In the first chapter, we explored several useful Gmail features, but there’s still more to uncover. This article will guide you through the remaining features to boost your productivity. Let’s dive in and get started!
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 GSuite).
Adjust Your Default Reply Behavior 🖊️
Switching the default reply behavior from “reply all” to “reply” can help prevent accidentally including unnecessary recipients. This small change avoids potential miscommunications and keeps your replies intentional. In your Gmail settings, you can find the Default Reply option under the “General” tab.
Maximize Undo Send Time ⏰
Increase the “Undo Send” period to the maximum 30 seconds. This feature acts as a safety net, allowing you to catch mistakes or rethink an email before it’s sent. To enable this, head to the General tab and adjust the “Undo Send” setting.
Hide Chat and Google Meet for a Minimalistic Layout 🛏
If you prefer using standalone apps for Chat and Meet, disable these sections in Gmail. This eliminates clutter and provides a cleaner interface.
You can go to the “Chat and Meet” tab in Gmail settings to disable the same.
The following screenshot will show you how it looks after you disable the Chat and Meet function in the left side panel. Don’t worry, you can always make it enable again.
Please remember you can continue using Google Chat and Google Meet at chat.google.com or meet.google.com respectively regardless of the above settings.
Create Custom Filters for Better Organization 🗃️
Set up filters to automate email sorting. For example, emails from specific senders can be starred automatically. Let’s learn with an example wherein I wanted to make emails with Star whenever the sender is jeremi@gswift-cloud.com and the subject contains the starting word like “Demo”. I need to follow the below instructions for creating that filter.
In this step, we will define the filter criteria/scope. Click on the Gmail filter > Add the Sender address(jeremi@gswift-cloud.com) in the “From” field > Add the word “Demo” In the subject field and click on the “Create Filter” option.
Now we will define the actions for the specified email in the last step. In this case, we will select the options like “Star it” & “Mark it as important” and Save the filter.
You can always access, edit, and delete your filter in Gmail settings under the “Filters and Blocked Addresses” tab.
Use Themes for a Personalized Experience 🌟
Select a Theme layout that suits your style. A visually appealing inbox can make email management more enjoyable. You can click on the Gmail setting icon and then simply navigate to the “Theme” section wherein you will see the “View all” option.
Click on the View All option, select the theme of your choice, and save it.
Leverage Conversation List Density 💎
Adjust the conversation list density to suit your preferences. Whether you prefer compact or comfortable spacing, this setting helps you find the right balance. Simply click on the Gmail setting and you will find sections named “Density” and pick your style.
Optimize Swipe Actions on Mobile 📞
On Gmail’s mobile app, customize swipe actions to streamline email management. For instance, set the right swipe to archive and the left swipe to delete. This is perfect for organizing emails on the go.
To set the swipe action in your Gmail app(iOS or Android), please click on the “Settings” option from the Gmail sidebar.
Then click on the “General settings” option.
Now carefully navigate to the option named “Email swipe actions” and click on that.
You should see the current configurations for Left & Right swipes. Now you can click on the “Change” option to modify the Left/Right Swipe action.
Now you can select your choice of actions like Archive, Delete, Snooze, etc.
Conclusion: Gmail has many customizable settings to enhance productivity, privacy, and user experience. By tweaking these options, you’ll transform your inbox into an efficient and streamlined tool.
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.
