Gmail - Shortcuts

CA Manish K Dhoot (CA, B. Com, NCFM, CPCM) (5015 Points)

07 March 2011  

 

Shortcut Key Definition Action
c Compose Allows you to compose a new message. <Shift> + callows you to compose a message in a new window.
/ Search Puts your cursor in the search box.
k Move to newer conversation Opens or moves your cursor to a more recent conversation. You can hit<Enter> to expand a conversation.
j Move to older conversation Opens or moves your cursor to the next oldest conversation. You can hit<Enter> to expand a conversation.
n Next message Moves your cursor to the next message. You can hit<Enter> to expand or collapse a message. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
p Previous message Moves your cursor to the previous message. You can hit <Enter> to expand or collapse a message. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
o or <Enter> Open Opens your conversation. Also expands or collapses a message if you are in 'Conversation View.'
u Return to conversation list Refreshes your page and returns you to the inbox, or list of conversations.
e Archive Archive your conversation from any view.
m Mute Archives the conversation, and all future messages skip the Inbox unless sent or cc'd directly to you.Learn more.
x Select conversation Automatically checks and selects a conversation so that you can archive, apply a label, or choose an action from the drop-down menu to apply to that conversation.
s Star a message or conversation Adds or removes a star to a message or conversation. Stars allow you to give a message or conversation a special status.
+ Mark as important Helps Gmail learn what's important to you by marking misclassified messages. (Specific to Priority Inbox)
- Mark as unimportant Helps Gmail learn what's not important to you by marking misclassified messages. (Specific to Priority Inbox)
! Report spam Marks a message as spam and removes it from your conversation list.
r Reply Replies to the message sender. <Shift> + r allows you to reply to a message in a new window. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
a Reply all Replies to all message recipients. <Shift> +aallows you to reply to all message recipients in a new window. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
f Forward Forwards a message.<Shift> + f allows you to forward a message in a new window. (Only applicable in 'Conversation View.')
<Esc> Escape from input field Removes the cursor from your current input field.

<Ctrl> + s

 Save draft

Saves the current text as adraft when composing a message. Hold the <Ctrl>key while pressing s and make sure your cursor is in one of the text fields -- either the composition pane, or any of the To, CC, BCC, or Subject fields -- when using this shortcut.

#

 Delete

Moves the conversation to Trash.

l

 Label

Opens the Labels menu to label a conversation.

v

 Move to

Moves the conversation from the inbox to a different label, Spam or Trash.
<Shift> + i Mark as read Marks your message as 'read' and skip to the next message.
<Shift> + u Mark as unread Marks your message as 'unread' so you can go back to it later.
[ Archive and previous Removes the current view's label from your conversation and moves to the previous one.
] Archive and next Removes the current view's label from your conversation and moves to the next one.
z Undo Undoes your previous action, if possible (works for actions with an 'undo' link).
<Shift> + n Update current conversation Updates your current conversation when there are new messages.
q Move cursor to chat search Moves your cursor directly to the chat search box.
y Remove from Current View*
 Automatically removes the message or conversation from your current view.
  • From 'Inbox,' 'y' means Archive
  • From 'Starred,' 'y' means Unstar
  • From 'Trash,' 'y' means Move to inbox
  • From any label, 'y' means Remove the label
* 'y' has no effect if you're in 'Spam,' 'Sent,' or 'All Mail.'
. Show more actions Displays the 'More Actions' drop-down menu.
<Ctrl> + <Down arrow> Opens options in Chat
  • <Ctrl> + <Down arrow> moves from edit field in your chat window to select the 'Video and more' menu
  • Next, press <Tab> to select the emoticon menu
  • Press <Enter> to open the selected menu
? Show keyboard shortcuts help Displays the keyboard shortcuts help menu within any page you're on. (Note: Typing ? will display the help menu even if you don't have keyboard shortcuts enabled)
k

Move up a contact

Moves your cursor up in your contact list
j

 

Move down a contact

Moves your cursor down in your contact list
o or <Enter>

 

Open

Opens the contact with the cursor next to it.

u

Return to contact list view

Refreshes your page and returns you to the contact list.

e

Remove from Current Group

Removes selected contacts from the group currently being displayed.

x

Select contact

Checks and selects a contact so that you can change group membership or choose an action from the drop-down menu to apply to the contact.

<Esc>

Escape from input field

Removes the cursor from the current input

#

Delete

Deletes a contact permanently

l

Group membership

Opens the groups button to group contacts

z

Undo

Reverses your previous action, if possible (works for actions with an 'undo' link)

.

Show more actions

Opens the "More actions" drop-down menu.

 

Combo-keys - Use the following combinations of keys to navigate through Gmail.

Shortcut Key Definition Action
<Tab> then <Enter> Send message After composing your message, use this combination to send it automatically. (Supported in Internet Explorer and Firefox, on Windows.)
y then o Archive and next Archives your conversation and moves to the next one.
g then a Go to 'All Mail' Takes you to 'All Mail,' the storage site for all mail you've ever sent or received (and have not deleted).
g then s Go to 'Starred' Takes you to all conversations you have starred.
g then c Go to 'Contacts' Takes you to your Contacts list.
g then d Go to 'Drafts' Takes you to all drafts you have saved.
g then l Go to 'Label' Takes you to the search box with the "label:" operator filled in for you.
g then i Go to 'Inbox' Returns you to the inbox.
g then t Go to 'Sent Mail' Takes you to all mail you've sent.
* then a Select all Selects all mail.
* then n Select none Deselects all mail.
* then r Select read Selects all mail you've read.
* then u Select unread Selects all unread mail.
* then s Select starred Selects all starred mail.
* then t Select unstarred Selects all unstarred mail.