Gmail is one of the most widely used email platforms, but many users aren’t aware of the powerful settings hidden beneath its surface. Tweaking these settings can speed up load times, declutter your inbox, and even enhance your privacy. This article will explore key Gmail settings that can transform your email experience.
At Cloud Sultans, our mission is to help small and large businesses better collaborate and achieve high productivity with their teams by maximizing the power of Google Workspace (formerly G Suite).
Let’s dive into the Gmail settings you should consider changing today!
Turn Off Email Snippets for a Cleaner View 🔄
By disabling email snippets, you can declutter your inbox and focus on subject lines. Sometimes, it is hard to identify the difference between Snippets ON and OFF view so we will show you the right examples for better understanding.
Snippets ON:
Snippets OFF:
To manage the Snippets, you need to visit Gmail settings, find the “Snippets” option under the General tab, and turn it on/off. Keeping it ON helps to see the email content Snippet and keeping it OFF simplifies your view, making email management more efficient by preventing email previews from crowding your inbox.
Enable Auto-Advance for Seamless Workflow 🌐
Auto-advance is perfect for processing emails efficiently. This helps to show the next conversation instead of your inbox after you delete, archive, or mute a conversation. Enable this in Gmail settings under the Advanced tab, then set it to “Go to the next newer conversation.” This lets you work through emails without constantly returning to your inbox.
Enable Keyboard Shortcuts for Lightning-Fast Navigation ⏯
Keyboard shortcuts are a game-changer for Gmail users. Enable them in settings to quickly navigate and manage your inbox. Favorites include:
- Press K to move to the next email.
- Use E to archive and move on.
- Press V to label and archive in one step and many more.
Turn Off Nudges for Less Distraction 🚫
Gmail’s “nudges” aim to remind you about emails you might have missed, but they can be more distracting than helpful.
Disable the “Nudges” settings under the General tab to keep your focus sharp.
Disable Hover Actions for Faster Loading 🛠️
Hover actions can clutter your screen and slow down Gmail’s load time. In the following screenshot, you can see the hover actions highlighted. It is not officially proven that disabling the hover actions will do faster loading as depends on other parameters but as per much feedback from end users, it is observed that disabling hover actions can significantly improve the loading process.
Disabling them removes quick access buttons that appear when hovering over emails. Instead, rely on quicker keyboard shortcuts, as discussed above. You can disable the “Hover actions” feature under the General tab of Gmail settings.
Simplify Labels for a Cleaner Sidebar 🔬
Optimize your label list by hiding unused system labels like “All Mail,” “Spam,” and “Trash.” This keeps your sidebar tidy and ensures that only relevant labels are prominently displayed. You can hide/show the labels under the “Labels” tab in Gmail settings.
Use Templates for Repetitive Emails 🔧
Templates save time for recurring email tasks. Enable this feature in the Advanced tab, then create and save templates for commonly sent emails. The next time you need one, it’s just a few clicks away.
1. You need to first enable the “Templates” option in the Advanced tab. After enabling it, make sure to click on the “Save Changes” option. The Gmail browser will refresh automatically as soon as you click “Save Changes”.
2. Now we will see how to save a template. Click the Gmail compose button and ready your draft by adding the subject line and email body.
3. Click on “More options(three dots)” > Select the “Template” > Save draft as template > Save as new template.
4. Now a pop-up window named “Enter a new template name” will be shown with the subject line which is now used as the Template title. Modify it if required and then click on Save.
5. Now whenever you compose a new email, you can simply click on “More options(three dots)” > Select the “Template” > choose the “Template name”, in this case, it will be “Test Template 2”.
6. As soon as you select the template, the subject and email body will be embedded in the Gmail draft.
We’re not finished yet! There are still many more Gmail features to explore in the second chapter.
Any questions, comments, or reactions about our article? We’re happy to hear them in the comment section below. We always love diving into healthy discussions. If you feel you haven’t been using Google Workspace to its full potential, reach us at Cloud Sultans: contact@cloudsultans.com.
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