Gmail basics

1.1 Create and send email

1. Open Gmail.

2. On the left sidebar, click COMPOSE. A new email opens near the bottom corner of your Gmail window.

3. (Optional) Change your windows using the buttons in the upper corner.

4. Add recipients and a subject.

5. Enter your message. Email you start writing but don't send are saved in Drafts, on the left.

6. (Optional) Add attachments, links, images and more.

7. Click Send

1.2 See new email

Unread email are bold. To open an email, click it.

By default, replies to email are grouped into conversations. Keeping all email together in a thread makes it easier to keep track of the email conversation and saves space in your inbox.

If you prefer to separate your existing email from future email, you can turn off conversation view.

Turn off conversation view: 

• 1.  In the top right, click settings > Settings.

  2.  In the General tab, scroll to Conversation View and select Conversation view off.

  3.  At the bottom, click Save Changes

1.3 Reply to  email

• 1.  To reply to a single email or the last email in a thread, click Reply.

  2.  Te reply to an email within a thread, click  Reply.

  3. To forward a single email or the last email in a thread, click Forward.

  4. To forward an email within a thread, click More > Forward.

  5.  To see previous email in a thread, click Show trimmed content.

  6. To forward an entire conversation, at the top, click More > Forward all.

  7. To use a Smart Reply, at the bottom of the email, click a suggested reply. You can then edit the email before sending it.

You might see existing email at the top of your inbox with a suggestion to reply or follow up. To hide these suggestions, click Settings > Settings, in the General tab, scroll down to Nudges and uncheck the boxes. 

1.4 Change recipients

Add and remove recipients:

• 1.  From an open email, click a recipient's address.

  2. To add more recipients, type their email address.

  3. To remove recipients, next to their email address, click Remove.

Change en Email subject:

• 1. Next to Type of response, click the Down arrow > Edit subject.

  2. Type a new subject.

1.5 Save and print attachments

When someone sends you an attachment, such as a photo or document, you see a preview of the attachment in the email.

• See a full-screen view and print: Click the attachment to open a full-screen view. To print, click Print.

• Download an image or save it to Drive: Point to the preview and click Download  or Save to Drive.

1.6 Email without an internet connection

Chrome Browser only:

Use Gmail offline to read, respond to, and search your Gmail messages when you aren't connected to the internet. Any email you write, archive, label, or delete while you're offline will be sent or moved when you’re back online.

When you enable Gmail offline on a device, your messages sync with the browser's storage on the computer you're using. Enable Gmail offline on each device for which you want offline access.

Enable Gmail offline:

• 1.  In the top right, go to Settings.

  2.  Go to the Offline tab and check the Enable offline mail box.

  3. (Optional) Next to the Sync settings, choose how many days of email you want to store offline.

  4.  Next to Security, choose whether to keep or remove offline data on your device.

  5.  Click Save Changes.

1.7 Turn your vacation responder on or off

• 1.  In the top right, go to Settings.

  2.  Scroll down to Vacation responder and select Vacation responder on or Vacations responder off.

  3. At the bottom, click Save Changes.

2.1 Switch to labels from folder 

In other email programs, you might have stored email in folders. In Gmail, you use labels to categorize your email. Labels are like folders, but with a twist—you can apply several labels to an email, then later find the email by clicking any of its labels from the left panel. 

You can also:

• • Open a label in the left sidebar to see all email with that label.

  • Nest labels within labels.

  • Search for all email with a label.

  • Set up your inbox as you prefer:

    • See labels on email in your inbox to quickly identify different types of email.

    • Auto-archive email to route it away from your inbox, as you did with rules and folders.

2.2 Create labels

• 1. Create a label:

     1. In the top right go to settings

     2. Click on the Labels tab.

     3. Scroll to the labes section and click Create new label.

     4.  Enter the label name and click Create.

  2. Create a label from a email:

• • 1.  From an email, click Labels > Create new

    2. Enter the label name and click Create.

    3. (Optional) Click Nested label under and choose an existing label to place it under.

The new label automatically applies to your email.

2.3 Apply labels

• 1. Apply labels to email:

     1. In your inbox, check the boxes next to the email you want to apply a label to.

     2. Click Labels.

     3. Check the boxes next to the labels you want to add and click Apply.

  2. Add a colour to a label:

     1. In the left panel, point to a label and click More.

     2. Point to Label color and choose a color. Or, click Add custom color.

     3. (Optional) To remove a label color, point to Label color and click Remove color.

     4. (Optional) To see all email with a particular label, in the left panel, click the label’s name.

  3. Move email from your inbox to a label:

     1. In Your inbox, check the boxes nest to the email you want to move into a label.

     2. Click Move to.

     3. Click the label you want to move your email to.

2.4 Add filters

Manage your incoming email automatically with Gmail's filters.

• 1. In the Gmail search box, click the Down arrow.

  2.  Enter your search criteria, then click Create filter.

  3. Check the Apply the label box and choose a label to automatically sort incoming email fitting your search criteria.

  4. (Optional) If you’d like email fitting your search criteria to be automatically moved out of your inbox, but want to be able to access them later, check Skip the Inbox (Archive it).

  5. Click Create filter.

2.5  Star important email

Want to flag an important email? Click Star, next to an email in your inbox or an email within a conversation.

To see all your starred email, in the left sidebar, click Starred.

2.6 Snooze email

Postpone email to a future date or time that's more convenient for you. 

• 1. Point to an email.

  2. On the right, click Snooze.

  3. Under Snooze until, choose a time. The email automatically snoozes and moves out of your inbox.

  4. (Optional) To see all snoozed email, click Snoozed in the left sidebar.

2.7 Archive or delete email

Archived email move out of your inbox but stay under All mail, so that you can find them later. Deleted email move to the Trash and get permanently deleted after 30 days.  

To archive or delete email, select one or more email. At the top, click Archive or Delete. Or, you can point to a single email and click Archive or Delete. 

3.1 Search your inbox

Archived email move out of your inbox but stay under All mail, so that you can find them later. Deleted email move to the Trash and get permanently deleted after 30 days.  

To archive or delete email, select one or more email. At the top, click Archive or Delete. Or, you can point to a single email and click Archive or Delete. 

3.2 Narrow your search

To narrow your search, at the right of the Gmail search box, click the Down arrow.

You can add a specific criteria. for an example, you can find an email from Alice that has an attachment within a particular time frame.

To read on how to use advanced search, click here.

4.1 Create a signature

Your signature can include your name, title, and contact information. 

• • 1.  Click Settings and select Settings.

    2.  On the General tab, scroll down to the Signature section and create your signature.

    3. (Optional) Use the format bar to add text colors, styles, links, or a picture.

    4. At the bottom, click Save Changes.

5.1 Open your Google Calendar and events

• • • Open Calendar: On the right, click Calendar

    • See event details: Click an event to open it and see details.

    • Reply to an event: Open an event. At the bottom, next to Going?, click a reply.

5.2 Open notes in Google Keep

• • • Open Keep: On the right, click Keep.

    • Add a note or list: Click on Take a note or New list.

    • Edit a note: Click a note and enter a message, Click Done.

5.3 Open your to-do lists in Google Tasks

• • • Open Tasks: On the right, click Tasks . The current list appears at the top, with any tasks below it.

    • Add a new list: Click the Down arrow > Create a new list.

    • Change lists: Click the Down arrow and select a list.

    • Add a new task: Click + Add a task. To add a new task from an email, drag the email into a task list.

    • Edit or delete a task: Point to a task and click Edit. From the Edit window, click Delete to delete a task.

6.1 Schedule emails to send

1. On your computer, go to Gmail .

2. At the top left, click  Compose.

3. Create your email.

4. At the bottom left next to "Send," click the Down arrow .

5. Click Schedule send.

Note: You can have up to 100 scheduled emails.

6.2 View or change scheduled emails

1. On your computer, go to Gmail .

2. At the left panel, click Scheduled Scheduled.

3. Select the email you want to change.

4. At the top right of your email, click Cancel send.

5. Create your changes.

6. At the bottom left next to "Send," click the Down arrow More send options.

7. Click Schedule send and select a new date and time.

6.3 Cancel scheduled emails

1. On your computer, go to Gmail.

2. At the left panel, click Scheduled .

3. Select the email you want to cancel.

4. At the top right of your email, click Cancel send.

Note: When you cancel a scheduled email, it becomes a draft.

7.1 Sending confidentially 

1. On your computer, go to Gmail.

2. Click  Compose.

3. In the bottom right of the window, click Turn on confidential mode Turn on confidential mode.

4. Tip: If you've already turned on confidential mode for an email, go to the bottom of the email, then click Edit.

5. Set an expiration date and passcode. These settings impact both the message text and any attachments. 

• If you choose "No SMS passcode," recipients using the Gmail app will be able to open it directly. Recipients who don't use Gmail will get emailed a passcode.

• If you choose "SMS passcode," recipients will get a passcode by text message. Make sure you enter the recipient's phone number, not your own.

• Click Save.

7.2 Remove access early

You can stop your recipient from viewing the email before the expiration date.

1. On your computer, open Gmail.

2. On the left, click Sent.

3. Open the confidential email.

4. Click Remove access.

7.3 Open an email sent with confidential mode

If the sender used confidential mode to send the email:

• You can view the message and attachments until the expiration date or until the sender removes access.

• Options to copy, paste, download, print, and forward the message text and attachments will be disabled.

• You might need to enter a passcode to open the email.

I'm using a Gmail account

1. Open the email.

2. If sender does not require a SMS passcode:

   • If you use the latest Gmail apps (web or mobile), you will directly see the email when you open it.

   • If you use another email client, open the email, click on the link View the email and sign in with your Google credentials to view the message.

3. If sender requires a SMS passcode:

4. Select Send passcode.

5. Check your text message for the passcode.

6. Enter the passcode, then select Submit.

I'm using another email account

1. Open the email. Select the link View the email.

2. A new page will open. Select Send passcode.

   • Check your text messages or email for the passcode.

   • Enter the passcode, then select Submit.