80+ most useful Gmail shortcuts

If you are a keyboard user, the Gmail shortcuts below will definitely be very useful. In fact, Gmail has hundreds of shortcuts, but just the 15 shortcuts below can basically satisfy common tasks on this application.

If you are a keyboard user, the Gmail shortcuts below will definitely be very useful. In fact, Gmail has hundreds of shortcuts, but just the 80+ shortcuts below can basically satisfy common tasks on this application.

List of the most useful keyboard shortcuts on Gmail

Quick navigation

G + I key: Open the Inbox mailbox.
G + A key: Go to All Mail, displaying all you have sent or received (except emails that have been deleted or marked as spam).
G + C key: Open contacts.
G + T key: Open sent emails.
G + D key: Go to Drafts (Spam)
G + K key: Go to Tasks
G + S key: Go to Starred conversations (Starred)
G + B key: Go to Snoozed messages (Snoozed)
G + L keys: Start searching for labels
G + N key: Go to the next page
G + P key: Go to the previous page
U key: Return to the topic list
J key: Go to an older email.
Key K: Go to a newer email.
` (Backspace) key: Go to the next Inbox section
~ key (tilde): Go to the previous Inbox section
Key . (Period): Opens the More menu
Key /: Move the cursor to the search text box.

Read emails

R key: Answer
Key F: Forward
M key: Mute conversation
N key: Next message in an open chat
P key: Previous message in open chat
Z key: Undo the last action
Key B: Snooze
Key V: Open the Move To menu
L key: Open the label as a menu
X key: Select or deselect a highlighted email/conversation (blue cursor mark in front)
S key: Star or unstar an email/conversation
Key E: Store conversations
Key ! : Mark the email as junk mail and move it out of the mailbox.
Key #: Delete message.
, (Comma) key: Move focus to the toolbar
Key - (Minus): Mark as unimportant
Key = (Equal): Mark as important
Key ; (Semicolon): Expand the entire conversation
Key: (Colon): Collapse the entire conversation
_ (Underline) key: Mark open messages as unread
[ key: Stores the conversation and goes to the previous message
] key: Stores the conversation and moves to the next message
Shift + R key: Reply in a new window
Shift + A key: Reply all in a new window
Shift + F key: Forward in new window
Shift + I key: Mark as read
Shift + U key: Mark as unread
Shift + N key: Update conversation
Shift + T key: Add conversation to Tasks

Compose emails

Key C: Compose a new email. Pressing Shift + C will open a separate window to compose a new email.
Key D: Compose email in a new tab
Esc key: Focus on the latest conversation or compose a message
Cmd/Ctrl + K key: Insert link
Cmd/Ctrl + M key: Open spelling suggestions
Cmd + ;: Go to the next misspelled word (Mac only)
Cmd/Ctrl key + Enter: Send
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + B: Add BCC recipient
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + C: Add CC recipients
Shift + Esc: Focus on the main window
Ctrl + .: Switch to the next conversation or compose a message
Ctrl + , key: Move to the previous conversation or compose a message
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + F: Access custom words
Enter key: Open the highlighted email

Email format

Cmd/Ctrl + B key: Bold
Cmd/Ctrl + I key: Italics
Cmd/Ctrl + U key: Underline
Cmd/Ctrl + [: Indent less
Cmd/Ctrl + ] key: Indent further
Cmd/Ctrl + key: Delete formatting
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 7: Numbered list
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 8: Bulleted list
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 9: Quote
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + E: Center
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + L: Align left
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + R: Align right
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 5: Previous font
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 6: Next font
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + + key: Increase text size
Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + -: Reduce text size

Select conversation

Key * + A: Select all conversations
Key * + N: Deselect all conversations
Key * + S: Select a starred conversation
Keys * + T: Select an unstarred conversation
Key * + R: Select a read conversation
Key * + U: Select unread conversation

Once you've mastered these Gmail keyboard shortcuts, you can take your email efficiency one step further by installing browser extensions for Gmail. There are plenty of extensions available from third-party developers, allowing you to send voice notes, pause your inbox, etc. You'll wonder how you ever lived without they!

Good luck!