You’ve got Gmail and it’s clever
The new-look Gmail is here. Here’s our go-to guide for using it, writes Blayne Slabbert.
Gmail is used by millions around the world to stay in touch and sometimes get spammed by companies. One of its best features has been its minimalist design and simple elements that have been in place for about a decade.
But in the past few months, Gmail has rolled out a new look, plus a suite of new features.
People don’t like it when their favourite apps and websites change. It can be stressful using tech and new designs and buttons can cause users to freak out.
However, change in the tech world is constant so here are some tips to get the most out of the newlook Gmail.
How to get it
If you haven’t been prompted by Gmail to give the new version a go you can easily switch over.
Go to the cog on the top right corner and click ‘‘try the new Gmail’’.
If you have a work Gmail account then your administrator will need to enable the new Gmail to opt in.
A new look
Gmail now looks a lot like other products in the Google suite, such as Drive. This is to make it easier and more familiar to work across different apps.
The first thing to do is to choose a display density. The default setting shows the subject of the email and the first line, along with icons showing any attachments.
The comfortable setting removes the icons, as does the compact setting which also removes any space between emails so you can see more emails in your inbox.
Flick between them to see what suits you, but remember it always takes a few days to get used to a new design.
The other interface change is the toolbar on the right-hand side which allows you to view your Google Calendar, Tasks and other apps within Gmail.
Google Tasks
This is a new to-do app from Google that is designed to integrate into Gmail. It also works as a standalone smartphone app (free for Android and iPhones) but is best used as part of Gmail – though it can only be used on the webbased version on a computer.
It lets you drag emails from your inbox to Tasks to create a listing which is then linked to that email.
This is especially handy for people who use their inbox as a todo list. It’s also great for anyone committed to the Google suite of products as you can use Google Calendar in the same way.
Smart Reply
This is a feature that’s been available on the Gmail smartphone app for a while.
It works by Gmail scanning an email you’ve received and then suggesting three automatic replies, such as ‘‘That sounds great’’ or ‘‘I’ll get back to you soon’’.
Just click on one of them and you’re done – no need to type anything.
You may be worried about Google’s algorithms reading your emails but it already does as it checks for spam and viruses.
There’s no way to turn this off in the desktop version but you can do it if you use the Gmail smartphone app. Just go to Settings, your account and then toggle off ‘‘smart reply’’.
Confidential mode
When you compose an email you’ll see an icon displaying a lock and a clock at the bottom.
This is the new confidential mode, which lets you send an email with an expiration date or to revoke it. You don’t actually send an email but rather a link so it never really goes into their inbox.
It’s a neat feature but don’t be fooled that it’s truly confidential – it’s still possible to copy the contents of the email or to take a screenshot.
If you do want to keep something private it’s best to do it in person rather than writing it down.
Email snoozing
This is a neat feature that Gmail uses to remind you to reply to emails and helps declutter your inbox.
It works by removing them and then resurfacing them at a later time. To use it, just hover over an email in your inbox and you’ll see a few icons appear, including a clock.
Click on that and then you’ll get some timing options so you can hide the email for a few hours or set a custom time for it to reappear.
Linked to this is nudging, which is when Gmail’s algorithm identifies important emails in your inbox and asks if you want to reply.
Once again, it’s done by Google scanning your emails but you can turn it off in the desktop version by going to Settings.
You don’t have to use any or all of these features, they will help you if you’re feeling overwhelmed by your inbox.
You may be worried about Google’s algorithms reading your emails but it already does as it checks for spam and viruses.