Gmail Shortcuts Cheat Sheet (Ultimate Guide 2025)

Learn every Gmail keyboard shortcut you need in 2025. From basic navigation to advanced actions, this cheat sheet helps you process emails 10x faster.

Your inbox is probably eating up more time than you realize. Research shows the average person sends about 27 emails per day, which easily translates to over 2 hours spent in the inbox daily. Some professionals report spending 50% of their entire workday just on email.

That's not sustainable.

Gmail keyboard shortcuts can change that equation dramatically. Instead of reaching for your mouse to archive, delete, or reply to each message, you execute these actions with a single keystroke. Those seconds saved on each email add up fast when you're processing dozens (or hundreds) of messages. This guide covers every Gmail shortcut you need to know in 2025, from basic navigation to advanced time-savers that'll help you reach inbox zero efficiently.

How to Enable Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts

Most Gmail shortcuts won't work until you enable them. Here's how:

① Open Gmail on your computer and click the Settings gear icon

② Choose "See all settings"

③ Find the "Keyboard shortcuts" section in the General tab

④ Select "Keyboard shortcuts on"

⑤ Scroll down and click Save Changes

Now Gmail's single-key shortcuts will work. Multi-key combinations like Ctrl+Enter for sending work regardless of this setting, but one-letter shortcuts like E for archive require enabling.

Pro Tip: You can customize which keys do what. Enable Custom Keyboard Shortcuts under the Advanced tab in Settings, save, then visit the new Keyboard Shortcuts tab to remap keys. The customization interface lets you change any shortcut that doesn't feel intuitive (though each key can only be assigned to one action).

If you ever forget a shortcut while working, press ? (Shift + /) inside Gmail to open the keyboard shortcuts help menu. It lists every shortcut and provides a one-click way to enable them if you haven't already.

Gmail's shortcuts work on desktop only. The mobile app doesn't support keyboard shortcuts unless you're using an external keyboard with a tablet or phone.

Gmail Navigation Shortcuts: How to Move Through Emails Faster

These shortcuts help you move through Gmail without touching your mouse:

j – Select the next (older) conversation in your list. Think "jump down" in the inbox.

k – Select the previous (newer) conversation. This moves the highlight up for newer emails. (J and K are used in many apps for up/down navigation.)

o or Enter – Open the currently selected conversation. If a conversation is highlighted in the inbox, this opens the email thread. Press it again to expand/collapse messages in conversation view.

u – Go back to the thread list from an open email. This is your back button, closing the conversation and returning to inbox view.

n – In an open conversation, jump to the next message in the thread.

p – In an open conversation, jump to the previous message. Use p and n to cycle through messages when reading long email chains.

; – Expand all messages in a conversation. When viewing a threaded conversation, this shortcut expands all hidden older messages so you can scroll and read the entire thread.

: – Collapse all messages in a conversation, showing only the latest. Helpful for decluttering long threads.

` (Backtick) – Jump to the next inbox section. If you use Gmail's multiple inboxes or category tabs (Primary, Social, etc.), this navigates between them. Pro tip: Inbox Zero Tabs for Gmail extends this functionality with custom tabs.

~ (Tilde) – Jump to the previous inbox section.

These navigation shortcuts make scanning your inbox incredibly fast. You might hit j j o in sequence: j/j moves down two conversations, o opens the second one. All in under a second, no mouse required.

How to Select and Organize Emails in Gmail

Gmail provides shortcuts to select emails for batch actions and toggle states like stars:

Shortcut	Action	Use Case
x	Select current conversation	Check the box for batch actions
* then a	Select all on current page	Grab everything visible in inbox or search results
* then n	Deselect all	Clear selections if you selected too many
* then r	Select all read conversations	Target read messages only
* then u	Select all unread conversations	Grab all new emails quickly
* then s	Select all starred	Get your important emails
* then t	Select all unstarred	The opposite of starred selection

s – Star the current conversation or toggle its star status. If you use Gmail's star system for important items, this is your quick-mark shortcut.

+ or = – Mark selected conversations as Important. Gmail will highlight the yellow "Important" marker on the thread.

- – Mark selected conversations as Not important, removing the tag.

, (Comma) – Move focus to the toolbar. When an email is open, press comma then use arrow keys to navigate the action icons at the top, or Tab to cycle through buttons.

You can triage batches of emails swiftly with these. For example: press * then u to select all unread, then Shift + i to mark them read in one go. Or select junk emails and press ! to mark them all as spam. Inbox Zero's AI automation can handle this bulk processing for you automatically.

Gmail Email Action Shortcuts: Archive, Delete, and Manage Messages

Once you've navigated to or selected an email, these one-key actions manage it instantly:

e – Archive the selected conversations. This removes emails from your inbox and moves them to "All Mail" (they're not deleted, just out of sight). Archiving is great for clearing clutter while keeping emails searchable. Learn more about Gmail's All Mail vs Archive.

y – Remove label (in current view). If you're in Inbox, y archives the email (same as e). In Sent or other labels, y removes that label and moves the email out of the current list. Think "clear this from here."

# – Delete the selected conversations (move to Trash). Quick way to trash emails. Be careful though. Once in Trash, messages auto-delete after 30 days.

! – Report spam for selected emails. This moves them to Spam and helps train Gmail's filter. Use this on obvious junk. For automated spam protection, try Inbox Zero's cold email blocker.

m – Mute the conversation. Useful for long threads you don't need to follow. Muting archives the thread and prevents it from coming back to your inbox when new replies arrive. (The conversation stays hidden unless someone emails you directly or you search for it.)

b – Snooze the email. Snooze hides the conversation from the inbox and has it reappear at a later time/date you choose. When you press b, Gmail prompts you to pick when the email should return (like "tomorrow 8AM").

] – Archive and go to next. In one keystroke, this archives the open email and opens the next conversation.

[ – Archive and go to previous. These two shortcuts are fantastic for processing your inbox. Read an email, press ], it's archived and you move on automatically.

z – Undo the last action. Did you accidentally archive or send something? z is your lifesaver. It triggers Gmail's undo for the most recent action (archive, delete, label, or move). Hit it multiple times to step back through actions.

Shift + i – Mark selected messages as read. Removes the bold unread styling.

Shift + u – Mark selected messages as unread. Makes an opened email appear unread again, useful if you want to come back to it later.

_ (Shift + _) – Mark unread from the selected message onward. In a threaded conversation, this leaves the current message and any after it as unread. If you only had time to read 5 of 10 messages, press this on the 6th to keep messages 6-10 highlighted.

Shift + n – Update conversation. If new mail arrived in the thread while you had it open, this fetches the latest messages (essentially a refresh for an open conversation).

Shift + t – Add to Tasks. This adds the email to your Google Tasks list. Convenient way to create a to-do from an email that requires follow-up later. View tasks in the side panel or Google Tasks app.

Using these single-key actions dramatically speeds up inbox processing. Open a newsletter and hit b to snooze it for the evening, or select multiple promo emails and hit # to trash them all. Always remember z (undo) is there if you make a mistake. For comprehensive email management, combine shortcuts with automation.

Gmail Compose and Reply Shortcuts

These shortcuts help you start new emails and reply or forward quickly:

c – Compose a new message. Instantly opens the Gmail compose window (usually at bottom right).

d – Compose in a new tab. Opens a full-screen compose in a separate browser tab, so you can draft while keeping your inbox open in the original tab.

r – Reply to the current email (in the same window). If a conversation is open, this starts a reply to the latest message.

a – Reply all in the current email. Use when you need to reply to everyone on the thread.

f – Forward the current email. Opens a forward message editor for the email you're viewing.

Shift + r – Reply in a new window. Pops out a separate window to compose your reply (useful for keeping other mail visible while writing).

Shift + a – Reply all in a new window (pops out).

Shift + f – Forward in a new window.

Ctrl + Enter (or ⌘ + Enter on Mac) – Send message. When you've finished composing, this is the quick send shortcut (same as clicking the Send button). Use with caution.

Ctrl + Shift + c – Add Cc recipients. Places the cursor into the Cc field.

Ctrl + Shift + b – Add Bcc recipients. Jumps cursor to Bcc field.

Ctrl + Shift + f – Access the "From" address field. If you send from multiple email addresses, this opens the From dropdown so you can pick the sender account.

With these shortcuts, you can start a new email or reply without reaching for the mouse. After reading an email, hit r to start replying immediately, type your message, then Ctrl+Enter to send. All via keyboard. Inbox Zero's AI assistant can even draft replies for you, which you can then edit and send with shortcuts.

Gmail Text Formatting Shortcuts

When composing, Gmail supports rich text formatting. These shortcuts let you format text on the fly (no clicking formatting buttons):

Ctrl + b – Toggle bold formatting

Ctrl + i – Toggle italic formatting

Ctrl + u – Toggle underline formatting

Ctrl + Shift + 7 – Start a numbered list or toggle a highlighted paragraph into one

Ctrl + Shift + 8 – Start a bulleted list

Ctrl + Shift + 9 – Apply quote format (indent as quote). This indents the text to denote a quote section.

Ctrl + [ – Decrease indent (outdent) on current line or selected text

Ctrl + ] – Increase indent on selected text. Use these to adjust list nesting or quote indentation.

Ctrl + Shift + l – Align text left

Ctrl + Shift + e – Align text center

Ctrl + Shift + r – Align text right

Ctrl + \ – Remove formatting from selected text. Strips out bold/italics/colors/etc, returning text to default styling. This can be a lifesaver when formatting goes wrong.

For most users, the bold/italic/underline and list shortcuts are the big time-savers (they mirror common word processor hotkeys). Alignment and indent shortcuts help if you're formatting a more complex email or newsletter-style message.

How to Jump to Different Gmail Sections Instantly

Gmail has quick navigation shortcuts that start with g (for "go") followed by another key. Use these two-key sequences to jump to various Gmail views instantly:

→ g then i – Go to Inbox. No matter where you are (Sent, Drafts, etc.), this brings you back to your main inbox.

→ g then s – Go to Starred messages. Shows all conversations you've starred.

→ g then b – Go to Snoozed conversations. Opens your Snoozed folder (emails you snoozed to reappear later).

→ g then t – Go to Sent messages. Opens your Sent mail folder.

→ g then d – Go to Drafts. Opens your Drafts folder (unsent emails).

→ g then a – Go to All Mail (the archive), where you can see every message in your account (except spam/trash).

→ g then k – Go to Tasks. Opens Google Tasks in the sidebar or standalone tasks view.

→ g then l – Go to a specific Label. This pops up a small label search box. Start typing the label name and hit Enter to jump to that label's view. Quick way to access any custom folder/label (for example, g then l, then type "Finance" to open your Finance label). Learn more about Gmail labels vs folders.

These "go to" shortcuts essentially teleport you around Gmail. Instead of clicking the sidebar, reach any major section with a couple keys. Extremely handy for quickly checking Drafts or Sent items and then returning to Inbox (g + i).

Gmail Search and Help Shortcuts

A couple more keys help with searching and getting help:

/ – Focus the search bar. Wherever you are, pressing forward slash jumps your cursor to Gmail's search box so you can start typing a query. (Small but huge time-saver for those who search frequently.)

? (Shift + /) – Open the keyboard shortcut help dialog. This is Gmail's built-in cheat sheet overlay. It shows all available shortcuts and even indicates which ones require enabling (with a prompt to enable if you haven't already). Think of it as your on-demand reference.

Standard browser shortcuts like copy/paste (Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V) and undo/redo (Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y) work in Gmail when composing, just as they do elsewhere. Gmail also recognizes Tab and Shift + Tab to move between fields when composing. Use Esc to close an open dialog or the compose window (if it's in pop-up mode).

How to Master Gmail Shortcuts: Tips for Faster Email

Learning dozens of shortcuts can feel overwhelming, but you don't need to memorize them all at once. Here's how to become a Gmail power user step by step:

Start with the Most Important Shortcuts

Pick a few high-impact shortcuts and practice those first. Good ones for beginners:

• Navigate and archive using j/k to move between emails and e to archive

• Reply and send with r then Ctrl+Enter

• Search using /

Even just knowing "e for archive" and "r for reply" will save time every single day. Once those become muscle memory, add more to your repertoire (c to compose, # to delete, etc.).

Use Memory Tricks to Remember Shortcuts

Many shortcuts are chosen for their mnemonic value: r for reply, f for forward, a for all (reply all), c for compose, s for star, ? for help. When a key seems non-intuitive (for example, b for snooze), create your own memory trick. Maybe "b for bedtime" (as in, read it later).

Practice with Your Daily Email Routine

Challenge yourself to handle an entire email session with the keyboard. For example:

j (down to a new email) → o (open it) → r (reply) → type your reply → Ctrl+Enter (send) → u (back to inbox) → repeat

It might feel slower the first few times, but soon it becomes second nature and far faster than clicking around.

Use Undo (z) as Your Safety Net

Don't be afraid to try a shortcut for speed. If it does something unintended, just hit z to undo. For instance, if you archived something by accident, z brings it right back. Knowing you can undo mistakes gives you freedom to use shortcuts confidently.

Customize Shortcuts If You Need To

If there are keys you just can't get used to or that conflict with something, use Gmail's custom shortcuts setting to remap them. Some prefer h for archive instead of e or , for compose. Tailor it to what's comfortable, but try the defaults first since they're standard across Gmail help references.

The real payoff: Some users report saving 30+ minutes a day just by cutting out mouse clicks and using shortcuts for routine actions. It's like graduating from hunt-and-peck typing to touch typing for your email.

Beyond Shortcuts: How to Reach Inbox Zero Faster

Keyboard shortcuts are a fantastic productivity booster, but they're just one piece of efficient email management. To truly tame your inbox, consider combining shortcuts with smart tools and strategies.

How to Use Gmail's Advanced Features with Shortcuts

Features like filters, labels, and multiple inbox sections complement your shortcut usage beautifully. Set up filters to auto-label or archive certain emails, then use g + l to quickly jump to those filtered labels. Gmail's multiple inboxes (in Advanced settings) let you have sections like "To-Do" or "Waiting". You can navigate between them with the backtick/tilde shortcuts.

Shortcuts + filters = minimal manual triage.

Try the Inbox Zero Tabs Extension for Gmail

If you want an even more organized Gmail interface, check out Inbox Zero's free Chrome extension Inbox Zero Tabs for Gmail. It lets you add custom Gmail tabs based on any search or label (like a tab for Newsletters, one for To-Reply, etc.), right inside Gmail. It's 100% client-side (no data is sent out) and works beautifully with Gmail's shortcuts.

You can create a "To Reply" tab for emails that need your response, then hit g + l and type "to reply" to jump there instantly. Or simply click the tab. Your choice. This effectively brings the power of Gmail's search operators into an easy tabbed view, so you spend less time searching and more time in action. Learn more about the extension.

How to Automate Repetitive Email Tasks with AI

Even with shortcuts, processing dozens of low-value emails (newsletters, promos, spam) eats up time. Inbox Zero's AI Email Assistant can automatically categorize and clean up those emails for you.

For example, Inbox Zero can auto-archive or label newsletters and promo emails, so you don't even need to press e or # for each one. It's like putting parts of your inbox on autopilot, allowing you to focus on the emails that truly need your attention.

How Inbox Zero works with shortcuts:

You remain in control. The AI just does the heavy lifting in the background:

• Drafting replies for common customer requests

• Filtering cold emails automatically with smart blocking

• Labeling and organizing based on your instructions

Combine this with your shortcut skills, and reaching Inbox Zero becomes much easier. The AI handles the bulk operations, and you use shortcuts to zip through the remaining emails that need human attention.

Get started with Inbox Zero and transform how you handle email.

Complete Gmail Shortcuts Quick Reference

Here's your complete cheat sheet organized by category:

Navigation

Shortcut	Action
j	Next conversation
k	Previous conversation
o or Enter	Open conversation
u	Back to thread list
n	Next message in thread
p	Previous message in thread
;	Expand all messages
:	Collapse all messages
`	Next inbox section
~	Previous inbox section

Selection & Organization

Once you can navigate efficiently, these shortcuts help you select and organize in batches:

Shortcut	Action
x	Select conversation
* then a	Select all
* then n	Deselect all
* then r	Select all read
* then u	Select all unread
* then s	Select all starred
* then t	Select all unstarred
s	Toggle star
+ or =	Mark as important
-	Mark as not important

Email Actions

The most powerful shortcuts for actually doing something with your emails:

Shortcut	Action
e	Archive
y	Remove label/archive
#	Delete
!	Report spam
m	Mute
b	Snooze
]	Archive and next
[	Archive and previous
z	Undo
Shift + i	Mark as read
Shift + u	Mark as unread
Shift + t	Add to Tasks

Compose & Send

Start conversations and reply without reaching for your mouse:

Shortcut	Action
c	Compose
d	Compose in new tab
r	Reply
a	Reply all
f	Forward
Shift + r	Reply in new window
Shift + a	Reply all in new window
Shift + f	Forward in new window
Ctrl/⌘ + Enter	Send message
Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + c	Add Cc
Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + b	Add Bcc
Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + f	Access From field

Formatting

Make your emails look professional while composing:

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl/⌘ + b	Bold
Ctrl/⌘ + i	Italic
Ctrl/⌘ + u	Underline
Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + 7	Numbered list
Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + 8	Bulleted list
Ctrl/⌘ + Shift + 9	Quote format
Ctrl/⌘ + [	Decrease indent
Ctrl/⌘ + ]	Increase indent
Ctrl/⌘ + \	Remove formatting

Go To

Jump instantly to any Gmail section with these two-key combinations:

Shortcut	Action
g then i	Go to Inbox
g then s	Go to Starred
g then b	Go to Snoozed
g then t	Go to Sent
g then d	Go to Drafts
g then a	Go to All Mail
g then k	Go to Tasks
g then l	Go to Label

Search & Help

Your rescue shortcuts when you need to find something or remember a key:

Shortcut	Action
/	Focus search bar
?	Open shortcuts help
Esc	Close dialog/compose

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Gmail shortcuts work on mobile?

No, Gmail's keyboard shortcuts only work on the desktop web version of Gmail. The mobile app doesn't support keyboard shortcuts unless you're using an external keyboard connected to a tablet or phone. For mobile efficiency, you'll need to rely on Gmail's touch gestures (like swipe to archive) instead.

Can I customize Gmail keyboard shortcuts?

Yes. Go to Settings > Advanced and enable Custom Keyboard Shortcuts, then save. A new Keyboard Shortcuts tab will appear in Settings where you can remap any shortcut to different keys. Keep in mind each key can only be assigned to one action, so you'll need to make strategic choices if you want to customize extensively.

Why aren't my Gmail shortcuts working?

The most common reason is that keyboard shortcuts aren't enabled. Go to Settings > General > Keyboard shortcuts and make sure "Keyboard shortcuts on" is selected, then save changes. Another possibility: you're trying to use shortcuts while focused in the compose window's text area. Some shortcuts (like j/k for navigation) don't work while you're typing an email. Press Esc to exit the compose field first.

What's the fastest way to reach inbox zero with shortcuts?

Combine navigation and action shortcuts: use j to move through emails, then immediately press e to archive (or # to delete, ! for spam). For emails needing replies, press r to reply, type quickly, then Ctrl+Enter to send. The ] shortcut (archive and next) is particularly powerful for processing multiple emails rapidly. Tools like Inbox Zero can automate the bulk operations, letting you use shortcuts only for emails that need human attention. Learn more about email management strategies.

Can I use Gmail shortcuts in other email clients?

No, these shortcuts are specific to Gmail's web interface. Other email clients have their own keyboard shortcuts. Outlook, for example, has its own shortcut system. If you use multiple email platforms, you'll need to learn each system's shortcuts separately. Some email clients deliberately mimic Gmail's shortcuts to make switching easier.

How long does it take to memorize Gmail shortcuts?

Most people can memorize the essential shortcuts (j/k for navigation, e for archive, r for reply, c for compose) within a few days of daily practice. Building muscle memory for the full set takes about 2-3 weeks of regular use. Start with just 5-6 shortcuts and add more gradually. Don't try to memorize them all at once. Press ? inside Gmail whenever you forget something to see the built-in reference.

Are there shortcuts for Gmail's AI features?

Gmail's built-in AI features (like Smart Compose and Smart Reply) work automatically as you type, but they don't have dedicated keyboard shortcuts. You can press Tab to accept a Smart Compose suggestion. For more advanced AI features like automatic categorization, reply drafting, and smart filtering, you'll need third-party tools like Inbox Zero, which adds AI automation on top of Gmail while preserving all the native shortcuts. Explore AI email management to learn more.

Can I print this Gmail shortcuts cheat sheet?

Yes. Bookmark this page or print it using your browser's print function (Ctrl/⌘ + P). For a condensed version, check out the Complete Gmail Shortcuts Quick Reference table above. You can also access Gmail's built-in shortcuts reference anytime by pressing ? inside Gmail itself, though it won't have the detailed explanations and tips in this guide.

Final Thoughts

Gmail offers 100+ shortcuts that put almost every action into a simple keystroke. By saving a few seconds on each message, you reclaim minutes (or hours) of your day. Pair these shortcuts with smart inbox management strategies like filtering, batching email sessions, and using tools like Inbox Zero, and that once-overwhelming inbox will turn into an organized, manageable tool that works for you, not against you.

All shortcut information is current as of 2025 and reflects Gmail's latest features (including Snooze and the integrated Google Tasks/side panel). Keep this guide handy (or hit ? in Gmail anytime for a quick reminder) and happy emailing at the speed of thought.

Discover more email productivity tips and see how much time you could be saving with email analytics.