Almost everyone can send an email, but Google’s mail app is much more than that. You just need to know where those handy tricks are. In this article, we’ll give you 10 tips to get the most out of Gmail.
10 tips for Gmail
Gmail is by far the most popular mail app for Android and the basics are probably obvious to most people. The app is also packed with handy tricks with which you can, for example, keep a cleaner inbox or adjust the design. In this article you will therefore find 10 tips for Gmail. Tap the links below to go directly to the relevant section.
1. Set Dark Mode
Gmail is a nicely designed mail app, but quite fierce. If you are still e-mailing in the evening, it is therefore better to switch on dark mode. This feature ensures that, as you might expect from the name, Gmail goes dark. White surfaces become dark, and vice versa. Here’s how to turn on Gmail’s dark mode:
- Open the Gmail app on your Android phone;
- Tap the three bars at the top left;
- Scroll down and press ‘Settings’;
- Select ‘General Settings’ and then ‘Theme’;
- Then tap ‘Dark’ and voila!
2. Better Search
Are you looking for that one email, for example because it contains an e-ticket or reservation confirmation? Then use Gmail’s built-in search filters.
The mail app has a very extensive search function that allows you to scan messages by sender, recipient and certain words in the subject line.
Do you need inspiration? Use the filters below to find what you need faster. On the Google’s Gmail website is an even larger list of filters, including very specific ones.
| Filter | Function |
|---|---|
| from: | Search by sender |
| to: | Search by recipient |
| subject: | Search for words in the subject line |
| OR (for example from:michel OR from:wouter | Search for multiple messages |
| has:attachment | Only searches for emails with attachments: useful for tickets, for example. |
| has:drive (or document, spreadsheet, presentation) | Searches for files in Google Drive, Docs, Sheets, or Slides |
3. Remove Measure tab
Google wants to make Gmail the central communication app and therefore added Google Meet at the bottom, a video calling app. However, not everyone was equally charmed by this sudden addition. Fortunately, removing the Google Meet tab from Gmail is quite simple:
- Open the Gmail app on your device;
- Tap the three lines in the top left and go to ‘Settings’;
- Choose the Google account from which you want to remove the Meet tab;
- Uncheck ‘Show the Meetings tab for video calls’.
4. Keep your inbox clean
If you say e-mail, unfortunately you also say spam. Intrusive messages are hard to avoid, but luckily you can train Gmail to recognize spam.
Have you received a nonsensical/intrusive/useless email? Then press and hold the message and tap the three dots at the top right of the screen. Then choose ‘Report spam’. By consistently reporting nonsensical messages, Gmail is learning more and more which emails should not be allowed through.
5. Create tasks
Do you use Google Tasks to create reminders? From Gmail you can add emails to the tasks app in one fell swoop. This way you don’t forget to respond to that one important email. You need both Gmail and Google Tasks for this feature:
- Open an email in Gmail and tap the three dots at the top right;
- Press ‘Add to Tasks’ at the bottom of the menu;
- Then tap ‘View’ to complete the newly created task with, for example, a date, time and subtasks.
6. Schedule emails
Would you like to schedule an email in Gmail that will not be sent until a month later? Which can! Once you’re done typing an email, press the three dots at the top right of the screen. Then choose ‘Schedule sending’ and indicate when the message should leave the digital door.
7. Change view
Did you know that Gmail has three types of designs? In addition to the standard design, you can also choose ‘Spacious’ and ‘Compact’. The former makes e-mails, buttons and texts larger, while Compact crams as much information as possible on one screen. To change the view in Gmail:
- Open the Gmail app and tap the three bars at the top left;
- Choose ‘General settings’ and then ‘Call list density’;
- Then indicate how small/large the view should be and tap ‘Ok’.
8. Send messages that delete themselves
Are you going to send an email containing sensitive content? Gmail’s so-called trusted mode can automatically delete messages you send. You can also protect e-mails with an access code. Here’s how Gmail’s trusted mode works:
- Open Gmail on your Android;
- Type an email as you are used to;
- Ready to ship? Tap the three dots in the top right corner and choose “Confidential Mode”;
- Then enter an expiration date and any access code;
- Check? Then tap ‘Save’.
9. Fast shifting
Do you have multiple email accounts? In Gmail, you can switch profiles in one go thanks to a handy swipe. You do this by swiping over your profile icon at the top right. You should now switch to your other email address. Of course you can also switch the ‘old-fashioned’ way by tapping your profile icon and then pressing your other account.
10. Using Swipe Gestures
Speaking of swiping, Gmail features customizable swipe gestures. This allows you to choose what happens when you swipe an email from the inbox to the left or right. In this way you can, for example, report emails as spam, archive a message or move it to other folders. Here’s how to customize the swipe gestures in Gmail:
- Open Gmail on your smartphone and tap the three lines at the top left;
- Choose ‘Settings’ at the bottom of the screen and go to ‘General settings’;
- Tap on ‘Swipes’ and then ‘Change’;
- Indicate what should happen when you drag an email to the left or right.
More about Gmail
This overview of Gmail tips is anything but exhaustive. Google’s mail app has many more handy tricks up its sleeve. Think, for example, of Smart Compose, a function (for the time being only in English) that partially writes emails for you. Check out our Gmail overview page for more helpful tips or click on the articles below:
- 10 tips for Gmail: this is how you do better, more convenient and faster e-mail
(1 Jul) - Tip: this is how you use Google Chat in Gmail
(7 Apr) - Google shows first teaser of new Gmail logo
(Sept 21, 2020) - Tip: This is how you remove the Google Meet tab in Gmail
(9 Aug 2020) - Gmail is on the shovel: Google wants to turn the mail app into the workplace
(July 15, 2020)
You are reading an article that previously appeared on our website. We’ve updated the information and republished the article.
Source: Android Planet