Google’s email service, Gmail, has become an essential tool for daily communication.
With over 4.2 billion users worldwide, it’s no surprise that Gmail is the preferred platform for personal and professional communication.
Despite its extensive use, just roughly 0.1% of users take full advantage of Gmail’s capabilities.
To join this privileged group, here are seven Gmail hacks to enhance productivity and efficiency.
1. Undo Sent Emails
Have you ever had that moment of fear after pushing ‘Send’ on an email that you immediately regretted? Gmail has you covered with its ‘Undo Send’ option.
Go to Settings (top right) > General, and enable ‘Undo Send.’ Set the cancellation period to 30 seconds, giving you a brief window to retract your email.
2. Eliminate Promotional Emails
Tired of having a packed inbox full with unwanted advertising emails? Simply type ‘unsubscribe’ into the Gmail search field, select any emails with an unsubscribe label, then click the delete button to remove them all at once.
3. Send Confidential Emails
Sending confidential emails helps to protect sensitive information. This feature prevents copying, printing, and forwarding of your emails. When you compose a new email, click the padlock icon to activate it.
4. Access Gmail Offline
Need to check your emails without an internet connection? Enable Gmail’s offline mode by logging into your account, clicking on the gear icon > Quick Settings > View all settings > Offline.
This allows you to read, respond, and search your emails even when you’re not online.
5. Master Keyboard Shortcuts
Speed up your email navigation with keyboard shortcuts:
- Shift + I: Mark as read.
- Cmd or Ctrl + Enter: Send an email.
- Cmd or Ctrl + K: Insert a link.
- C: Compose a new email.
- /: Search within your emails.
- D: Draft a new email in a separate tab.
6. Schedule Your Emails
Do you want to send an email at a specified time without being at your desk? Use the ‘Schedule send’ function by clicking the down arrow next to’send,’ then selecting ‘Schedule send,’ and entering the appropriate date and time.
7. Organize with Labels
Keep your inbox organized by assigning unique labels to different categories of emails, such as ‘Work,’ ‘Personal,’ or ‘Travel.’ Click the ‘Labels’ button in the toolbar and choose the label you want to use.
Finally, by adopting these seven strategies into your Gmail usage, you’ll not only increase your productivity but also streamline your email management, making your Gmail experience more efficient and effective.