#Gmail keyboard shortcuts how to

When you have Gmail open, type a question mark. This will turn on most formatting shortcuts, as well as a handful of navigational time-savers.īut many, many more shortcuts are available.

#Gmail keyboard shortcuts how to

Here’s how to do that: With Gmail open, click on Settings (it’s that little gear-shaped icon at the upper right of your screen), then “See All Settings.” When you’re brought to the next screen, go to the menu bar at the top and click “Advanced.” Scroll down to “Custom Keyboard Shortcuts” and click “Enable.” Then click “Save Changes” at the bottom. Enabling shortcutsĪ handful of Gmail keyboard shortcuts are always available, but most of them need to be turned on first. Want to free up even more time? Check out these 15 Gmail hacks. By one estimate, you save 64 hours per year if you use keyboard shortcuts at a full-time desk job. That might not seem like a lot, but it adds up. Keyboard shortcuts also shave one or two seconds off dozens of frequent Gmail tasks. This sort of accessibility is particularly helpful for some people who have mobility or vision impairments, as well as for those who are prone to repetitive stress injuries caused by mousing.

And that’s just one of the many Gmail shortcuts you’ll end up using all the time.

For example, if you want to reply to an email, instead of having to find your cursor, then move your mouse to get the cursor to the upper-right corner of the screen, and then point and click on “reply,” you can simply type the letter “R.” You never need to lift your fingers off the keyboard or change your visual focus. Did you know that you can read, compose, archive, and manage your Gmail on your computer without ever touching a mouse? With a few simple keystrokes, you can give Gmail the same commands you would with a mouse.