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 80+ shortcuts below can basically satisfy common tasks on this application.

List of the most useful keyboard shortcuts on Gmail

Quick navigation

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

Read emails

1. R key: Answer
2. Key F: Forward
3. M key: Mute conversation
4. N key: Next message in an open chat
5. P key: Previous message in open chat
6. Z key: Undo the last action
7. Key B: Snooze
8. Key V: Open the Move To menu
9. L key: Open the label as a menu
10. X key: Select or deselect a highlighted email/conversation (blue cursor mark in front)
11. S key: Star or unstar an email/conversation
12. Key E: Store conversations
13. Key ! : Mark the email as junk mail and move it out of the mailbox.
14. Key #: Delete message.
15. , (Comma) key: Move focus to the toolbar
16. Key - (Minus): Mark as unimportant
17. Key = (Equal): Mark as important
18. Key ; (Semicolon): Expand the entire conversation
19. Key: (Colon): Collapse the entire conversation
20. _ (Underline) key: Mark open messages as unread
21. [ key: Stores the conversation and goes to the previous message
22. ] key: Stores the conversation and moves to the next message
23. Shift + R key: Reply in a new window
24. Shift + A key: Reply all in a new window
25. Shift + F key: Forward in new window
26. Shift + I key: Mark as read
27. Shift + U key: Mark as unread
28. Shift + N key: Update conversation
29. Shift + T key: Add conversation to Tasks

Compose emails

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

Email format

1. Cmd/Ctrl + B key: Bold
2. Cmd/Ctrl + I key: Italics
3. Cmd/Ctrl + U key: Underline
4. Cmd/Ctrl + [: Indent less
5. Cmd/Ctrl + ] key: Indent further
6. Cmd/Ctrl + key: Delete formatting
7. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 7: Numbered list
8. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 8: Bulleted list
9. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 9: Quote
10. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + E: Center
11. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + L: Align left
12. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + R: Align right
13. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 5: Previous font
14. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + 6: Next font
15. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + + key: Increase text size
16. Shift + Cmd/Ctrl + -: Reduce text size

Select conversation

1. Key * + A: Select all conversations
2. Key * + N: Deselect all conversations
3. Key * + S: Select a starred conversation
4. Keys * + T: Select an unstarred conversation
5. Key * + R: Select a read conversation
6. 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!