8 Gmail Tips More Users Ought to Utilize
Gmail is the most popular free email service provider. However, just because it is popular, it does not mean that all users are making the most out of their inbox or are tech-savvy enough to avoid certain issues.
The purpose of this article is to provide valuable information for both new and veteran Gmail users. For the former, it is expected that they are missing some crucial details, whereas the veteran demographic might not have bothered learning about Gmail even though they should have.
Problems With Sending Emails
Let’s start with the basics. As a rule of thumb, you should not have problems sending emails so long as you have an internet connection.
Nevertheless, the issue still occurs. And it is not something exclusive to Gmail. You have the same problems with other services that send texts or emails. For instance, imessages not sending on mac or Messages not working on an Android mobile device, to name a couple of examples.
So, what should you do if you cannot send an email via Gmail? For starters, check whether the recipient’s email address is correct.
Next, clear cache and other temporary junk so that it does not get in the way. You might also need to log out and log in again to the Gmail account.
Gmail Search
If there are more emails in your inbox than you can count, it is natural that navigating through them is challenging.
To make things easier, you should make the most out of the search feature. Even if you need to access an email from years ago, you should be able to find it so long as you did not delete it. Just enter a relevant keyword into the search bar, and you are good.
And if you want to make it even better, apply filters so that you can narrow down your search to specific dates or emails that have attachments.
Spam Folder
Thanks to how smart modern email services are, you are less likely to receive shady emails. Instead, these messages get blocked or end up in the spam folder, which is also great for the overall storage in the inbox.
You need to keep an eye on the email spam, though. Sometimes, even the “good” emails end up in there for one reason or another.
If you are expecting an important email from someone, but it is not coming, be sure to check the spam folder first before you send a follow-up. And use this tip as a rule of thumb not just for Gmail but also for other ESPs you might be using.
Scheduling
Sometimes, you might need to send an email at a particular time, but the odds are you might forget it. Or what if your recipient is in a different time zone, and they might miss an email due to the volume they receive every day? Scheduling for a time they are most likely to check the inbox makes a lot of sense.
You can utilize the scheduling tool Gmail has. The feature also offers the implementation of custom time zone support that aligns with your contacts, which makes it even easier to send scheduled emails.
Smart Compose
If you are someone who has to type a lot and there are certain patterns in your emails, you should consider enabling the Smart Compose feature.
To do that, click on the Settings tab of your Gmail account and scroll down until you see the Smart Compose option. Click on it and enable writing suggestions.
For those who have to send identical emails with a few modifications, creating templates is also a worthwhile solution. Templates will save you even more time than Smart Compose.
Spell Checker
The built-in spell checker should be another thing that you need to use more often. Before you submit an email, it is recommended to check for spelling and other typos. Leaving mistakes makes you look like less of a professional.
If you want to take the extra mile, install the Grammarly extension to your Google Chrome and enable it in Gmail.
Multiple Accounts and Syncing
You can use multiple accounts simultaneously. To do that, login using the credentials, and you are free to switch by clicking on the profile button at the top-right corner of the screen.
Keep note, though, that there will still be a “primary” Gmail account that syncs on different devices, so be sure to set the right one.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Gmail has a few useful shortcuts that you should consider memorizing. Some of the best examples include:
- (e) to archive selected emails
- (g + k) to access tasks
- (f) to forward
- (j) to jump to the previous email
- (m) to mute the conversation
- (Command + k) to insert a link into a selected anchor text
- (Command + Shift + 8) to insert bullet points
It might take a while to memorize relevant keyboard shortcuts, but the effort is worth it, given how much time you can save.