Gmail 10 Best Features You May Not Know
Gmail is packed with features that can enhance productivity and improve your email management. Here are 10 of the best Gmail features you may not know about:
1. Confidential Mode
Gmail’s Confidential Mode allows you to send emails that self-destruct after a set period. You can also restrict the recipient’s ability to forward, copy, print, or download the email.
How to Use: Click the lock-and-clock icon in the email composition window to set an expiration date and add a passcode.
2. Schedule Send
This feature lets you schedule emails to be sent at a later time or date, perfect for reaching people in different time zones or sending reminders.
How to Use: Click the arrow next to the "Send" button and choose "Schedule send," then select your desired date and time.
3. Smart Compose
Smart Compose helps you write emails faster by offering predictive text suggestions as you type. It learns from your writing style and can complete sentences for you.
How to Use: Start typing an email, and suggested text will appear in light gray. Press "Tab" to accept the suggestion.
4. Undo Send
Accidentally sent an email? The "Undo Send" feature gives you a brief window to recall it before it reaches the recipient.
How to Use: After sending an email, a notification will appear at the bottom left of the screen with the option to "Undo." You can adjust the undo time window (5 to 30 seconds) in Settings > General.
5. Canned Responses
If you often send similar emails, Canned Responses (now called "Templates") can save you time by allowing you to insert pre-written text with a few clicks.
How to Use: Enable "Templates" in Gmail’s Advanced Settings, then create and save frequently used email templates. Insert them by clicking the three dots in the email compose window and selecting "Templates."
6. Email Snooze
Snooze emails to temporarily remove them from your inbox and have them reappear later, so you can deal with them when you’re ready.
How to Use: Hover over an email in your inbox, click the clock icon, and select when you want the email to reappear.
7. Find Emails by Size
If you need to free up space in your inbox, Gmail allows you to search for emails based on their size.
How to Use: In the search bar, type size:5MB (or whatever size you’re looking for) to find large emails.
8. Search Filters and Advanced Search
Gmail’s advanced search filters help you find specific emails more quickly, using criteria like sender, subject, keywords, and date range.
How to Use: Click the down arrow in the search bar to open the advanced search options, or use search operators like from:, to:, subject:, and has:attachment.
9. Tasks Integration
Gmail integrates with Google Tasks, allowing you to create to-do lists and link emails to specific tasks.
How to Use: Open an email, click the "Add to Tasks" icon (a checkmark), and a task will be created in the sidebar with a link to the email.
10. Multiple Inboxes
For power users, Multiple Inboxes let you split your inbox into multiple sections, each displaying different types of emails based on labels, searches, or stars.
How to Use: Go to Settings > Inbox > Inbox type, and select "Multiple Inboxes." Customize each section by defining search queries or labels.
These features can help you manage your emails more efficiently, streamline your workflow, and ensure that you’re getting the most out of Gmail.
