea: This extension will allow you to change your text area without resizing your browser window.
 

Better Gmail: Better Gmail adds features like hierarchical labels, unread messages, and more.
 

GMAIL Backup Tool: Backup your Gmail with these tools.
 

dragdropupload: With this add-on, you can drag and drop files directly to your Gmail.
 

GTDInbox for Gmail: Use this extension to use Getting Things Done productivity.
 

Greasemonkey: Make use of these Gmail scripts to make everything Gmail easier. 

Composing

Put these hacks to work when writing emails.

Drag and drop: You can drag and drop attachments instead of using the attach button.
  

Change your default font and styling: This hack will allow you to change the default appearance of your emails.
  

Add an HTML Signature: With this hack, you’ll be able to add an HTML signature to your email.
  

Forward all: You can forward an entire conversation in a single email.
 

Insert images: Share screenshots and other images with this hack.
 

Create a mail merge: Use this hack for a mail merge in Gmail.
 

Quote selected text: In a long thread, just pull out the text you really want to respond to.
 

Use canned responses: Gmail has a new feature that allows you to save email templates and insert them right into your email.
 

Quickly address Gmail users: Send an email to another Gmail user just by entering their username.
 

Go offline: Take Gmail offline with Labs.
 

Send email from your phone: Gmail has a free IMAP sync with your phone’s email client.
 

Time Savers
 

With these hacks, you’ll save time in Gmail.
 

Preview attachments: Make sure you actually need to download a file by previewing them first.
 

See which emails are sent to you: With personal level indicators, you can find out if an email was sent to you directly.
 

Right click to read: Preview any email just by right clicking on it.
 

Mark unread from here: Mark messages unread from a certain point using this feature.
 

Convert to HTML: You can convert PDF, Word and more to HTML just by sending them as an attachment.
 

Download all of your attachments: Use this hack to download every attachment from Gmail.
 

Add multiple attachments to an email: Hold down your Ctrl key or Shift to add a group of attachments to your email.
 

Storage
 

These hacks will help you use Gmail as storage.
 

Scan your manuals: Create PDFs of your manuals and email them to yourself.
 

Mail yourself disallowed files: Certain files are not allowed to be mailed, but you can save them in your drafts folder.
 

Backup your messages: You can forward email to a different address just in case.
 

Use Gmail for MP3 or Storage: Here you’ll find out how to use GMail to store your MP3 files and play them.
 

Organization
 

You can keep Gmail well organized with these hacks.
 

Clean up by moving emails: Clean your inbox using Move to like folders.
 

Create aliases: You can create an infinite number of + aliases for Gmail.
 

Merge contacts: Use this hack to merge all of your duplicate email contacts.
 

Prefix labels: Use unique characters to bring labels up to the top of alphabetized lists.
 

Use Superstars: Choose between several star icons to flag your messages.
 

Sort by unread: Type "in:inbox is:unread" to filter all unread messages.
 

Create filters: Filter emails so you don’t have to move them to folders later.
 

Archive: Tidy up your inbox and put old email into storage using archiving.  

Use stars: Indicate special emails with the help of stars.
 

Manage all your email accounts: Use Gmail to manage all of your accounts at once.
 

Use labels: Scan your inbox quickly using labels.
 

Communication
 

These hacks take Gmail communication to the next level.
 

Share who you are: Add your picture to your profile on Gmail so your contacts know what you look like.  

Reply by chat: Check to see if your email buddy is online and try to reply by chat instead of through email.
 

Send SMS text messages: You can send text SMS messages using Gmail.
 

Set a status message: Let your contacts know what you’re up to by sharing a status message.
 

Use video chat: With Gmail’s voice and video chat, you can have face to face conversations, or even just use audio.
 

Search & Quick Finding
 

Find exactly what you want, fast, using these Gmail hacks.
 

Gmail Contact View: Click a contact’s name, and you’ll see all of the emails between you and that person.
 

Gmail Search Bookmarks: Search your email using bookmarks.
 

Use advanced search: These operators perform special actions in Gmail search.

Integration

These Gmail hacks bring in other services and tools.

Move from Outlook to Gmail: You can switch from Outlook to Gmail with this tip.
 

Get web clips: Get news headlines and blog posts at the top of your inbox using Web Clips.
 

Add Google Calendar: Put Google Calendar right in your email with the Calendar gadget.
 

Bookmark your emails: Each email in Gmail has a url that can be bookmarked like a webpage.
 

Gmail IMAP from Thunderbird: Find out how to use Gmail’s free IMAP support.
 

Add email to your to do list: Gmail’s task manager can add a Gmail message to your Tasks.
 

Add Google Docs: See your recently accessed Docs right in Gmail.
 

Remember the Milk: Connect RTM to Gmail and never forget anything.
 

Enable previews: Enable previews to look at YouTube, Flickr, and more right in your email.
 

Enable multiple inboxes: Supercharge your email with multiple inboxes.
 

Forgotten attachment detector: With the forgotten attachment detector, you’ll be able to avoid 

sending emails with missing attachments.
 

Delete large attachments: Identify emails with the biggest attachments to make space in your inbox.
 

Security & Spam
 

Check out these hacks to lock down your inbox.
 

Always use https: Help protect your Gmail from getting hacked by changing your browser connection to always use https.
 

Use a language filter: Cut down on spam in your inbox with the help of a language filter.
 

Stay up to date: Use Gmail account recovery so you can go back if you need it.
 

Gmail icon generator: Generate an image of your email address, and you can cut down on spam exposure.
 

Check for dual logins: Find out if your account is open at other locations.
 

Backup with Google Groups: Use Google Groups to create a backup for your Gmail.
 

Show headers: Click on Show original to see the address code in your email.
 

Mute conversations: If you’ve found yourself in a mailing list discussion you don’t care about, use the ‘m’ key to stop seeing any follow-ups unless it’s directly addressed to you.
 

Log out: Make sure that you log out whenever you’re done checking emails.
 

Sign out remotely: If you forgot to sign out of a public computer, check out "Details" next to your last account activity and choose to sign out of all other sessions.
 

Check your filters: Make sure that there aren’t any filters or forwards that you didn’t set up.
 

Be careful of attachments: Be wary of unexpected attachments.
 

Use Gmail as a backup: Set up an automatic BCC of all incoming and outgoing emails to copy to Gmail, and you’ll have an easily searchable backup available.
 

Check your access: Scroll down to the very bottom to see your last account activity and make sure no one else is checking out your inbox.
 

Never send it to spam: Separate legitimate emails out of spam with this option.
 

Check your junk folder: With this hack, you can make sure you’re not missing important messages in your junk folder.
 

Use aliases for spammy sites: If you need to use your addresses for shopping sites, create an alias.
 

Create a safe senders list: Here you can create a list of trusted senders.
 

Avoid using your browser: Access Gmail through IMAP or POP for the best security.
 

Report emails as spam: Teach Gmail how to block similar messages by reporting emails.
 

Fun & Magic
 

These hacks seem like magic.
 

Spice things up with themes: Personalize your inbox using a variety of different options for themes.
 

Undo a sent email: You’ll be able to recall messages immediately with the help of this Gmail help.
 

Add your location: Enable your Gmail to let recipients know where you’re sending mail from.
 

Track your messages: Using Google Analytics, you can track your Gmail messages.
 

Access through HTML: When Gmail’s down, you can try to get to it through the Plain HTML version.
 

Increase your undo time limit: You can select 5, 10, or 20 seconds as your time limit to undo sent mail.

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