shortcutsguide

Gmail Keyboard Shortcuts

Gmail's shortcuts are off by default — turn them on, then these single-key moves let you triage mail without touching the mouse.

ActionMacWindows
Compose new email c c
Compose in a new tab d d
Search mail / /
Reply r r
Reply in a new window ⇧r Shift+r
Reply all a a
Reply all in a new window ⇧a Shift+a
Forward f f
Forward in a new window ⇧f Shift+f
Archive conversation e e
Delete # #
Report as spam ! !
Mute conversation m m
Snooze b b
Mark as read ⇧i Shift+i
Mark as unread ⇧u Shift+u
Mark as important = =
Mark as not important - -
Star / rotate among stars s s
Add a label l l
Move to (label + archive) v v
Undo last action z z
Send email ⌘⏎ Ctrl+Enter
Open conversation o or ⏎ o or Enter
Back to conversation list u u
Next message (down) j j
Previous message (up) k k
Select conversation x x
Newer conversation (in thread) p p
Older conversation (in thread) n n
Select all conversations * then a * then a
Deselect all * then n * then n
Select read * then r * then r
Select unread * then u * then u
Select starred * then s * then s
Go to Inbox g then i g then i
Go to Starred g then s g then s
Go to Sent g then t g then t
Go to Drafts g then d g then d
Go to All Mail g then a g then a
Go to Contacts g then c g then c
Go to a label g then l g then l
Add cc recipients ⌘⇧c Ctrl+Shift+c
Add bcc recipients ⌘⇧b Ctrl+Shift+b
Insert a link ⌘k Ctrl+k
Bold ⌘b Ctrl+b
Italic ⌘i Ctrl+i
Underline ⌘u Ctrl+u
Numbered list ⌘⇧7 Ctrl+Shift+7
Bulleted list ⌘⇧8 Ctrl+Shift+8
Remove formatting ⌘\ Ctrl+\

Turn them on first

Gmail ships with keyboard shortcuts disabled. Open Settings ▸ See all settings ▸ General ▸ Keyboard shortcuts ▸ On and save. Once enabled, most actions are a single keystroke — no modifier needed — because Gmail listens whenever your cursor isn't in a text field.

The triage combo

The fastest inbox-zero loop is j to move down the list, e to archive, and x to batch-select. Learn g i (go to inbox) and g s (go to starred) and you can navigate the whole app without touching the sidebar.

Two-key sequences (g and *)

Gmail uses sequences, not chords. Press g, release, then i for Inbox — you never hold both. The * menu works the same way for bulk selection: * then u selects every unread conversation, then a single e archives the lot. This is where power users get their speed: select-by-state, then one action key.

Mac vs Windows

Single-key navigation shortcuts (c, r, e, j, k, x) are identical on both platforms. The only difference is inside the compose window, where formatting and send commands use ⌘ on macOS and Ctrl on Windows — for example ⌘⏎ vs Ctrl+Enter to send, and ⌘b vs Ctrl+b to bold.

FAQ

Why do my Gmail shortcuts do nothing?

They're disabled by default. Go to Settings ▸ General ▸ Keyboard shortcuts and switch them On, then save. They also only fire when your cursor is outside a text field.

What does 'g then i' mean?

Press g, release it, then press i. Gmail uses two-key sequences (g i = go to inbox, g s = starred, g t = sent) rather than holding both keys at once.

Can I see the full list inside Gmail?

Yes — with shortcuts enabled, press Shift+? anywhere in Gmail to open the complete shortcut reference overlay.

How do I select all unread emails at once?

Press * then u to select every unread conversation on the page, then press e to archive or # to delete them in one action.

Do Gmail shortcuts work the same on Mac and Windows?

The single-key navigation and action shortcuts (c, r, e, j, k, x, and the g-sequences) are identical. Only the compose-window formatting and send commands differ: macOS uses ⌘, Windows uses Ctrl.